Aftermarket 3 point seatbelt question

[Mike391]

Thanks in advance for your help. If this has been answered somewhere already, sorry. I did a search on the forum and didn't find an answer to my question.

So I have decided to install aftermarket 3-point (shoulder) seatbelts in my '66 slick with a bench seat.

I found this company online, and there are lots of options: https://www.gotbelts.com/. I am considering using their "standard retractable 3 point" kit: https://www.gotbelts.com/retractable-la ... 81/view/78

Thanks to this forum, I am comfortable with the top shoulder belt mounting point at the back of the cab. My question is about the buckle end. There seems to be a number of options for the length of that strap. Their standard kit offers two options, a "20 inch fixed", and a "12 inch with sleeve".

They also offer their "modern style cable style retractable" kit: https://www.gotbelts.com/retractable-la ... 81/view/30. That version offers buckle lengths of 5, 6, 9, and 12 inch buckle ends.

The fixed lap belt that I removed is 26" long from the floor mount to the buckle. But that, of course, is the old style, where the buckle ends up in the middle of your lap. So I realize that the retractable style needs to be shorter, because it will be a modern style where the buckle will be at the seat next to you, not in the center of your lap. Hope that makes sense.

I think the 12" (either the first one with the plastic sleeve or the cable style) will be the correct one, but I am not sure.

Has anyone installed a similar kit? Am I supposed to measure from the mounting hole to just on top of the seat? If so, 12" appears to be correct.

Just want to make sure I order the right options.

Thanks again!

[tomrooster]

Not sure of how long my belts are but when I push the backof the seat forward the buckle with the release falls behind the seat . Tom

[Uncle Skip]

Take a look at projects and builds, Tweety Bird.
I just installed a set of aftermarket 3-point belts in the truck.
For the single belt, Measure from the anchor point to the about the middle of your seat coming off the floor. This should put the female part of the latch about in the middle of your lap when its all buckled up. It will mount directly to the existing two inner attachment points.
There are pictures but FYI, I went one step further and mounted the retractor on the vertical side of the torque box behind the seat.
Take a look and if you have questions, let me know and I'll do what I can to answer them.
I mounted it there because I didn't want to drill the floor trim to mount the unit flat like I did on my truck.
We will have to cut a hole in the top of the torque box to access the reinforcement nutplate, but that hole will be sealed up with an aluminum plate and the entire thing will be covered with the carpet never to be seen by human eyes again.

[Uncle Skip]

Mike.
I just posted a couple more pictures in Tweety Bird showing how we mounted the seat belt retractors on the torque box.
This one shows where we cut the hole. The other pictures show the sheet metal covering. Hope this answers your question about how to mount the units.
Note:
They do need to be mounted at the outside edge of the seat so the unit points straight up and does not lock when you try to click the belts. To center the mounting hole, I went in from the door jamb 2-1/2 inches and 3/4 inch up from the floor.

[Mike391]

Thanks! That is very helpful. I need to take another look at mine and take some measurements.