?????????? Seatbelts ?????????????????

A friend pulls up last night to show me his recently completed 62 Imapla Wagon. His 4 yr old is bouncing around in the back seat unrestrained. I ask why isn't he in his seatbelt, he replies with a smile, seatbelts didnt come as factory equiptment so I dont have to have them! Legal maybe, is it smart, HELL NO!
My question is:
A: How many HAMB'rs run seatbelt even if they dont have to?
B: How does the law read on seatbelts in classics?

 

I put them in the back in 2 of mine that didn't come with them for my son cause I didn't want to have to say I didn't do the very least I could have done to protect him. It's easy and it's responsible and if you don't have the kid with you, just push them down in the seat if you find it embarrassing.

We don't have to have belts if it didn't come with them and, well, you can get away with damn near anything around here if you keep it cool. We don't even have emissions tests here for anything.

 

Run them in my 52 pickup. Didn't get to it in the 41 burb. Damn thing is full of seats!
I don't think we have to have them if not orig equip here in Pa but you have to use them in they are there
Jim

 

My aunt's kids used to stand up in the front seat so "they could see." One time I gave here and one of the kids a ride somewhere (67-68 or so) and tried to insist he sit down. "Oh that's OK,", she says, "he gets mad if he can't see out."

This, of course, was before most of us knew about seat belts. A few of us had installed them aftermarket

 

legal...yes....good idea...no....your buddy needs a smack

I installed belts in my 55 so my daughter could ride along

 

my kids ride in the back of the 53 chev without seat belts. totaly legal in ohio and the ohio revised codes says it in plain words. my kids have waved to cops bouncing in the back seat no problems.

i do keep a copy of the law in the glove box just in case.

the laws come in 2 parts different sections of the law books, one section for which cars are req'd to have seat belts and then the child seat section that says when a car has seat belts that child seats must be used. and that bounces to federal law as to when cars had to have seat belts

in 1955 ford offered seat belts as a option, then that car would be required to have seat belts as they were factory installed. although how to prve which cars had seat betls back then would impossable

it could be derrived that when a car in a state that does not requires car seats in old can be legally driven in states that do ans with other safty req laws on cars.
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for ohio it says this


4513.262 Seat safety belt or anchorage units required.
(A) As used in this section and in section 4513.263 of the Revised Code, the component parts of a “seat safety belt” include a belt, anchor attachment assembly, and a buckle or closing device.
(B) No person shall sell, lease, rent, or operate any passenger car, as defined in division (E) of section 4501.01 of the Revised Code, that is registered or to be registered in this state and that is manufactured or assembled on or after January 1, 1962, unless the passenger car is equipped with sufficient anchorage units at the attachment points for attaching at least two sets of seat safety belts to its front seat. Such anchorage units at the attachment points shall be of such construction, design, and strength to support a loop load pull of not less than four thousand pounds for each belt.
(C) No person shall sell, lease, or rent any passenger car, as defined in division (E) of section 4501.01 of the Revised Code, that is registered or to be registered in this state and that is manufactured or assembled on or after January 1, 1966, unless the passenger car has installed in its front seat at least two seat safety belt assemblies.
(D) After January 1, 1966, neither any seat safety belt for use in a motor vehicle nor any component part of any such seat safety belt shall be sold in this state unless the seat safety belt or the component part satisfies the minimum standard of specifications established by the society of automotive engineers for automotive seat belts and unless the seat safety belt or component part is labeled so as to indicate that it meets those minimum standard specifications.
(E) Each sale, lease, or rental in violation of this section constitutes a separate offense.
(F) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
Effective Date: 01-01-2004

4511.81 Child restraint system - child highway safety fund.
This version is in effect until 10-07-2009
(A) When any child who is in either or both of the following categories is being transported in a motor vehicle, other than a taxicab or public safety vehicle as defined in section 4511.01 of the Revised Code, that is required by the United States department of transportation to be equipped with seat belts at the time of manufacture or assembly, the operator of the motor vehicle shall have the child properly secured in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions in a child restraint system that meets federal motor vehicle safety standards:

 

First of all your friend is a total FU#$$%$ING IDIOT.The first and most likely the last time his baby goes flying through the front windshield he will not give a flying F$$k about factory equipment.

It does not make a rats ass if a car comes from the factory with certain safety equipment,it should be installed with out hesitation during the build. Even more so if you intend to have young family members in the car!!!.....JUST MY 2 CENTS

 

In my opinion, it is absolutely stupid and irresponsible to allow your kids in any car without seatbelts. I hate to be THAT guy, but what happens if there's an accident?

 

Holy Crap! Belt up your kids! This isn't the 50's and 60's anymore. People drive faster, more people on the road talking on cell phones, texting, eating etc.

I put belts in my 62 caddy, shoulder belts in back to buckle the car seat in. Wife wouldn't let me take them around the block without belts. Why would you risk your childs life?

 

Not required here in Michigan unless original equipment but I have them in my 50 Ford not only for myself but my wife and grandson.

 

This is an interesting conflict in California law. 27314 sets regulations for the years of cars that can be sold in California with or without seat belts, so under that it would appear that 1961 and older cars don't need them. BUT 27315 says that you cannot operate a vehicle in California without seat belts being used so an early car might not have to have them to be legally sold but still has to have them to be driven. I believe that is the way the courts would see it.

