Seat belt options for a convertible

[gearheadgarage]

I only had 1 link on this laptop- it gives you the idea.....
http://www.gearheadcars.com/show-gal...?gcid=1&cid=13

[JRouche]

Ok.. I have two cars that Im trying to work out the seatbelt issue with. Both only had lap belts to begin with. One is a convet, Fiat. Yeah, yeah, my name isnt Tony but I still have to fix it, again and agian

The other is my 62 nova. It is kinda a similar issue because I cant mount a high point for the three point belt because it would look wrong for the car. All the windows rolled down and there is the belt flapping in the air. Just ruins the look.

So I bought some belts from Juliano. And I got a set from Wesco for the other car. It was by accident. I meant to buy the same belts for each car. Well as it looks I bought the same belts. They look identical. I swear they are the same belts.

Anyway. After about a year with them in the convert I started having problems. The belt wouldnt retract without a snap by me on the shoulder strap. And it got worse and worse. Till it would stay slack no matter what. F that!!! I removed the belts and took them to the bench. I opened up the retractor and examined it, took it completely apart. What had happened was two sliding plates that were supposed to be in very close contact had opened slightly and allowed the plates to slip past the stopping point. The stopping point may have been the problem. It is just a lil tit of metal that was short enough to allow the plates to separate and ride on top of each other in a manner that it wasnt designed to. So the plates were intended to slide freely and hit a stop. Well they jumped the stop and were no longer riding on the intended surface. I fixed the misalignment and they work great, again. For how long? Who knows. They are still in the fiat, I have sebring (convert car) seats with belts for the nova.

But after that, and seeing how the retractors were built I would not recommend the belts to anyone...

And solly Fluid Power for hijacking the thread for a sec. But I think safety is paramount and just wanted to give some insight with my seat belts.

For your belts I would use a harness bar like what you said. Id prolly make my own but Im sure you will find some other units ready to go. JR