Fellas, I'm glad you got it worked out and we're all a happy family again. I'm not sure I've ever seen such an in-depth debate about anything! You boys take your seat belts seriously! I thought about interjecting an unsubstantiated opinion a time or two, but wisely stayed out of it. Now that it appears we're all on the same page, I would like to add my unsolicited two-cents' worth.

My experience is that of a surgeon. I've spent many a day trying to put non-seatbelt wearing "Humpty-Dumpties" back together again with their ruptured spleens, diaphragms, collapsed lungs, or ripped-up "whatever's". Telling a family that you weren't able to save their teenager is a SERIOUSLY bad day at work, and knowing that a seatbelt probably would have changed the outcome is particularly heartbreaking...

I'll not debate the finer points of what's better, because frankly, as was stated, nobody's going to crash-test a bunch of classic effies. We're all basically giving well thought-out, educated guesses. What I would BEG people to do is to put some kind of well-secured seatbelts in your truck and WEAR the bloody things! Someday it might make a difference...

 

Me too, great to have all this info, there is alot more to seat belts and their proper use than most realize.
Something we all take for granted till an accident claims a life just cause the lack of belt use.

 

It's known as the "Buckle & Billet" or "Aircraft" style because it operates the same as the Military style Trowser Belts that were held together by Friction & Teeth.
I not yet had a problem w/ this style working as proscribed & I've only been in one accident while wearing one thank goodness.

 

Those were banned many years ago because in an accident the holding mechanism can be pulled tight enough to not be able to be released without cutting the belt. If you insist on using them I'd strap a pair of heavy duty shears to the belt.

 

They are Original to my Truck & I had No trouble opening it after that "Olde-Bat" Plowed into me @ 40+ MPH, which means according to you & Cal, they should be replaced anyway after the accident.
You foreget something, I'm a Volunteer Emergency 1st Responce Medic, so that means I carry a Seatbelt Cutter in my Kit, which lives in my Truck, as well as one on my Key Ring, Res-Q-Me, & I've given one to every member of my Immediate family.

 

I hesitate to ask another question.......... after all, to my orig. question I just thought one of you gents would come back with a "part #, I got mine at... and they look the part, and funtion great, just remember to..." wasn't expecting all this. My hats off to you and all the time you gave. How about mounting hardware?



Really, the few sets I've seen just look like fender washers and a bolt. Is this all a guy needs? I"ve been considering going to the local metal shop and beg some 1/8" 3"x5" scrap instead.

 

Here's some that might work for you.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1966-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/65-66...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vinta...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1964-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1967-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Musta...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Two-6...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Seat-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1964-...QQcmdZViewItem

 

Since seat belts were not standard equipment on cars till 1/1/1966, Ford Dealers would install whatever they had. The original belts (B6A-62611A72/3-A), first offered as an accessory in 1956, were the old style "metal to webbing" type, also called "aircraft" or buckle & billet." In 1962, a different more deluxe style came out (C2AZ-62611A72/3-A-B etc), also as an accessory and were used thru the 1960's. These are the metal to metal type with the color coded buckle, and were made standard equipment on Ford cars in 1966 (trucks were not required to have 2 lap belts till 1/1/1967). There was a third economy type with a plain chrome buckle also. The metal to metal belts have been reproduced by the Mustang restorers (C5ZZ-65611A72/3-A-B etc), but decent lap belts...metal to metal can be bought cheaply at most parts stores. They may or may not have mounting hardware. Another source of seatbelts is dearbornclassics.com who not only has something very close to original, but also offers a reproduction of the accessory retractor mechanism. Retractors were an option till the 1970's.

 

Bought mine at: http://www.julianos.com/seat_belts.html

 

See my original post. Got mine from the local NAPA store. They're functional and not too expensive...about $60 and comes with all the hardware to install them.

Basically, the heavy fender washers and bolt is the hardware kit. I also used a piece of 1/8 inch plate under the floor on mine to be sure the bolts don't pull through the floor... .

 

Mine are 3 point from Mid Fifty. www.midfifty.com
I use mounting regs from SCCA as my mounting guide: All hardware must be no less than grade8 7/16" NF bolts, nuts, AND washers. Any attachment points that do not pass thru a structural member must be reinforced with a minimum 4" diameter x 1/8" thick steel backing plate.
suitable hardware can be obtained from racing gear suppliers and some online hardware
suppliers. If shopping the local sources be sure ALL the hardware is grade8.
Here is a link to racing harness installation specs and notes: http://www.gforce.com/pdf/harnessinstall.pdf
DO NOT use racing harnesses for street use, but the mounting geometry for the lap belt and shoulder straps should be noted.
Racing harnesses are meant to hold the driver into a properly designed racing seat. Except in direct frontal impacts it is the seat that provides the protection not the belts. With a standard OEM type seat a racing harness can CAUSE additional injuries in a highway collision.

 

thanks again.

 

Over the course if this discussion, I realized that the reason that I haven't upgraded from my lap-only belt to a shoulder harness system is that I had not come across a belt I liked. I didn't want to go with a 3-point belt for the reasons already stated.

I found this "off road" four point belt at Wesco Performance:

Wesco off-road belts

I have a pair of the model 50521-cse belts on order and will report on them when they arrive. The kit comes with snap ends, eye-bolts and 3" backup washers. They are also available with bolt-mount ends for less money. For an extra $8 you can even get a set in hot pink, just for the little lady. I like the fact that they mount to the floor. Based on AX's post about mounting, above, in lieu of the washers I'll probably put a single 1/8" steel bar, maybe 3” wide, under the mounting area.

I'm also curious what you guys that restore vehicles for show think of this solution. When you go to show the truck, the belts can be un-clipped and removed very quickly, leaving just three eye bolts as the only non-stock addition to the truck. How does the judging work for stock vehicles? Would the eye-bolts "cost" very much in terms of points or however the rating system works?

AX,
I'm very interested in your comments on this type of belt. I see what you say about how a racing belt could limit your movement. I can just reach reverse on the 4-speed transmission without moving my shoulders from the seat, but I have gorilla-length arms; a lot of folks would not be able to reach. I’ll have to have a little slack in the shoulder belts to be able to check my blind spot (I have the small rear window in my pickup). We’ll see when the belts arrive next week.

Cal

 

[I wound up with a double post. Can't delete the second copy so I deleted the contents].
Well, I think the server is messed up. It keeps telling me that I have to enter more than 10 characters...

 

Actually, if you're using the standard Eye-bolts that I keep seeing being used, that look the Same as the ones that Came w/ the Original seatbelt kits for the F & M-series trucks.