Seat Belts

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Pulled the seat belts from my latest chop-shop victim, and '83 Pontiac 
2000 "J-car".. the seats are in the shed for the '72, but the belts will 
go into the '77.. before I leave!

I did the conversion on the '72 to belts, using '73 GM parts with the 
seperate (snap together) shoulder harness (fixed end) and ratcheting lap 
belt.  It was fairly bolt-in.

The J-car's belts are a little different.  The ratchet mechanism bolts 
vertically.. that is, the bolt holes are up/down, vs. "flat" with the 
Buick stuff.

It's also a 3-pt ratchet, with a "D" ring on the top for the shoulder 
belt to pass through.

I think I can mount the ratchet mechanism flat against the step, using 
one of the roll-bar bolts (replace w/ Grade 8).  The fixed end will also 
get mounted at the same place, different bolt to distribute the load (it 
mounts "vertically" as well).

The interesting thing is the upper shoulder D-shackle.. it looks like the 
roll-bar hoop to front leg mounting bolts are just below shoulder 
height.. and the right size.  Put a slightly longer Grade 8 bolt in 
place, and bolt the D-shackle to the rollbar using the existing bolt.

This means I'll have to do a little thinking on the driver's side, since 
that bolt is currently my Hi-Lift mount.. ;)

Female end of the belts will use the stock location.

It also looks like I'll be able to keep the stock belts *and* the new 
shoulder harness in place.. might do that for a while until I'm sure I'm 
satisfied with the 3-pt setup... or maybe for those that just insist on 
not using 3pt harnesses on the trail.. (in the '72 you have a choice, 
with the 3-pt snap-together setup)

Anyone see a problem with this?  Any "structural" problems in my design?  

Sliding the ratchet mechanism over to the side of the bed wall, on the 
"step" using the rollbar bolts should keep it out of the way of rolling 
the rear seat forward as well.

Oh, figured out.. top off, 60mph.  Top up, sides rolled, 65mph.  Top up, 
sides rolled, driver & passenger windows rolled up, 70 to 75mph.  Woo-hoo.

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'72 and '77 Scout IIs