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Dec 26, 2004 21:57:51 GMT
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OK guys, what do we know on this subject? I'm thinking about the possibilty of acquiring something a bit older to replace our dull-as-sh1t Astra, but obvioulsy the older cars don't tend to have seatbelts in the back.... These are clearly pretty important to me as they are needed to secure my son's kiddie seat into the car. So are there any retro-fitting kits available, are they any good, and what is the legal standpoint on these things? I seem to recall a few years back my dad fitted some inertia reels in the back of his SD1 (series1), but I recall these weren't particularly good. Or maybe too good, as they seemed to jam into the "crash" position every time you leant forward slightly..... Can I use the reels out of something new, as long as they are of MOT quality? Obviously the easiest option is to find some car that had belts fitted on later models, and fit them in the right places, but the kind of things I'm looking at probably never had them at all... Another alternative is to go down the "Isofix" route - for those who don't know what this is, in new cars there is a little clip that pokes out of the seat that you can anchor the kiddie chair to, which in turn is bolted to the boot floor. Has anyone tried this system in an old car? Any help on this matter will be greatly appreciated, as it's the little 'uns safety that's paramount at the end of the day! N.
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Dec 26, 2004 22:48:43 GMT
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Last Edit: Dec 26, 2004 22:50:59 GMT by hairnet
2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Dec 27, 2004 12:10:12 GMT
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"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"
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Dec 27, 2004 15:36:56 GMT
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I've got to put a baby seat in the back of my cortina and i've been told that mk3 granny rear belts will bolt straight in. A lot of older cars allready have the mounting points for rear belts because they were a requirment for export, its just a case of working out what will fit your car. Maybe a trip round the scrappy will help. The main thing you want to look for is units that mount at the same angle as yours, otherwise they just lock up like you described. Another option is the fixed belts that you find in some 60's cars, much less hassle IMO.
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Dec 27, 2004 15:39:28 GMT
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gsf euro etc sell reel belts
wouldnt buy scrappy ones
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Dec 27, 2004 15:46:44 GMT
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I'll agree with you on that one - it's gotta be new all the way really. I know the MOT man would pick it up if it were dodgy, but it just helps for peace of mind... Hairnet - some of those links were really helpful! I'll keep researching for now and this will get followed up! Rev. Dick - re. static belts - dependent on the type of child seat you want to use, this could cause a few issues. Most of the modern ones (we use Britax - can't remember the model but it was about £100) are reliant upon the inertia reel to hold them securely in place.
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Dec 27, 2004 16:30:24 GMT
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Cheers for that, i didnt know that, but i think i'll be going for inertia belts anyway. The reason i sujested going round the scrappy was to get an idea of what belt fits your car so you you know what to buy.
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Dec 27, 2004 22:25:42 GMT
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Fitting rear belts to a car that didnt have them in the first place could be one hell of a risk. You would be the first to check that they work OK. Well hopefully it would never come to that.
What intresting cars are there that already have rear belts fitted?
Theres been alot of talk about fitting rear belts and converting statics to inertia reel on the Imp clubs forum and alot of people on there don't think its a good idea.
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BS Nymph Singer Chamois Coupe Series 3 Landy
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Dec 27, 2004 22:40:53 GMT
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as long as the point next to the seat is strengthened then should be ok..........??
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Dec 27, 2004 22:49:03 GMT
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Fitting rear belts to a car that didnt have them in the first place could be one hell of a risk. You would be the first to check that they work OK. Well hopefully it would never come to that. What intresting cars are there that already have rear belts fitted? Theres been alot of talk about fitting rear belts and converting statics to inertia reel on the Imp clubs forum and alot of people on there don't think its a good idea. Personally I just use 4 point harnesses with Recaros in the Imp, but of course it's not quite so practical to do that to a 4 seater!
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"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"
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Dec 27, 2004 22:53:33 GMT
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I'm fitting belts to the Nymphs front seats but thats only to please the other half.
