Seat Belts and Bench Seats

[funsummer]

Gday,
I have a problem.
I am in aussie, looking at taking my 65 galaxie ltd fastback down to the local drag strip..
Wanting to test the standard 390 and get some times before i bolt in the 444 that ive being building.
Local track rules state that car must have a 3 point lap/sash belt as a minimum.
So how can i fit belts to go racing!!
I am not interested in a rollcage, as the car is very close to standard and the rear seat is regularly used.
Track rules state can run flat 11sec pass without rollcage.
I am interested in the possibility of permanently fitting a racing lap belt with 2 shoulder belts running to the rear parcel shelf.
This car is used as a family car so removable shoulder belts would be best so junior can still sit in back when cruising.
The car has a front bench seat.
is this possible and has anyone got some pics or advise?
Thanks
Joel

 

[BruceS]

Hey Mate,
Try Ssnake Oyl Products: http://www.ssnake-oyl.com/.  I'm soon going to order a set of lap belts from them for my '63 Galaxie. They also restored the belts on my Fairlane.

Bruce

[funsummer]

Bruce,
 thanks for the link.
Nice belts but i need at a minimum of a 3 point belt for a pillarless car, to get on the track..
I think 4 point may be the way fwd.

Joel

[machoneman]

Try Simpson's line. It may be cheaper to buy through Summit/Jeg's, etc. although I think I did see an Australian based distributor of their products. That or a true Aussie based manufacturer/supplier of safety belts.

I agree that a 4 point would be better with the shoulder belts anchored through the floor pan or back tray. When the shoulder belts aren't used, they should have enough slack to allow the backseat to be used. 

http://simpsonraceproducts.com/products/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=344_571

[afret]

I guess you don't have to worry about NHRA rules, but they won't pass a car where the shoulder belt mounts (aftermarket) are lower than 4" below the shoulders.  I think this is to prevent compression injuries to the spine.

[funsummer]

it has a bench seat in the front.
As for the belt mount points, i would like it as safe as practical, theres no point fitting them if they end up injuring me, thats why i was thinking rear parcel shelf..
If they go down to rear seat belt mounts then there is a lot of downward compression in a fwd collision.
I am hoping some one has done this before..

[Drew Pojedinec]

got the simpson four point in the front seats.
just lap belts in the back seat.

on my 63.5 galaxie.
Works fine, takes a new passenger like 10 minutes to figure out how to belt in, but my 9 year old boy got it down :-)

Personally I wouldn't consider running with just lap belts in the front.... I mean, we got a steel dash that'd pop your noggin in a hurry.

[jayb]

I think mounting the shoulder harness to the package tray would work, but you would have to reinforce the package tray where the belt is mounted.  Also the shoulder harness won't be long enough to extend from the package tray all the way over the front seat; you will have to use a cable or another belt as an extension.  Rather than trying to use a racing harness, if a factory seat belt and shoulder harness arrangement would pass muster with your local track, I think you might be best off trying to get one of those out of a newer model vehicle and adapt it to your car.  I've done that before with an older pickup, where I took the seat belt and shoulder harness mechanism out of a '78 Ford pickup and put it in a '66.  It really worked out pretty well.  The only tough part was mounting the shoulder harness reel above the door, and it really wasn't that bad.

If you can't do that and you have to go with a racing harness, the package tray mount would be an option, but bear in mind that those are not really designed to withstand any kind of force, and you should brace the heck out of the mounting point to be safe.

[funsummer]

Drew, where are your four point front harness attachment points?
Are you running a bench or buckets in front?

Laps in the back sounds like a simple upgrade, got none at moment.
Thanks for advise.

[funsummer]

Could anyone post up some pictures of race galaxie interiors?
Be much appreciated.
joel

[thatdarncat]

I don't know if it will help, but I remember that this company used to make a harness system where the shoulder belts, with use of an extention, would connect to the rear seatbelt latch. That way you could run a shoulder harness without a roll bar and use factory mounts. It wouldn't be NHRA legal, but that doesn't sound like an issue for you. I find their website to be a bit confusing though, maybe you can fiqure it out. Belts are their specialty. Good luck.

http://english.schroth.com/tuning/produktdetail.php?id=34&id_kat1=1

[fe66comet]

Without a pillar the only solution I can see is the roof curb. That would be the DOT approved way.

[Drew Pojedinec]

Drew, where are your four point front harness attachment points?
Are you running a bench or buckets in front?
Laps in the back sounds like a simple upgrade, got none at moment.
Thanks for advise.

Bench seats.  All four point belts go to the floor behind the seat.  The lap belts into the factory location, the shoulder belts a lil further back and wider.  It's just far enough out to do some good, but not so far that it'd be an annoyance to the person riding in the back.  I guess you could put them somewhere else that'd make more sense... but it's pretty easy to reinforce the floor and use a huge washer.

I bought 3, 60inch lap belts for the back from Mac's Auto if I recall.  Black with lift latch style (like airplane ones).  Think it was round $100 for all three, took 20 minutes to install.
I've got two kids, 9 and 12 years old.   Anytime they want to show up to a party or dance practice, or take a friend to a movie they ALWAYS ask me to take them in the car.  I guess a VW wagon isn't as cool   Anyway, on account of all that, it was required to have good safe belts for everyone.

I'll be home in 5-6 days, I'll take some pictures when i get there.

[66FAIRLANE]

I know what you mean. My Fairlane is a street car so I do not want a permanent harness. If I did have something I would make it attach at the parcel shelf and be removable, sort of like a baby seat attachment. As you already know you cannot mount the shoulder belts over seat and down to he floor. It ain't legal in anyone's rules. I don't know about Gals but the fact the Fairlanes seats just pull forward with no latch is another no no at the track. I just borrowed a Gtech meter and went for a bit of a drive 

[Drew Pojedinec]

As you already know you cannot mount the shoulder belts over seat and down to he floor. It ain't legal in anyone's rules.

Yeah, I know... and at some point I'll make something different for track usage (should I get to that juncture).  For general safety on a street vehicle it's kinda the best you can do.  I'm slightly different in my goals then many at this site.... I'd rather drive my car 10,000miles a year comfortably, than drive it 10 times a year at a track.

I like your removable idea, I might figure a way to adapt that when I get to that point.