Classic Mustangs List Archive

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

I wrote an item once before, but garnered no response. I figured I'd give it
one more shot.

My 16 year old daughter and I are restoring a 66 6 cyl. Sprint Coupe for her
to use. While we are trying to make the car as close to original as our
wallet a practicality allows, the car will be a daily driver and safety is
important to us.

Has anyone out there ever retrofitted shoulder belts to a classic Mustang?
We would appreciate a few pointers. If it is totally impracticle or caused
major changes we'll go without them, but we would really like to have them
installed.

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: wrk (email redacted)

My 70 has shoulder belts. They are not very good ones. They fit into
a slot in the lap belts. You might try looking a 70 for ideas, or if you
find a junk, for parts.

Russell Kumpe
(email redacted)
70 Grande 351W-4V

*********** REPLY PARTITION ***********

On 10/06/97, at 01:50 PM, (email redacted) wrote:

>I wrote an item once before, but garnered no response. I figured I'd give it
>one more shot.
>
>My 16 year old daughter and I are restoring a 66 6 cyl. Sprint Coupe for her
>to use. While we are trying to make the car as close to original as our
>wallet a practicality allows, the car will be a daily driver and safety is
>important to us.
>
>Has anyone out there ever retrofitted shoulder belts to a classic Mustang?
> We would appreciate a few pointers. If it is totally impracticle or caused
>major changes we'll go without them, but we would really like to have them
>installed.
>
>

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Christopher Russell (email redacted)


Just to get the ball rolling...

I'm pretty sure that all 67 and up have the mounting points for the
shoulder belts (except convertibles). I believe shoulder belts were
optional at first (starting in???) and later (in 68?) they were made
standard equip.

Now, I'm not sure about 66... I seem to recall reading or hearing
something about a shoulder harness option or later released retrofit
from Ford. Not sure if the mounting point is already there are not on
all/some 66 cars.

Anyway, you basically need to get some new or used (in very good
shape) belts and find a strong mounting point for them. I've heard of
people using 67-early70 stang belts or various late model seat belts.
The advantage of the late model is that they might be retractable.

The 67-up mounting point is covered by the headliner.

If you use some modern seatbelts then you need to be sure the
"intertia" deal is mounted properly so the belts will actually hold
you back in an accident. Also be sure to use the proper mounting
hardware.

Some folks have indicated that mounting shoulder harnesses lower than
the shoulders (i.e. to the floor or rear seatbelt mounting points) is
dangerous because in a crash the belts would tend to pull the
shoulders down which I think could cause "bad things" to happen such
as compressed spine, etc. (I'm not a doctor or crash-test scientist
though...)

Also, it is not as good (but seems to me better than nothing) to have
really long belts...i.e. because the mounting points are far away. The
longer the belt the more the stretch and the farther forward the person
will move in an accident.

So in summary, do your homework, use the correct quality parts, mount
to a part of a unit body that is actually strong enough, check the angle
of the belts...use common sense...

Oh yah [in case any ambulance chasing lawyers out there :-( ], this is just
_ideas_ to use as a starting point... it is up to you to be sure this
is a safe setup.

...later ...Chris

> I wrote an item once before, but garnered no response. I figured I'd give it
> one more shot.
>
> My 16 year old daughter and I are restoring a 66 6 cyl. Sprint Coupe for her
> to use. While we are trying to make the car as close to original as our
> wallet a practicality allows, the car will be a daily driver and safety is
> important to us.
>
> Has anyone out there ever retrofitted shoulder belts to a classic Mustang?
> We would appreciate a few pointers. If it is totally impracticle or caused
> major changes we'll go without them, but we would really like to have them
> installed.

--
Christopher L. Russell Sr. Software Engineer -- Schlumberger ATE
emailemail redacted) WWW: cs-students.stanford.edu/~chrisr
Work:408-437-5185,800-538-6838 x5185 Home:408-296-7582 Page:408-237-1922

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: mr fomoco (email redacted)

At 01:50 PM 10/6/97 -0300, you wrote:
>I wrote an item once before, but garnered no response. I figured I'd give it
>one more shot.
[....]

Perhaps my response went astray - I wrote to say I have the original
instructions for the 1968 accessory kit. It retrofits to all 1965-67
cars and gives very exacting measurements/instructioins for adding the
kit-type belts. Since these were no more than trimmed, standard '68
belts, it would seem a simple matter to rig up something that's both
original-looking and functional...you could even use parts from belts
appropriate to your 1966.

If interested, I sell the copies for $3, postpaid.
--

MrF
Allen Cross
-------------------------------------------------------------
THE online source for 1960-1973 Ford information.
voicenet.com/~fomoco
Original articles, NOS stuff, tech advice & more!

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Max Watson (email redacted)

Mr Formoco wrote...
>If interested, I sell the copies for $3, postpaid.

Cha-Ching... Information wants to be FREE!

--
D.Maxwell Watson
<(email redacted)>

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: mr fomoco (email redacted)

At 05:30 PM 10/6/97 -0300, you opined:
>Mr Formoco wrote...
>>If interested, I sell the copies for $3, postpaid.
>
>Cha-Ching... Information wants to be FREE!

I agree - kindly remember this when cashing your next paycheck!
MrF
Allen Cross
-------------------------------------------------------------
THE online source for 1960-1973 Ford information.
voicenet.com/~fomoco
Original articles, NOS stuff, tech advice & more!

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Bob Thomason (email redacted)

Will this apply to a 65FB ansd if so where do I send the money?
Bob

----------
> From: mr fomoco <(email redacted)>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <(email redacted)>
> Subject: [CM:6587] Re: Shoulder belts for a 66 Coupe
> Date: Monday, October 06, 1997 2:50 PM
>
> At 01:50 PM 10/6/97 -0300, you wrote:
> >I wrote an item once before, but garnered no response. I figured I'd
give it
> >one more shot.
> [....]
>
> Perhaps my response went astray - I wrote to say I have the original
> instructions for the 1968 accessory kit. It retrofits to all 1965-67
> cars and gives very exacting measurements/instructioins for adding the
> kit-type belts. Since these were no more than trimmed, standard '68
> belts, it would seem a simple matter to rig up something that's both
> original-looking and functional...you could even use parts from belts
> appropriate to your 1966.
>
> If interested, I sell the copies for $3, postpaid.
> --
>
> MrF
> Allen Cross
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> THE online source for 1960-1973 Ford information.
> voicenet.com/~fomoco
> Original articles, NOS stuff, tech advice & more!