Series 2 Seat Belts

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TerryHo

Member
Posts
52
Hi everyone,

I’ve got my eye on a Series IIa which has recently been restored.
During the restore, the chap fitted a ‘soft-top front seat belt bar‘, to enable inertia reel seat belts to be fitted.
If I buy it, I’d like to return it back to original.

Can I please ask a favour?
Would someone please mind sharing some photos of their soft-top Series IIa seatbelts and seatbelt mounts?

I’m keen to understand the difference between what he’s fitted and the original spec.

Much appreciated.
 
Hi everyone,

I’ve got my eye on a Series IIa which has recently been restored.
During the restore, the chap fitted a ‘soft-top front seat belt bar‘, to enable inertia reel seat belts to be fitted.
If I buy it, I’d like to return it back to original.

Can I please ask a favour?
Would someone please mind sharing some photos of their soft-top Series IIa seatbelts and seatbelt mounts?

I’m keen to understand the difference between what he’s fitted and the original spec.

Much appreciated.
Depending on the age of it it may not of had seat belts originally fitted, mine hasn't. They were probably only lap belts if it had got anything
 
Depending on the age of it it may not of had seat belts originally fitted, mine hasn't. They were probably only lap belts if it had got anything
Thanks Marmaduke.
On reflection then, I’d really appreciate some photos of lap belts (inc mounting points).
I think this is the way I’d like to go.
Many thanks.
 
I think that seat belt bar is a signficant safety improvment. Its also not cheap. I would leave as is. The highest peace time UK road deaths was 1968 - around 8000, its under 2000 now with many times the traffic and higher speeds. I wouldn't be looking to recreate that for "orginality".
 
Thanks Marmaduke.
On reflection then, I’d really appreciate some photos of lap belts (inc mounting points).
I think this is the way I’d like to go.
Many thanks.
If the current one has inertia real fitted then the lower two mount would be the ones used for lap belts. the only difference is the lack of high mounting point which you lose when you remove the bar. I would also second keeping them however. although not original, there can always be sensible exception made for safety. A bit like period retrofit indicators on early models, no point removing them for the sake of rivet counter originality as it just makes things more dangerous..
 
Agreed (with the proviso that they may actually be worse than no belts as they aim your head at the dash), lap belts are no longer used for a reason.
I think that if you want to remove or down grade seatbelts and safety you should be asking elsewhere, I don't think people on here would be keen to endorse what you are doing.
Obviouly you are free to do it, but it must be entirely on your head.
 
One other thing on this.
If you don't like inertia reels, and I don't either, then you could fit static 3 point belts, using the mounts you already have and whatever is up for the top mount. You may even be able to get early ones like we all used to use before inertia reels came in. I still fit them whenever I fit them in a kit car. like this https://www.holden.co.uk/p/classic_type_3_point_seat_belt
Personally I always feel safer in them. I had a head-on into a tree in a Mini once and the inertia reel one let my head bash the steering wheel quite hard. would not have happened with a static belt.
It is no accident that racing and rallying cars don't use inertia! Nor do planes.
I used to love the feeling of being strapped in really hard by the ground crew when i was being flown in chipmunks as a cadet! Really made you feel part of the plane!
 
"I used to love the feeling of being strapped in really hard by the ground crew when i was being flown in chipmunks as a cadet! Really made you feel part of the plane!" I feel the same about a crash helmet on a motorcycle. I began riding just before the helmet law came in. I feel very uncomfortable and stressed if I even sit on a bike with the engine running and no helmet, same with seatbelts. I used to travel, espsecially to the US where they hardly ever wear seatbelts, I was the one digging the seatbelt buckle and 10 years of cr*p out and putting it on, usually to the amusment of everyone one else."he's a Brit..." (I would not mention our road deaths are a fraction of the US for fear of being shot in which the difference is even larger - and I did once get a gun pointed at me in a New Orleans cab....by the driver!!)
 
"I used to love the feeling of being strapped in really hard by the ground crew when i was being flown in chipmunks as a cadet! Really made you feel part of the plane!" I feel the same about a crash helmet on a motorcycle. I began riding just before the helmet law came in. I feel very uncomfortable and stressed if I even sit on a bike with the engine running and no helmet, same with seatbelts. I used to travel, espsecially to the US where they hardly ever wear seatbelts, I was the one digging the seatbelt buckle and 10 years of cr*p out and putting it on, usually to the amusment of everyone one else."he's a Brit..." (I would not mention our road deaths are a fraction of the US for fear of being shot in which the difference is even larger - and I did once get a gun pointed at me in a New Orleans cab....by the driver!!)
I'm the opposite, I'd rather not wear a seat belt or a crash helmet, I sometimes go out on my motorbike without a helmet if I'm just going somewhere local. If I ever buy another series, it will be a pre seat belt era one. I know it's the law blah, blah blah and I understand the risks but I hate the thought of following advice given by Jimmy Savile.

Col
 
If you want to see original equipment I believe there are sections in either the workshop manual or the parts book showing where things went
 
I'm the opposite, I'd rather not wear a seat belt or a crash helmet, I sometimes go out on my motorbike without a helmet if I'm just going somewhere local. If I ever buy another series, it will be a pre seat belt era one. I know it's the law blah, blah blah and I understand the risks but I hate the thought of following advice given by Jimmy Savile.

Col
Mine int got any in either, or anti burst locks :p Used to be quite interesting when the door used to pop open :eek:
 
Mate gave a couple a lift home in his series 1 woman was smoking whilst looking for ashtray she opened the door as they went round a roundabout, she fell out and sued him court settled in her favour as door catch was worn.
He ended up making small payments to her for years his landrover lay in bits for over 20 years , before he get the courage to rebuild it and put it back on the road.
 
There was one near where I live, hot day, two guys in an old Transit with the sliding doors open, passenger didn't have a belt on. They were going slow on a roundabout but he hit his head on a lamp post and was killed instantly. He was keen rugby player and I supect his size didn't help. Dead for the sake of belt.
 
There was one near where I live, hot day, two guys in an old Transit with the sliding doors open, passenger didn't have a belt on. They were going slow on a roundabout but he hit his head on a lamp post and was killed instantly. He was keen rugby player and I supect his size didn't help. Dead for the sake of belt.
Or dead for the sake of not closing the doors :confused:
 
All my cars, pretty much first job is seat belt on.
At work with the trucks never use one apart from driving assessment time.
In my s2 it has no belts and I dont even think of them.
 
My first car was a Triumph Herald Convertible, an absolute dog that should no way have had an MOT. It flexed so much the doors would fly open if you hit a bump on a bend. I got very skilled at grabbing the doors before they got out of reach. I also became very particular about seat belts.
 
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