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1960 Coupe Seatbelts

Started by PersianLimeFiremist, April 11, 2016, 04:26:44 PM

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PersianLimeFiremist

Does anyone have any recommendations for seatbelts in my 1960 62 coupe? Has anyone had good or bad experiences with any particular vendor? What length did you buy, and does anyone have a good color match for trim 36 Turquoise? Thanks Bob
1959 Coupe DeVille, 1960 Series 62 Coupe, 1963 Series 62 Coupe, 1971 Sedan DeVille, 1974 Eldo Convertible, 1996 Fleetwood Brougham, 1969 Fleetwood Brougham, 1981 Fleetwood Brougham Station Wagon by ACC

quadfins

I obtained '66 buckles (because I like the design), and had them re-webbed by Ssnakeoyl. They had a variety of webbing colors. I just told them what length I wanted.

Entirely satisfied.
Jim Eccleston
1961 Coupe de Ville
BATILAC
Senior Crown
DeCou Driving Award x 4

The Tassie Devil(le)

G'day Bob,

Which ever way you go, make sure that they are fitted correctly, and by that, I mean through the seat bottom to the floor, and not simply under the seat back and over the seat base, then to the floor.

Plus, whatever you do, if you are going to be in a prang, make sure that the rear seat passengers have lap and sash seat belts, and that they are wearing them.

Because if they fly forward, they are going to destroy your body as they pressure the front seat back, and with you restrained, their weight will squash you completely.

Fitting seat belts to cars not designed for them will always have a knock-on effect in some way.   

Installing seat back catches to stop the seat back from falling forward should be a minimum requirement.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Lucas Feininger #15674

This company has a nice selection of belts and webbing.

http://www.seatbeltsplus.com/

The "three panel" webbing would be correct for your 1960.

HTH

Lucas Feininger
1965 Sedan de Ville
1965 Eldorado
2014 SRX
CLC #15674

"The only way to travel is Cadillac style"

Blade

Don't forget to reinforce the seats as well as real crashes show the seats weren't designed for impacts either. Both of these videos show the seats ripping out of the floors during a crash.

1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-WYKYrq5FI

2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ5PcWziXT0

Seatbelts aren't much help when your seats don't stay in place.

Cheers!

59-in-pieces

Bob,
The 59 and 60 Cads had dimples in the floor to indicate where the seat belts were to be attached - see pic - .
Since I'm known as the belt and suspenders guy (no pun intended), I would suggest that you upgrade any kit you buy from the supplied 3"circular floor washers, to 4" square washers.
Given the age of these cars, the thickness of the floors may be compromised by rush, etc..
For a couple of bucks, I know I am not willing to risk my life or those of my passengers that a 3" washer will not pull through the floor, and offer little or no resistance to holding people in their places.
Blade is correct if you want to take extra steps to secure the seats.
The seats are held in place to the floor by bolts through the seat tracks into threaded tube nuts - see pic - whose threads could be compromised by the same rust, etc..
You can drill through these nuts to the underneath of the car and install the same 4" square washers to secure the front seats.
Have fun, be safe,
Steve B.
S. Butcher

PersianLimeFiremist

Thank you all for the input. This car will be regularly driven (as much as we can drive our old stuff) and I appreciate the "extra reinforcement" tips. Bob
1959 Coupe DeVille, 1960 Series 62 Coupe, 1963 Series 62 Coupe, 1971 Sedan DeVille, 1974 Eldo Convertible, 1996 Fleetwood Brougham, 1969 Fleetwood Brougham, 1981 Fleetwood Brougham Station Wagon by ACC

INTMD8

Quote from: Blade on April 12, 2016, 09:15:49 AM
Don't forget to reinforce the seats as well as real crashes show the seats weren't designed for impacts either. Both of these videos show the seats ripping out of the floors during a crash.

1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-WYKYrq5FI

2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ5PcWziXT0

Seatbelts aren't much help when your seats don't stay in place.

Cheers!

This was my concern and why I haven't added belts to my 59. If the seat breaks away (but the belt is anchored to the floor) I think that would not be a good result for your midsection.  Maybe add a cable tether from the floor to the rear of the seat frame so it can't go too far if the track failed.

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

Good video...... But I hate that they trashed an old Caddy...... Couldn'f they have used an old Dodge??
Jeff
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

The Tassie Devil(le)

Probably couldn't find two Dodges to use.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

grazza7755

Hi all,
I've just received my 6 turquoise lap belts today from Caddydaddy.
They are for my 1960 Coupe de ville.
I am mindful of the comments above but have also debated with myself previously whether to put them in at all.
My question now is, do all the seats have to come out to fit the belts?
Does any or all of the carpet have to be removed?
I assume all holes are drilled from the inside, correct?
Just trying to do it right so thanks for any advice.
Kind regards
Grazza

The Tassie Devil(le)

As for the rear set, the seat base and back will have to come out to be able to access, drill, and attach the belts.

With the front, to do it correctly, an Upholsterer will have to be engaged, if you cannot do it yourself, to cut the access holes in the seat base, and attach the necessary reinforcements, and spring relocating to allow the belts to pass through.

Doing the front seats any other way is a dangerous compromise.   Might look good, but not safe.

I have attached a couple of pictures of a '69 SDV, which although is a lot later, is the same principle.   In the '69, the seat springs are fashioned with an access place for the seat belt webbing to pass through the frame to the floor.

Bruce. >:D

'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

#12
Dodges would work Bruce....... Note that they used a tow cable.

Can't those same 4" reinforcement washers be used to secure the seat as well?
Jeff
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

Blade

Quote from: INTMD8 on April 14, 2016, 09:56:02 PM
This was my concern and why I haven't added belts to my 59. If the seat breaks away (but the belt is anchored to the floor) I think that would not be a good result for your midsection.  Maybe add a cable tether from the floor to the rear of the seat frame so it can't go too far if the track failed.
Jim:

I am planning to add a plate to the bottom at each seat mount which will distribute the force more evenly on the floor. The other issue is the back rest of the rear seat, as we can see on the '62 crash it also dislodges. Seat belt or not that should be a consideration if we are concerned with a possible accident. I am not sure if anyone here has solved that issue yet but I also want to look at that.

The Tassie Devil(le)

The only way to solve the back rest problem is to install a latching mechanism as like is used in later model vehicles with the bucket seat backs.

But to do this, the seats need to be stripped down, and the latches that have been removed from later seats be installed into the earlier seat frames, and the necessary reinforcements added.

It is no good doing a mediocre job, as you really want it to hold when required to.

I am an advocate for safety, but installing things incorrectly is really dangerous.

Here, people are saying that all buses should be retrofitted with Seat Belts.   Simple to say, but actually doing it is cheaper to build a new bus than totally reconstruct the original floors, seats and basic structure of the bus.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

JoeKarasinski

I too will be adding seat belts to our 1960 4 window. This thread has been great advice. On the front seat, do the outer belts come up next to the seat or do they go through the seat like the inner?

The Tassie Devil(le)

The outer belts will come up outside the seat, as in 99% of cars with seat belts.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe