I was thinking about seat belts and was wondering if anybody uses them and what they use. I'm building a 39 international truck and probably make some bomber seats for it. I don't know what Illinois law is but if it something I can do I don't see what it can hurt to do.
I won't drive in a vehicle without seatbelts and, IMO, it's just plain stupid to not to use them. I've put them in all my old cars.
I got great belts-with aircraft style buckles from Andover Restraints. Good price, DOT [[roved and seat belts just make too much sense not to use them. http://www.andoauto.com/seat_belts.htm
I worked for UPS for 30years and the rule was " If the vehicle is moving your seat belt is on" I feel naked without one. I use the ones that have the large chrome buckel.They look more like the early ones.
I have a set of 3" wide seatbels from a catapillar, old style leather latch. I alwasy use them in my pickup trucks even though my old stuff is not required to have belts in Missouri. I have a pair of Simpson belts that are out of cert that i got cheap that I use in my cars and I have some old shoulder harness from an airplain ( '50s) that i can snap in with my simpson bels if I want. I donot keep shoulder harness in my drivers because missouri law reqires that if it is there you have to be using it. I started using seat belts all the time when I was in Mexico, did a lot of back woods driving and discovered that I was not as tired if I had something to hold me in the seat. So for me a seat belt is two fold, it will not ony keep me in the cab in a crash but it helps with fatigue when I am driving. If you drive one hard it always helps to hae something to keep you from flopping all over the place.
I know that a lot of people will not use them if they don't have to but I wanted to here from people who do. I do think it is a good idea myself.
Don't have any in front, have them in the back for the kid seats though. Feels more free rolling without any, to each their own
Im installing front lap belts this week.. I never had the intentions to before.. But.. being safe is best..
YES I use belts---but a belt is only as good as it's mounting point, I've seen too many bolted to a rusty floorpan
It is wise,,some folks don't use them but if I'm in a car and they have belt's I'm wearing them. Fortunately,most younger guys & gals were raised to wear them because of laws mandating them to buckle up.. HRP
I have never driven a vehicle without seat belts except my stock '48 Ford panel and '49 Ford F-2 pickup. I am a very stringent believer in seat belts, they've saved my life a few times. I never wanted to install them in my old trucks because they didn't come with them and here in WI if they didn't come from the factory you didn't need to have them. Last fall I took a 1600 round trip to KY and back in my F-2 and I knew I was going to be on unfamiliar roads and some very mountainous roads so I felt I needed seat belts. I went to my local McParts store and bought a set of seat belts and installed them. I had a somewhat uneventful trip but really felt a lot better having the seat belts. I don't drive the truck without using them now and I'll be installing a set in the panel and in the '37 Buick I'm working on now. IMO, I was just stupid for not installing them years ago.
Actually in Missouri seat belts fall into a gray area. DOT says that you don't have to have them if they did not come with your car originally. So your old trucks would not be required to use them but the law also states that you have to be wearing one if you are driving. So even though they are not reuired equipmant you are still required tio use them. They can write you if they want to. I use them for the reasons stated. I don't give a flying fuck about the law, I never have and never will. Like I said I use wide belts whenever possible. I like the feel of them.
I just finished putting in 3 point shoulder belts when I redid the interior in my F-100. I think with bomber seats the lap belts will look best and still provide protection.
One of the first things I put in my car were seatbelts from Juliano's. They are made in the USA and DOT approved.
Another reason I install seat belts, old Ford trucks are notorious for their doors flying open. I don't know about the other older vehicles. My doors have never unexpectly opened but there's always the first time.
I wear mine, but I wonder how they justify the law (revenue generation?) when I see guys on bikes without helmets.
My 2 cents. Do it. My former daily driver was a 1950 GMC panel truck. My brother built most of it and installed a full seatbelt/shoulder harness system. When I sold the truck last summer the guy that bought had it for 3 weeks and totaled it. He hit a 3/4 ton suburban that pulled out in front of him and then left the road and went nearly head on into a power pole. He was doing around 60 mph at the time of the first impact. He told me the only reason he survived was the restraint system. You got to remember it isn't just about the way that you drive......
Yep, exactly. I see enough people end up dead around here by being thrown out of their late model Suv's on soft roll overs in the bar ditches because they were "too cool" or they thought seat belts were uncomfortable. Usually someone's good looking wife that didn't like the way the cross strap felt. I've still got a bit of soreness on my left ribs from being bounced around in my 70 Chev pickup 23 years ago when I rolled it and bent the steering wheel hanging on to it for dear life. I got sidetracked when I left the house to go to work and some gal pulled out in front of me and stopped a mile from the house and I took the ditch to miss her and her kids. I don't even drive the 1/4 mile to my mom's house without fastening my belt in any rig I have now. It isn't if your state grandfathers it or not, it's if you want to stay behind the wheel and stay in the truck if something happens and keep the person in the passenger side firmly strapped down so their face doesn't hit that all metal dash in that truck.
I feel naked if I'm in a car without them. "Just because you haven't studied the laws of physics doesn't mean they don't apply to you."
If you don't use them now, you will after your first major accident. A lap belt is worth every penny and time spent. Still looks ok with bomber seats too
I always wear them. When I got my Impala, there were no seat belts. I bought some from Juliano's and they are great. I wouldn't drive without them.
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