Repro lap belts

[spanner]

Looks like I got lucky with the hole. After reading your posts, I guess the only reason the hole is in the van  is because thats the route the wires take to the rear lights.
Cheers Graham

[NES304]

Any one considered slicing a hole on the side of the B pillar to slide in that metal plate? any one done that before?

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Yep, that's what I did, as the car was already painted etc I made up some ally cover plates to cover the holes rather than welding them shut. The hole needs to be cut about halfway up the pillar just before the "bump", otherwise you are tangling with the rear door hinges.
Here's a closeup from an older photo.


Here's what I have found about seatbelts and re-fitting with new webbing.

1. New webbing is dirt cheap $65 for 100 metres, the seller does NOT want to know what you are using it for.

2. The Upholsterer/Aircraft fitter in WA that does the work is not keen on divulging their "secret" of why they are approved, only that they will accept more "collection" points throughout Australia. Even then the boss did not return my calls.
As I understand Stamps in Melbourne are one such "collection" point.

3. Dept of Transport SA say that you need to be certified by Standards Australia to renew seatbelt webbing

4. Standards Australia have no standard for renewing the webbing on old seats. Nor any certification process.

5. Klippan in Melbourne(?) are a possible lead for replacing webbing on old seats.

6. There is supposed to be a company in QLD that test rewebbed belts to Australian Standards, but I have yet to find it.

7. Despite having two trimmers licensed to renew webbing, a prominent SA trimmer won't touch old seatbelts (liability nightmare). They didn't say much about the licensing process either.

8. Various people within the trimming and automotive industry seemed to have varying ideas about legalities of older seatbelts, ranging from "it's OK" to "it's jail time if you touch them".

[Flamed_FE]

It was my understanding that FE had the gap at the top and the FC didn't.  My research (talking crap at swap meets etc) shows FC's are normally done in reverse, cutting a small slot in the bottom of the b pillar and pull the backing plate up.

cheers
Al
Flamed FE

[Fast_Eddie]

I haven't checked a FC, but my FE sedan definately has the gap/hole in the top of the B pillar.

[Fast_Eddie]

So does a FC wagon as can be seen when we were opening up the pillar to install seat belt bolts. I wish I'd known about the slot then!

[billythedog]

For what it is worth, my FC ute has the hole at the top of the "B" pillar. I recently fitted some belts in a similar way to the one described above.

[TTV6FC]

Just checked my FC sedan,no slot.Bugger!The last photo almost looks like my best option. :-/