Hey, Chevy pickemup guys. I want to add three-point belts to my '62. Is there enough metal in the back of the cab to do this safely? Anyone done this? I'd like to know a good way to make this happen. I'm not too thrilled with the idea of knocking all my teeth down my throat by eating the steering wheel in an accident. Search didn't help me on this. (or maybe I'm an idiot) Thanks. Any photos of what you've done or tech articles on the subject would be great.
I have had several of these trucks & just bought a '65 over the weekend. They are just thin sheet metal up there & without Major Surgury i think any anchors you pt in would just rip out. I often wonder when i read these posts WHY people are so worried about EVERYTHING that they feel every car they own must be overly upgraded ? If a guy is THAT worried about an accident or otherwise, Maybe just Buy a NEW truck with all the Comforts of Home. In an accident in a C-10, I would be more worried about the JackAss in the New car i just ran over, Cus his New Tuna Can may have all the saftey crap... They are Thin Little Crumple zones that will fold up like Tin -Foil.
I have a 61 and want to do the same thing. I drive mine alot. Taking it from DFW to east TX today. Never know what can happen...I've been in rollovers before, I'd feel a little better if I wasnt floppin' around in my seat. If I can figure anything out this weekend I will post it up back here..
I'm not trying to "overly upgrade" my truck. I just like to feel more secure. I drive in Austin every day. It's fuggin' scary! I love my truck and don't want a new vehicle as my daily. That doesn't mean that I want to bash my face into the wheel in the event that some ignorant driver pulls out in front of me. Besides, not every other car on the road is a new "tuna can". What if I get into a crash with a Ford Excursion or, oh say....a Dump Truck!? If you don't like the idea of me putting seat belts in my truck, that's your prerogative, but I'd like to upgrade my safety factor a bit so I don't end up being a sad story on the HAMB where people send their thoughts and prayers to my family. PS. Thanks born loser. Let me know if you find any good info.
If it was intentional, it'd be called "a plan," rather than an accident. I've see what a steering wheel will do to a pretty face. It isn't pretty. I've got a '62 Suburban with lap belts. I've looked at this a great deal, and will make the fix this summer. In mine, the B-pillar is an actual pillar, and it has a sheetmetal cover over it. The back edge of the cover is screwed in place, but the front edge is spot welded along the entire seam of the door jamb. I'm going to remove the cover, so I have access to the inside of the pillar. I'm going to take 1x1 box tubing, and 1x4 flat stock, and will build a mount for the 3-point. Around shoulder level (or higher), I'll put a length of flat stock along the forward and rearward (vertical) sections of the B-pillar, effectively bracing and reinforcing the sheetmetal of the P-pillar at the door jamb and at the back of the pillar. I'll then weld in the 1x1 tubing, horizontally between the two straps, with a nut for the seatbelt anchor between them. I'll do something similar at the bottom to mount the seat belt retractor real. Essentially, I'm making some sort of inner structure for a mount that ties to more of the vehicle. I'll drill the appropriate holes in the sheetmetal cover for the mounting bolts to pass thru, and then I'll spot-weld the cover back in place. I'm lucky with the Suburban, in that the B-pillar cover can be removed and reinstalled to look like a factory job. Not sure what the interior structure of your trucks look like. If you've good with metal finishing, or are putting a full interior in your truck, you could add the same kind of structure between inner and outer skins. -Brad
Here this might help. http://www.julianos.com/how2_3point_antique_chevy_truck.html http://www.julianos.com/how2_67chevy_truck.html
Here is what I did in my 40 pickup project. My currant 40 pickup has a 3 point system but the upper mount was just bolted in the door case area. Felt like it wasn't strong enough and located just right, so beefed it up on the project. I welded nuts on the back of the plate in three locations so I could mount it for comfort. The first photo is of my black truck and the other my project 40.
The metal in your 62 pick-up is much stronger than most new cars. If you use a anchor plate on the back side of your pillar it will be plenty strong. You can check out the HOW TO'S on our web site and also go to BOB'S BLOG I have another install on a 56 chevy pick-up. http://www.bobshotrods.com/howto/3-point-seat-belt-install-in-1956-chevy-pick-up/ If you have any other questions you can PM me or call 1800 300 1932. Ask for Bob.
Man, pardon my ignorance, but do Chevys really have the gas tanks inside the cabs like that? If so, forget the belts, you might actually want to be thrown away from that in case of an accident. Studebaker didn't always do things the smartest things either, but at least they never put the tanks inside the cabs like that, at least back to the 40's model M's anyway. Are the fumes bad on those things too? Anyway, besides that, good luck with the belts. I have been meaning to put some in my trucks too and really want to go the 3-point route as well. But, I hate the newer plasticy looking ones that seems to be the only choices. Doesn't anyone make some with old style metal clips and a metal cover over the retractor?
Thanks, Bob! Stude_trucks, yep, the tank is in the cab. I'm going to relocate a fuel cell between the frame rails out back as soon as I can afford it. The fumes aren't bad unless you fill up to the top and take a hard right. (filler is on the left). Thanks for all the info.
I hate the plastic things too, but want the 3 point if I can, so this is what I found: Autoloc sells 3 point retractable harness with the old skool airplane buckles, there 89.95/ea right now, don't know how good that price is, but I believ that's what your looking for. Try this link: http://www.thehoffmangroup.com/autoloc/details.lasso?itemid=SB3PARBK
Dodges had the tanks in-cab through the '71 model year. Fords and Chevys had them in-cab through 1972. International did that through '72, as well. They've been that way since at least the mid-'30s.
I drove my '64 C-10 in Austin everyday and hauled ass everywhere I went with lap belts only. I smoked in the truck with a leaky stock gas tank. I kicked the wire harness when the headlights would flicker. The big wheel and steel dash didn't look like a good match with my head, but I'd rather eat it then ugly up the truck with 3-point belts. But it's your truck, and you're pretty face!
I have put in quite a few in the 60-66's. Here's how to do the upper mount. Locate the spot for the mounting hole and drill to 1/2". Now drill two very small holes close to that hole at 180 degrees apart. Now take the huge seat belt mounting re-inforcement washer from a seat belt kit, and weld a nut to it for whatever mounting bolt you will use. Then run mechanics wire down through the hole in the upper pillar, then run the end of the wire through the washer/nut deal. Make some balled up tangle of wire so it can't pull back through the hole. Lastly, pull the wire to have the washer/nut thing end up aligned with the 1/2" hole, and mig weld through those two small holes. Those welds just hold the plate so you can mount the anchor bolt. Those 2 welds will be covered by the seat belt decorative washer. Plenty strong and quick to do.
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