Kaiser 3-point seatbelt installation

[DaveF]

Dear club members;

Jim Betts asked for some photos of the installation of 3-point seatbelts in my recently restored 1952 Manhattan (See Kaiser Home Coming).......... I ordered these belts in kit form with all necessary hardware from an online vendor in California........ Mounting and installation was relatively easy.  While car was stripped we welded plates with treaded holes on door pillar(s) and above rear seat......... We located belt re-tractor box for rearseat belts in the trunk above wheel well and made a very neat 'slot' in rear package shelf for belt to slide in and out (see photos).  The front belts have re-tractor boxes bolted to floor at bottom of pillar(s).  I now drive with lap and shoulder belts as do my passangers.  I used the color of seltbelt material to select my headliner and door pillar material, and I think the final result is a good match.

Regards, Dave 

[pnw_oldmags]

Thanks DaveF... great looking job!

[51ksrluxe]

I am looking for a California vendor for seatbelts and hardware

[Terry T]

I was a seat belt design engineer at GM for several years

What you are doing with a 3-point system is extremely dangerous if you get into a crash.

The dynamics of the human body in deceleration with a 3-point system is much more complex than with a simple seat belt.

During the design stage of a new system in a new car model, countless tests are run to assure that no "submarining" does not occur.  That is when, during a crash event, the chest belt does not allow proper forward movement and the torso sides under the lap belt and decapitates the occupant.

Take it for what it's worth, but I had observed dozens of crash tests that ended with that result.

[MarkH]

Nice install!
I opted for 3 point front seat belts too. It's not uncommon to read about people getting killed in their classic cars, so I also decided that having SOMETHING gave my grandsons & I more of a survival chance than NOTHING. Seems there's enough demand to support at least a couple companies.
To answer 51ksrluxe's inquiry, Seatbelt Planet and Julianos both have full lines of modern equipment.

[51ksrluxe]

Thank you both Mark and Terry for the information. I shall consider seat belts further and see what might work best.