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BS Nymph Singer Chamois Coupe Series 3 Landy
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Dec 27, 2004 23:02:51 GMT
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A, I see! As I said, old Volvos are often found with rear seatbelts, the 80s-90s 2/7/9 serieses are some of the safest cars ever built, with a full compliment of airbags, seatbelts, and the famous Volvo Side Impac Protection System (SIPS), plus they're unnaturally comfortable, and the normal 4 cylinder models are really really dependable, the turbo 4 cylinders are reliable and very strong performers, with a small amount of affordable tinkering you'd have a 150mph monster that still wouldn't let you down and would protect you in an accident, and the V6s are great comfortable cruisers, good strong performers, dependable, and yet again really safe. You could do worse if you need a 4 door saloon that's safe and interesting.
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"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"
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Fitting rear belts to a car that didnt have them in the first place could be one hell of a risk. You would be the first to check that they work OK. Well hopefully it would never come to that. What intresting cars are there that already have rear belts fitted? hmmmm. Interesting point of view. Surely if they're mounted properly (with the mounting areas strengthened like Mark says) , and the MOT man is happy then it must be OK? If push came to shove I'd be perfectly prepared to pay a company to fit them professionally rather than do a diy installation. As a firm they'd have to have a duty of care so it would have to be done right! I'm going over to see me dad later - I'll see what he reckons...Mind you back in the day I remember him fitting our kiddie seats by bolting the anchor point to the boot floor! As for cars that would already have them - I was thinking of something smallish and French-ish: I suppose the last-of-the-line Renault 4's would have them, no?
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Last Edit: Dec 28, 2004 8:24:40 GMT by nickb
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Dec 28, 2004 10:58:18 GMT
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an ex an post renault 4 van with a cage in the back - sorted lololol
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Dec 28, 2004 15:46:52 GMT
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If you want Securon belts don't get them from Securon, get them from one of the companys they supply. For some strange reason it seems to be cheaper that way.
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BS Nymph Singer Chamois Coupe Series 3 Landy
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Dec 28, 2004 16:45:10 GMT
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I have seen several cars retro fitted with rear belts where the bodywork around the mounting has folded forward in an impact, even when the mounting has been reinforced. I saw one car where the C-pillar had pulled forward about a foot!
Some cars that were fitted with optional rear belts as OE were pretty bad in this way too. It was only when rear belts were a legal requirement with a standard to meet that some manufacturers started to design the mountings properly.
Don't assume that just because the car passes the MOT that this is any guarantee of safety. If the car was manufactured before the date at which rear belts were required they probably won't be checked at all. Even if they are checked it will only be a case of checking the belts for damage and the areas around the mountings for corrosion. MOT inspectors don't have the time or the skills to perform structural analysis of home made seatbelt mounting points.
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Dec 28, 2004 17:41:20 GMT
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Yeah the MOT bloke only tests the basics really. Hes not going to know if the belts are in the right place on the bodywork. All he checks for as that they work and are not damaged.
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BS Nymph Singer Chamois Coupe Series 3 Landy
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Dec 28, 2004 18:05:18 GMT
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Christ on a bike! That's properly put the curse word up me now. Perhaps we should put this idea to bed I'll have to have a rethink about the whole project now!
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Dec 28, 2004 18:14:38 GMT
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i'd only fit them to a car which had mounting points... there's a hell of a force pulling on mounting points during an accident and you'd need a lot of work to make your own mounting point.
even 70's bugs, and from memory late 60's bugs had proper factory mounting points that modern seatbelts screw straight into, standard fittings. maybe this is a feature of german cars... worth pulling a few backrests forwards and seeing if there's nuts welded to the metalwork!
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Never trust a man Who names himself Trevor. Or one day you might find He's not a real drug dealer.
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Dec 28, 2004 18:35:36 GMT
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so a mk1 golf is likely to have these points then?
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