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To expand this thread further. The accessory seat
belts for 56 Dodges were attached to a "bar?" within the seat. This (I
assume) was to allow motion of the seat without being restricted by the seat
belt. The restraint forces would be applied to the seat mounting bolts
that were in a reinforced plate in the floor.
Does anyone on the list have any 56 Dodge seat belt
installation information?
Does anyone on the list have any info on adapting 3
point systems to such a configuration used on 56 Dodges?
I’ve installed a
four-point harness from Andover Restraints on all my drivers (’58 Dodge coupe,
sport sedan, and ’58 Plymouth coupe). Each of
them had lap belts installed at some point in their history. I didn’t want
to drill extra holes in the floor pan, so I designed a bar which I installed on
top of the floor pan behind the driver’s seat directly above where the existing
lap belt holes were (I can send the design by separate e-mail, off-list).
The shoulder belts anchor to the top holes in the bar. Although the seat
still pivots forward, its range of motion is greatly restricted when I am
driving and strapped into the harness. The four-point harness gives me
some sense of security (real or perceived) from crashing into the steering wheel
/ column. The disadvantages of the four-point restraint are reduced
mobility: it’s easy to look over my right shoulder when changing lanes, but
difficult to look over my left shoulder (because I can’t lift my right shoulder
off the seat); this is particularly noticeable when there is a right-hand turn
with a super short merge lane. The fender mirrors are too small and
inaccessible to be very effective. In addition, rear passenger foot room
is restricted, particularly in the coupes – but still useable. All-in-all,
I think that the advantages of the harness outweigh the disadvantages and I have
been very satisfied.
BTW – just large steel
washers underneath. Oh, and the cost of the restraint was about $80, the
fabrication of the seatbelt bar was about $50.
-Mike
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