seat belt requirements in old cars

[pakkrat]

I've searched a little and have not found much. On cars that never had seat belts, do you have to retrofit to make them legal to drive now? I'm going to anyway, but I'm curious. I live in Missouri. Thanks.

[CarlLaFong]

The short answer is no. There are some gray areas regarding children and car seats, though. In most states, children must be restrained in an approved seat. Problem is, how do you attach the seat and if you install belts, who is liable? It's a bag of worms.

[jhughes76]

In Georgia only cars orginally equipped with seat belts have to have them. It may, however, be different for every state.

[Amphicar BUYER]

They (anywhere in the US) can not force you to retrofit you car with belts, signals or anything not required at time of manufacture. I would consider installing them if it is feasable and somehow FOR CERTAIN at least install a system for a car seat if one is needed. Children do not ride with me except for down the boat ramp because I do not have belts to attach a car seat safely.

[Layden B]

Here in California they cannot force you to retrofit your car but they can cite you for not having a brake light and if your car is right hand drive, not having turn signals. Some subtle difference!!! These two would only come into play on mid 1920s and earlier cars and the police usually either overlook them or don't know about this obscure issue. Also you must have lights both head and tail after dark. These at least are pretty common sense stuff.

[Guest leadsled1953]

new york its 1964 and up are required.

[Guest leadsled1953]

i have a website which i'll find that shows a movie called Signal 30.it shows what happens in these old cars that dont have seatbelts.its not for the kids.

[Shop Rat]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i have a website which i'll find that shows a movie called Signal 30.it shows what happens in these old cars that dont have seatbelts.its not for the kids. </div></div>

Never were truer words spoken. Thirty-five years ago my very first job at the telephone company was to run the free educational film library. Our driver's ed teacher in high school had shown us "Mechanized Death" and "Wheels of Tragedy", the other two films in that series done by the State Police in Ohio. He din't think that even as seniors we could handle "Signal 30". He was probably right. But it, along with the other two were part of the film library I took care of, so I eventually did see it. If the other two films don't convince you to wear a seatbelt every time you get in a vehicle then "Signal 30" will. The photos of the wreckage are real. Only the back stories leading up to them is a re-creation.

It is NOT for the faint of heart. Certainly not for kids. I don't care how many bloody video games they play.

[novaman]

If young people only had the chance to be with me about 21 years ago while I was in college. On night a kid that was drunk, not wearing his seat belt, missed a curve at the end of the local junkyard. I needed some parts for a car I was working on and between classes, with a classmate. At this point I had heard about the crash. When we arrived at the junkyard the car was sitting in the yard (long tow job...from about 300 feet up and across the road). I thought I was going to have to revive my classmate as he got the weak knees looking at the blood still oozing out of the car. He got really bad when he saw some hunks of flesh and brains still in the car.

It was enough I think most anyone who saw it would buckle up.

[Guest leadsled1953]

if you are letting your kids or grandkids in the car go with seatbelts.AND DO IT RIGHT!nothing frosts me more than the big washer school of seat belt installation.plate the area[some kits have real anchor plates].as a demo derby driver for 25 years i have never pulled out a factory seatbelt.

[Guest leadsled1953]

http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=...ion%3Aprelinger is the signal 30 page

[Mike Cullen]

In NY it is after model year 64. Mfg date can be 9-64, but if it's a '65 seatbelts are required. Same date, final production of MY 64, they are not required. (unless the seat belt law has some kind of rider that supercedes federal requirements) (former NYS certified inspector, I've inspected hundreds of cars for safety compliance, the objective was to prevent removal, not force retrofit)

[RocketDude]

I feel my car is perfectly safe, without seat belts.......

However, in a few months, when it is ready to actually move out of the garage, I want to have belts installed. I feel perfectly naked without belts on, and that isn't a pretty sight..!

So does anyone have a reccomendation as to a good place to purchase a good, well made set of belts?

I haven't looked in the usual places, yet, such as JC Whitney, Pep boys, etc. I figured I'd start here, where the knowledable people hang out.

Thanks.......

[ply33]

The Internet is your friend. Google is your tool. If you Google for "Missouri Motor Vehicle Code" your first hit is a Missouri government site that easily leads you to this:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">307.165. 1. No four-wheeled passenger motor vehicle other than motorbuses manufactured or assembled after June 30, 1964, and designated as a 1965 or later year model, shall be sold or registered in this state unless it is equipped with at least two sets of seat safety belts for the front seat of the motor vehicle. As used in this section the term "set of seat safety belts" means a combination of belts, buckle and brackets meeting SAE J-4 or higher standards. The state highway patrol shall maintain a list of seat safety belts which meet SAE J-4 or higher standards and shall furnish a copy of the list to the director of revenue and keep the director informed as to any changes or additions to the list.

2. Violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor and be punished as provided by law.</div></div>

Your equipment requirements are here:

http://www.moga.mo.gov/STATUTES/C307.HTM

And your motor vehicle code is here:

http://www.moga.mo.gov/STATUTES/STATUTES.HTM#T19

[ted sweet]

http://www.andoauto.com/seat_belts.htm

[Shop Rat]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I feel my car is perfectly safe, without seat belts.......</div></div>

I am so glad to hear that you plan on installing proper seatbelts. And you are correct, the car is perfectly safe without seatbelts......but you wouldn't be. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> We don't want to lose a single fan of old cars for lack of a seatbelt.

[Dave@Moon]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I haven't looked in the usual places, yet, such as JC Whitney, Pep boys, etc. I figured I'd start here, where the knowledable people hang out. </div></div>

Mine came from JC Whitney. Their sets are by far the least expensive, and they look and work <span style="font-style: italic">exactly</span> like aftermarket belts circa 1965 (big chrome buckles, etc.). I've had them 10 years (15,000 miles) now with no complaints at all.

As far as the need for belts, I've saw more in my 18th year than I'll ever need. My graduating class lost 20 kids before the start of college in September, <span style="font-style: italic">9 in one crash on graduation day!</span> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

It got to where the local body shop would display the latest wreck, teeth/flesh/blood and all, for weeks as a warning and <span style="font-style: italic">nobody</span> complained. It had to be rotated several times. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[carbdoc]

Currently, we have the "big washer" system in our '61 Chrysler which was not delivered with seat belts. We tried to loctate them as best we could in cross-braced areas, but choices were limited at the driveshaft tunnel mounting points. What sort of installation do my fellow AACAers recommend? And where do I get the materials, or is it a "scratch-made" proposition?

[Guest Randy Berger]

I have one nice pair of webbed seat belts that is a good color match. I don't see anyone offering that webbed type of seat belt. They are all rather slim and none have the light green color to match what I already have. Does anyone know who might offer this type of belt? Note the thick webbing unlike later "thin" straps.

[Dave@Moon]

Thesed are the belts in my car. Unfortunately they don't come in green. Prices for them have nearly doubled in 10 years, I'll bet that they won't be available much longer.

[BamaWildcat]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Currently, we have the "big washer" system in our '61 Chrysler which was not delivered with seat belts. We tried to loctate them as best we could in cross-braced areas, but choices were limited at the driveshaft tunnel mounting points. What sort of installation do my fellow AACAers recommend? And where do I get the materials, or is it a "scratch-made" proposition? </div></div>

Andover will sell you mounting plates, or you can have a machine shop make you up some. You want to spread the force of the bolt over a large or distance as possible; hence you want a plate, as floor sheet metal is thin and not able to support any stress. A plate puts the stress over a wide area of sheetmetal, which hopefully can handle it.

If the belts are mounted around a curved area or something more special that a flat surface, go the machine shop route. They can do anything with a piece of metal and it is worth the piece of mind.

[Guest leadsled1953]

BamaWildcat is 100 percent right on that .check out a later chrysler that has factory seatbelts.the thing is remember the harder you hit something the more you weigh.so a big washer maybe not be the ticket.

[Guest De Soto Frank]

If you get a chance , check out the stock seatbelt install on a '64 Chrysler... same body platform as your '62 ( and my '60 ).

My '64 Newport had belts from the factory... the front belts on the door-side bolted to the inside of the rocker sill, with a little retracto-roller gizmo... the "inside" belts screwed to the side of the tranny hump, just behind the seat bench... on the under-side of the tranny tunnel ,there were re-inforcing plates welded to the floor, with capitve-nuts. I don't know what they did on the rocker-side... ( If I'm remembering this correctly... my '64 Valiant has the same belts, installed in a similar fashion - both cars were sold new in PA, in '64. )

We also had several '62 Galaxies & Falcons with factory belts... they looked more like small-aircraft belts from '50s, they were "official" Ford options...

Can't deny the importance/use of safety belts...

Good luck !

Frank McMullen

[Guest Randy Berger]

Please note I added a picture to my earlier post. Thanks for looking.

[Twitch]

If you want to add lap belts that aren't exact dealer options type or what not at least you can tuck them into the cushion when you park to show your ride at a show or cruise in. Then you can just wear them while driving for some safety.

[Guest Randy Berger]

That isn't it. I already have two belts of a style to fit my car. I want two more for the back seat.