Re: seat belts

[Robert Taylor <rtaylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Ted, I'm interested in doing this, did you have to change the other part of
>the seatbelt (the piece it clicks into?) between the seats ?
> Yes, I just used the pieces from the Vanagon belts.  They came as a set
> from the wrecking yard.  They are about the same length as the Bus ones.  Just
> removed the Bus ones and installed the Vanagon ones.  They fit perfectly!

I did this years ago in my '78 Westy with seatbelts from an Audi or some
such. Made the L-shaped bracket, bolted 'em in. I was at a junkyard with a
whole bunch of different seatbelts in a box and tried a number of them
out. i found that in nearly every case, the receivers (the piece it clicks
into) were unique to a given seatbelt and were hardly ever
interchangeable. And a number of them looked visually indistinguishable
and yet didn't quite fit together.

So be sure to get the receivers too when you swap!

BTW, my Audi(?) retractable belts work great, but they do some up just a
little short. The occasional portly passenger can't get 'em to fasten and
I can only lean forwards a little bit wearing mine. Maybe Vanagon belts
are a little longer. A passenger car's seats are not on a pedestal like
the bus seats are. I went with the best I could find from a limited
selection. Maybe I should shop around for Vanagon ones too.

To make the L-shaped brackets, I went to an iron works place, bought 2" of
burly L-shaped girder, had 'em cut it in 2" slices. Then I went to my
friendly neighborhood VW mechanic, who had a big drill press. he made the
holes for me and burnished the rough edges. Worked great.

BTW, I was advised by someone once to avoid setbelts that had ever been
through a major accident before. I was told that they would be irrevocably
stretched and would not have the same stretch as a pair of uncrashed
belts. I was told it could be the difference between having my pelvis (or
some other part broken by the strain or not. Anyone else ever heard this?

Drive safely,
Surfer Bob
1978 Westfalia, the surf/luvbus