As for your friends 62, it HAS to have them to be driven in California. Period

27314<!-- #EndEditable -->. <!-- #BeginEditable "section_content" -->(a) No dealer shall sell or offer for sale any used passenger vehicle that was manufactured on or after January 1, 1962, other than a motorcycle, unless it is equipped with at least two seat belts which are installed for the use of persons in the front seat of the vehicle. <!-- #EndEditable -->
<!-- #BeginEditable "addl_section_content" -->(b) No dealer shall sell or offer for sale any used passenger vehicle manufactured on or after January 1, 1968, other than a motorcycle, unless it is equipped with seat belts for each seating position.
(c) Seat belts required in subdivisions (a) and (b) shall comply with regulations established by the department.

27315<!-- #EndEditable -->.(d) (1) ) A person ( )<SUP>2</SUP> shall not operate a motor vehicle on a highway unless that person and all passengers 16 years of age or over are properly restrained by a safety belt.

 

At the scene of the accident, what will your friend tell the cop when he asks, "Why didn't you simply install belt for your kids?"

His answer would have to be, "Because I didn't have to."

Sounds like a lame answer. Hope he never has to tell that to mom.

 

EXACTLY what I was thinking as I read the first post.
I don't know if I could be friends with someone that stupid.

 

I'm thinking regardless of factory equipment a 4 year old needs to be in a seat belt in the back. THAT is the law. he doesn't need belts in the car, but the kid can't legally ride in it. I could be wrong o this but I don't think so.

Police and Highway Patrol see all sorts of terrible things out on the road. even if your idiot buddy was within the law anyone who pulls him over will definitly find something to site him with and ream him a new asshole for putting his kids safty at risk.

 

My 52 has no belts from the factory, For my wife and I Its up to us wether to use one or not, but for my son there is no question about it he will be in a seat belt if he is in the car at all ! Along with my niece and nephew and any other child that isnt old enough to make a decision that could save or end thier life !!! If you dont wear them thats fine but you are responsible for those kids and thier safety. Get some damn lap belts they dont cost 20$ and can be installed in a half hour. Be smart about it or you might regret it later!

 

I could careless if it is legal or not I have two belts in the front of mine now and plan on putting more in the back when I can. Gotta think of the safety of my kids first.

 

Originally I was gonna post that those who install seatbelts only for their kids were at best only marginally more intelligent than those who used none at all.

Then I got to thinkin' .... it's that Darwin thing in action. Y'all probably don't need to be reproducing anyway!

So belt in the kids at least ... possibly they will live to learn something.

Can't see this thread lasting very long, too many dumbasses.

 

the car didn't come with seat belts , he didn't come with a brain.

 

In Texas it is the law that kids ride in proper car seats till a certain size, and then they still must wear a seatbelt after that.

 

and actually a 4 year old should still be sitting in a child safety seat/booster seat depending on their weight and height.

Unclee and I think alike, he must type faster.

 

It's not even a question. Put the seatbelts in. I know a guy who was in his '32 Ford coupe rod and was in a 20 mph head on. He was sitting still. Somebody else blew a red light and nailed him.

No seat belts in his car because 'he didn't need them'. 1 month in ICU, and another month in the hospital and I think he'll be installing them now. 1/2 his stomach gone, most of his intestines, all sorts of internal damage.

If he'd had a seatbelt he'd probably have walked away with cuts and bruises. Without the seatbelt he was impaled on his steering column.

Believe me, I'm not driving anything without belts.

 

Millions of us rode thousands and thousands of miles in the back seat without a seat belt and survived.

I have seat belts in my car because I've decided to and my daughter (8) won't ride in a car without them. She's been conditioned that way because it's all she's known. I'm good with that.

It's not my place to tell others what to do.

 

I just put them in the back of my '50 so my daughter can ride with us.

Actually, and hopefully this isn't considered highjacking a thread, but when I ordered my belts from National Chevy, I got the middle sized ones (70" i think). Turns out they are waaayyy too long for my little daughter. Is it legit to take them somewhere and have them somehow shortened? And still safe???

Again, sorry if this is highjacking, and if it is please feel free to tell me and I'll start another thread.

 

ive got a 56 caddilac 4 door im putting together. and i wont let any of my 3 kids ride in before it gets belts. i feel there is no reason to risk there live for for a couple hundered dollars worth of seatbelts, and peices to install them. i is just plain stupid to risk a childs life like that when they really dont know the difference and dont understand the consequences of not wearing seatbelts. my kids are everything to me, and if something happened to them because of something as stupid as not having seatbelts i dont know what i would do with myself.

 

producing a child is biological

being a father is an art, built on love and responsibility

 

Kinda ironic that a culture of rods and customs which thrives on aftermarket parts, hop-ups, and modifications doesn't more generally adopt altering their "original" vehicles with safety restraints. We're not building 100 point restorations here (those get trailered anyway); in one form or another we are trying to make our rides better and drive the hell out of them.

My daughter will not ride in my '49 until she has a seat belt to use.

-Stefan

 

They aren't that expensive. Just buy the right size. Belts are not supposed to be altered.

 

Safe, yes if you take it to someone who has thw right type of sewing machine and uses the correct nylon thread. Will look and perform just like "factory". Might be cheaper though just to get a new one, $20 I think??

 

Roger that, thanks. I didn't know if there was an accepted place to take them to have them modified, or if it was just not done.

I appreciate the response. Up here in Canada it's a few more $$ to get them across the border and the exchange rate, but safety is #1.

 

As Denise said, it technically can be done by a professional who does it all the time but not by the guy who sews up the local clubs seatcovers and headliners.

If you need them for a cusom application, a professional should be sought out. In that case, if it's just run of the mill belts, buy the right ones.