glang Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 I have the original seatbelts fitted and wonder if anyone has come up with an easy way to make the clasp part of the belts rigid ie so theyre like the modern stalk type? It would make it so much easier to find and fasten them without having to go as far as fitting inertia reels..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bish Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 What you need is an old office chair or similar. They have some flattish concertina plastic which covers the back support. This stuff is easy to cut down and slips over the belt making it rigid but also bendable to suit. It puts your belt buckles exactly where you want them, and doesn't cost much, if anything at all.I have done this on a couple of beetles in the past, but can't find a picture unfortunately, so I hope that makes sense!?http://chairsforoffices.com/image/data/Henty/Henty%20set.jpgCheers, Bish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted November 19, 2016 Author Share Posted November 19, 2016 Thanks thats exactly on the lines I was thinking about although dont know where I can find some of that stuff..... Did you have to fix it to the floor at the seatbelt anchorage points? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 You have and use the original seat belts?Have you considered that the belt fabric might not still be as effective or strong as it once was? None of us are!This paper from Australia considered that ten years was the point at which belts should be replaced, although they were especially concerned about sunlight, which is more plentiful in parts of Oz than here.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0001457582900288Belts sholuld be replaced after any collision. P!ease consider replacing yours, as they are at least twice beyond their reasonable life time!John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted November 19, 2016 Author Share Posted November 19, 2016 Thanks John, but if the impact is so severe that the belt fails the steering column will have well n truly finished me off by then! Sometimes I do think about how bad an accident would be in the vitesse but then I also ride a motorbike..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Well, having survived writing off my two previous Vitesses, one a right frontal impact, the second a roll-over (I'm not a "Serial Vitesse racer" for nothing), I can say that it was the belts that saved me in the first, and the belts and roll cage in the second.I'm not just arguing from an academic PoV.The steering column collapsed in the first, as it is designed to do, but the belts kept me well away from the steering wheel. It was a six-point race harness, but a lap'n'diagonal will do as well.New belts, inc. an inertia reel and a sticky-up buckle, are less than £50. https://shop.tssc.org.uk/product/50015-intertia-reel-seat-beltBut your choice!John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted November 20, 2016 Author Share Posted November 20, 2016 Youre right of course John but I love the originality and if I wanted to be safer would drive something as modern as possible..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosbif Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Finding the right balance between originality and updated/improved is difficult and everyone will have their own limits. I fitted a pair of inertial belts to my 68 Herald convertible and live with them quite happily, on the other hand I have kept the dynamo rather than going for an alternator.Each to their own but safety is important, maybe there should be someone walking in front of each car with a red flag? This way road safety would improve AND unemployment be reduced(ondrugs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Cook Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 I was really frustrated with the original seat belts in my GT6, you'd get out of the car and have 12' of belt trailing after you! Inertia are nice and tidy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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