What's the best way to mount seatbelts in a fiberglass body?
1) bolt them to the body?
2) bolt them to the frame?
Some guys say bolt them to the body and others say bolt them to the frame. NOW im confused (which is not hard to do)
Goodguys Gazette had a article on mounting seatbelts in a fiberglass body and they say: "mount them to the body" they even show how to do it.
To me the fiberglass would be the weakest part of the mounting point.
Reason i'm asking i'm getting my first fiberglass body this year. And i got alot to learn about fiberglass bodies.

any comments?

Rick

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awsum34

Rick; My glass body, downs, has metal reinforcing and my belts are bolted to that. I would not bolt to the fiberglass. R P Diegan
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Peggy Diegan

Rick, I have seen the belt anchors go straight to the fiberglass floor and large fender washers on the bottom side. Some people would stop there but this installation (as mine will be) went a step further by using steel braided cable from the grade 8 anchor bolt to the nearest crossmember behind the seat where the cable loop was again bolted to the crossmember. Not a difficult installation. If braided cable is not available, use an appropriate size and length of chain and try to keep the slack to a minimum. GL
Fred P
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Fred P.

I've asked the same question and paid close attention when it comes up, not only regarding fiberglass cars but also steel bodies that aren't reinforced where the belts bolt in. Seems like there are two points of view here: bolt to the body or bolt through the body to the frame. If you bolt to the body and it's not strong enough the belts come loose when you need them. If you bolt to the frame and the body gets knocked loose you get squeezed...bad.

I like the idea of a safety cable to a crossmember as failsafe. I'd 'glass in a good-sized plate, say 4"x4", on the BACK side to spread the load into the body, or bolt to a sturdy steel reinforcement that's already part of the body. FWIW I'd use grade 5 bolts instead of grade 8. They're less brittle and when you exceed their limits they have more stretch before they give up for good. Doc Chop is a huge proponent of not using grade 8 bolts in certain critical situations, he has me converted. Another good idea that I can't claim for my own is to use an aluminum wheel lugnut through your mounting plate for the bolt to hold onto. The shouldered bolt has plenty of threads and is closed on the backside to keep rust from getting in.

Do most fiberglass bodies have reinforcement for seatbelts?
I'll be getting a Old Chicago or Downs body.

I like the idea of the cable...

Rick
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awsum34

My plan on my Wescott body goes like this.
I'm using a caravan seat but I am building a frame for it to sit on out of 1 inch square tubing the width and depth of the seat and 6 inchs high on the front and 4 on the rear.
I plan to bolt the seat to the risor made out of the tubing.
The risor will be bolted to the body crossbraces and will use four of the body mount holes to hold it down.
Then I'm going to use the stock Chrysler bolt locations for my belts.
Kinda the best of both.
If they come loose in a crash I'll need more that a seatbelt to save my a**.
More likely a priest.

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Jeff Reid

Jeff I agree with your way of mounting belts I did simular I wouldn't depend on fiberglass !! , make sure the belt comes across the abdomen correct or internal injuries could result. also in regards to Grade 8 bolts.In a stock car handbook they recomend Grade 5 over Grade 8 particularly in the chasis, suspension. because 5s will bend under impact and 8s will snap off even though 8s
have a higher tensile strength, something to consider.
Dave

Most fiberglass cars have a crossmember rail that goes across the bottom that can be used to bolt to. Belt pulling angle is a big deal (this is what Dale Earnhardt changed in his car that got him) and I would pay attention to that as well. I prefer to use steel floors. They are easy to make and provide a rigid base for the body. I do this even if the car comes with fiberglass floors. If you ever run over anything and kick it into your fiberglass floor you will see what I mean. If you do not have either, I weld in ears and a center piece that is used for nothing else.

I saw a 33 Cabriolet driver get launched at a stop light at a national event once.... when he hit an oncoming car when turning. He had belts on, but the belts were attached to an insignificant piece of steel on the floor. He was seriously injured and I am sure lived, but if traffic would have been moving instead of at a stop he could have been run over. I always worried about coming coming out of my suicided door 34 if ever hit in the front even though I had belts and door pins.

You guys know how much a safety freak I am......

Steve Jack...Southeastern Goodguys Rep
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SOUTHEASTERN GOODGUYS REP