Hi all, just got my c3 of 1973. One thing worrying me are the seat belts (see picture). They are now attached to the seats! Is this a safe situation? I would like to install 3 point seatbelts, but i'm not sure what parts i have to buy (keeping in mind i live in Europe, Belgium). I cannot find any space to built in the 3 point seat belts. Can anyone help?

cheers

 

That's not right also unsafe. Buy the AIM's manual for your 73 and it will show you the right way they were installed from the factory.

 

The two bolts are basically threaded into a piece of tin with nutplates, which is bolted to the seat tracks with little 5/16 (I think) to the seat tracks, that are bolted to the floor with 5/16 bolts.

The proper bolts are threaded through the floor to large reinforced plates


and the centers are even tied together and partially to the frame with a steel cable.


So I'd go with no, not the safest option.



For the shoulder belts, at least on the 72, they mounted on the edge of he wheel tub and had a different quarter trim piece. Then they feed through a slot in the seat and hook onto the lap belt. Quite a change if you don't have the bits. If you do a search, I believe several people have put newer style belts (camero?) in successfully
M

M

 

Here are some pics from my 73 coupe that might help you. The car is a mess but should help. These are on the passenger side. There should be plastic housing over the rear and front retractors. I can only attach 1 photo at a time for some reason.

 

Passenger floor.

 

Last one.

 

with jward486.

The coupe came standard with shoulder belts, they were optional on convertibles.

If you pull your carpet you should ne able to see the attachment points.

 

I replaced my seatbelts with some out of a late model Firebird/Camaro.
Link to pictures
With the new seatbelts there is only one retractor which mounts behind the seat and not under it.

 

Thanks mates. I managed today to take a quick look underneath the car. The right seatbelt reinforcement is still there, the left one is missing. At the back i didn't find any reinforcements.

here some very blurry pictures.

Think the Firebird / camaroo option will be the one i prefer.

 

The shoulder belt reinforcements are in the wheel well.

 

All, this is really helpful. I just installed the new plates and belts, but...How do you run the retractor Lap belts through the carpet? do I just cut a slit and let it rub? is there supposed to be a grommet or something?

 

[QUOTE=wowed777;1589238314]All, this is really helpful. I just installed the new plates and belts, but...How do you run the retractor Lap belts through the carpet? do I just cut a slit and let it rub? is there supposed to be a grommet or something?





The carpet is cut around where the floor mount is right out to the sill plate as shown in that one image, and then covered with those plastic guards.

I've run without the guards and the retractor and seatbelt guide (giant footman loop) mounted on top of the carpet without any issues but I left the plastic guards off, (supposedly to help water evaporate back when I had leaks around the t-tops)
M

 

Can't tell from your pics, do you have the steel guide loops under the plastic covers, out beside the sill plates?


M

 

Shoulder harness reinforcement- rivits to top of wheelwell


Lower is the seat belt reinforcement, upper is the outer seat belt reinforcement... this stuff is available from the vendors


outside seatbelt reinforcement (the loop bolts to these)

 

What you presently have is NOT safe!! The stress in the seat belts (during an accident) needs to be transferred to STRONG body joints. As it is now, that stress if just put into the seat. And the seat is only held in place with 4 small mounting bolts on the tracks. In a big frontal crash, the momentum generated by your body weight AND the mass of the seat would be thrown forward violently and those 4 mounting bolts would be expected to withhold all of that. NO WAY.

The correct method would be to mount the belts to a strongly reinforced body member with substantial (1/2" or larger Grade 8) fasteners.

You can purchase all of the replacement hardware from an aftermarket company for big buck$. You could buy a salvaged set of GM belts and hardware (in good condition!!)..perhaps from a late model Camaro or Firebird...and doing some minor mods to get it installed and mounted properly. I don't know how readily such resources might be overseas.

P.S. Belt webbing gets weaker with age--especially if that webbing gets sunlight (UV) on it a lot. If you buy an old set, you may want to have the webbing material replaced with new belt webbing, just to be safe. Upholsterers, race belt makers, leather shops, etc. have the equipment to sew belts properly. Just have them duplicate what you provide them (or modify as needed per your specs/drawings). You can get new seat belt webbing at many fabric supply wholesalers/warehouses.

Good luck! And get that fixed ASAP.

 

Original Poster - I just installed my belts, you need to attached the base plates under the floor as others have indicated. I purchased mine for $69 (each) through Zip. It is held in place via four Rivets. This Provides the hole to bolt the retractors (one on each side). You also need the Tunnel plate ($99, only need one of these) as this provides the reinforcement needed and allows you to bolt the fixed buckles for the driver and passenger. Please let me know if you need any pics, info on what to buy, etc. I just did this to my 73 vette and now i'm laying the new carpet.

Mooser - I believe I have the loops under the plastic cover. so..in order to lay the carpet under the sil plate, so I just make a slit in the carpet and feed the belt through? seems like there should be something more, but maybe im over thinking this. I have attached one more pic.

 

I haven't been able to find anything showing the carpet left along the edge of the sill.
My original carpet and the AIM show that the carpet is removed all the way out to the edge and the missing area is hidden by the plastic cover. The AIM is vague and my carpet might have been torn off so...

The earlier cars had a rubber grommet that let the seat belt through the carpet but I believe that was only on the ones that didn't have the retractable belts or that cover.

I'm in the process of re-doing the carpet (and other stuff) and plan on leaving a strip of the the carpet under the loops and up to the sill. Also do something with the edge of the plastic cover that was cut with an ax or whatever it was they used

 

Thanks Mooser. I have been searching as well and can't find anything in the AIM or on line that shows how this was supposed to be installed. I see the grommet for the 68 and might try that. If anyone has a pic, it would be GREATly appreciated before cut my carpet.

 

Here are the photos of my 73 with original carpet before replacement.
You can see that the carpet was cut out for the area of the seat belts.
I didn't want that on the replacement carpet and made mine solid
and cut out for the belt to exit through the carpet.

Original cut out from factory:



With insulation before carpet:




After carpet:












Donnie

 

That's how my original carpet looked (cut right out to the sill).
I'll be leaving a tail on the new one to hide that area much like Donnie shows there
M