Anyone know of an aftermarket shoulder/seat belt kit for a 1964 F100 Custom Cab? I am restoring one for my girlfriends 16 year old son who is learning to drive. He's a good driver so I don't think he needs a 5 point, which is all I seem to be able to find.

 

look in Street Rodder magazine for ads. Juliano's is the first name I can think of. There should be a half dozens vendors selling them there.

 

Was thinking that a 80 or newer F-100 might work, but I don't know how the newer ones would work around the gas tank area in the 64. Some GM cars of the early '70s had seperate shoulder and lap setups. I remember my grandmother's 72 Chevelle with the bench seat had them, some Ford products are also sure to have them. This may be an idea to look into... Good luck with this!

 

If you find a good way to do it, be sure to post the info here because I am sure lots of us would be interested in knowing how. One thing to keep in mind is that simply mounting a shoulder harness will not offer adequate retention. The inside cab corners of those trucks were not made to hold back the force of a 180lb body going from 55mph to a sudden stop in under a second. It seems that for it to work there would have to be some reinforcement behind the mount. Anyway, if you get any ideas, pass them on!

Nate

1964 F-100 Custom Cab 292 V-8 3 spd
1964 F-100 292 V-8 3 spd
1990 F-150 5.8L
http://www.geocities.com/revnate64/Revnate.html

 

If one find one, be sure to let us know. I searched for one for my 65 without luck. There isn't anything above shoulder height to attach to but sheetmetal. And there isn't anything to tuck an anchor behind without welding in some brackets.
Don't attach the shoulder belt to anything lower than the top of the seat or someone will get hurt even more in an accident than with just a lap belt.

Lee
1965 F100 short box styleside

 

Lee and Nate, I feel that something is better than nothing when it comes to adding a shoulder belt. I don't want to be in a Mack truck involved in a head on, but adding and reinforcing for shoulder belt has to be better than not. :-)

your thoughts

John

jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01] My FTE Page

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners] NC Ford Truck owners group

66F100s Rule
In the cool still quiet of night you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

Something to think about. Many later model seats have integrated shoulder belts. I have many times considered adapting one of these into my truck.

 

John;
I sure don't want to meet an 18 wheeler either face to face either in which case any old belt would be better than nothing. But, a typical accident is relatively 'low' speed and if that shoulder harness is mounted well below your shoulder, your spinal column will be compressed. A lap belt would serve you better.
The problem is trying to wrap a mounting plate into the corner of the cab. It needs to be welded into the door frame and around to the rear window area. This would assume that the inertia retractor goes on the floor. I would caution about the above-the-head retractor like Ford did in the 70's. My boss was rear-ended riding in a F100, typical low speed accident, but in the hit he cracked his head and the retractor cover. The concussion put him out of work for nearly 2 months.
Somebody must have done this before, please respond. I am guessing that the parts answer lies in the junkyard and that the welding will ruin your exterior paint job.
Using one of today's seats with the intergral belt mount is good as long as the floor pan is reinforced to keep you in place. What will fit?

Lee
1965 F100 short box styleside

 

Good points Lee, I know people today that will take a ticket rather than buckle up, because they know someone that was hurt by his belt. That issue will be batted back and forth for a long time to come.

My thoughts were on a shoulder high mount, and now we must be concerned about dumping. How's a guy to improve his safety in his older truck?

John

jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01] My FTE Page

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners] NC Ford Truck owners group

66F100s Rule
In the cool still quiet of night you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

Gentlemen, I appreciate all the responses that my question has generated. I think this is a great site!! First of all, I have found numerous sources for shoulder seat belts, thanks to several of you. Secondly, I agree with Nate_64 and ole65; my original concern was the lack of a solid attachment point for the top of the shoulder belt. And if the pivot point is too low, spinal/back compression is a real issue (ie,Dale Earnhart). At this point, here is my current thinking: Most of the after market belts have a retractor that mounts on the floor (4"x4"x3.5"). I think that there is room on a 64. As to the top mount, I am currently working on a design which uses a "headache rack" mounted on the bed and a "pass-through" bolt from the cab to the headache rack. To compensate for cab vs bed flex, a gromment system will need to be "thunked-up" which will allow for weather sealing and movement. Unfortunately, due to other obligations and things to do on the truck, it may be a while before I get to this part of the project. However, I will post the solution that I have devised (hopefully with digital pictures) back on this site.

jjarratt

 

http://www.sonnystruckseats.com/index.html

Try this site. I think that a d#d## seat should fit. Obviously
it will require some mods but should be doable.

 

I am using a set from an 85 F150 in my 66. Bought the seat and all the belts. The reels mount up high and are ugly ...but they work. I plan to install a set of Julianos with the low mount reels and do a 6 inch by 10 inch curved steel plate reinforcment of the sheet metal between the door post and the back window. I will mount the pivot as near to the door post as possible. Welding in the reinforcement using a wire feed machine will not fry the paint if your careful.
William in Atlanta

 

I would definitely start with an aftermarket belt with the floor mounted retractor. There are a few cars that had that sort of model but don't come with a full cover. One consideration would be to mount the pivot way up high using one of the belts with a yoke that is about 8 - 10 inches below the mounting point. I got one for our 67 Mustang and the dropped belt pivot (via the yoke) makes it very comfortable on the shoulder.

Lee
1965 F100 short box styleside

 

Guys. I re-welded the plate that connects between the door frame and the rear window frame all the way around, drilled a 7/16" hole about 2" from the top edge and mounted a c#*#y van three point belt assembly with the floor retractor with 7/16ths allen head stainless bolts and self locking nuts. I used a large fender style washer behind the plate where I put the lock nut. I also used the washers under the floor where the belt hard points mount. The floor retractor is kind of close to the edge of the seat in my '63, but it worked out o.k.
Good news is that I bought the set at a swap meet for $20.00 and they look good. In a hard accident, I figure the plate will bulge out and dissipate some of the energy, but the sholder belt shouldn't pull out of the mounting hole. Like John said, it may not be as good as factory, but anything is better than nothing.
Skip4274
4everFord

 

Is the door post itself substantial enough for the upper connection? The force of the impact would pull on the side of the bolt (or at least at an angle) rather than directly on the threads. You could certainly pick the correct height and I don't see why it would have to be behind the shoulder. You could use a separate shoulder belt like the first ones that came out. The seat belt would still hold even if the shoulder belt failed.