Projects Bucket Seats with Shoulder Belts

My daughter had her neck broken by the shoulder harness in an accident almost six years ago in the front passenger seat of a late-model luxury Japanese import. She is now a quadriplegic who needs total care. I am reminded of that every night when I brush her teeth, do her range of motion stretches, put on her hand and foot braces, etc. Don't kid yourself into thinking that adding shoulder harnesses to the lap belts in antique cars will protect you from injury. The car she was in was engineered from the factory with three-point belts and air bags, all of which worked, but which caused a "hangman's" injury to her second cervical vertebra.

 

not the first time, nor the last time, for threads about this - each side trying to make a point, or two or three or four - all food for thought - I quit riding motorcycles when helmets became a State mandate - could not enjoy the ride with my already small brain mass squeezed into a container - my style of figuring out what is safe for me

 

I've got a pretty good back and neck injury from my 2011 accident, I'd be a lot worse without the 3-point belt.

I have them in my Ford, used a set made by Wesco (everyone gets their belts from the same place... look at all the buckles...). Got it bolted into my c-pillar and they work nicely. Really hard to see the shoulder belt when it's not attached.

 

Joker
You make a strong point here. You have to do what you are comfortable with. There are things that we can do to increase our odds but the end of the day safety is a feeling more then a fact. if you don't feel safe you probably are not it is as simple as that.

 

I quit bikes a long time ago, right after major knee reconstruction.. also gave up surfing. I had more and more prenominitions that I'd be killed on a bike. So what to do? I took up stock car racing. Never felt so safe the way I was belted in and with all the other safety equipment around me. I was even at ease crashing.

 

Well driving you are stuck with your proximity to the dash and steering wheel. A passenger on the other hand is not. A lap belt adjusted properly will keep you off the dash. Is it as perfect in controlling your upper body as a shoulder harness? Nope that is a fact, but it will or can keep you from banging the dash board.

By the way here is a page full of Simpson racing harness the highest price on the page is 280 and the average is about 130.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/...405+400151&SortBy=Default&SortOrder=Ascending

 

Wiseguys makes a bucket seat frame with a built in 3 point belt system.
http://www.wiseguys-seats.com/bucket-seats-frames/

 

I found a nice set of buckets with built in 3 point seat belts - on craigslist - think they came out of a chevy burb or Tahoe - hey seat belts saved my life - otherwise I would have gone through the windshield

 

Thanks P&B'ner. Taking all advice seriously...but I know if I want to put miles under the wheels I may have to fuck up a perfectly good Meteor...

This is a sore spot for me, I had a '66 T'Bird convertible, 428, California car, ever single option, incl. headrests...that I lost when she shorted out and burned to the ground in '96. Wanna see a grown man cry? But it might be karma for me to find some seats (mine are history...) and import them into the Shoebox. Thanks for the idea.

 

Thank you all for your counsel, advice and opinions. I will look into them all and form an informed decision. Cars are great, being safe in them is great as well.
I was into cars from age 16, raced semi-pro all over southern Ontario, Watkins Glen NY, Nelson Ledges Ohio, Road Atlanta GA, did quite well until I blew out a disc in my back in '82 and had to stop. Bought a '66 T'Bird Convertible with my racing budget that I loved and showed for 12 years before she shorted out something bad and burned to the ground in '96. Wanna see a grown man cry? Spent the last 20 years sailing big water but that too has to stop thanks to a bum ticker. sigh...
So now I'm the proud owner of a '50 Mercury Meteor 2 dr. Businessman's Coupe and am actively returning to my first love, cars. I will ask for advice from time to time, may even be able to offer some sometimes. I look forward to that time. If I ask a question someone feels is stupid, please remember, the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask. Again, Thanks all.

 

Ask anything if one of us thinks its stupid someone else will answer it anyway.

If you go the 3 point harness route from the B pillar here is a little trick, have the missus sit in the seat and adjust the height to fit her, most are not adjustable for height they are one size fits all and trust me one size does not fit all.

 

Well I'm using bucket seats in mine, they are from a 2001 Silverado.extra cab with built in seat belts I have gotten some grief for doing so but I'm not restoring it and it is MY car