Safety 3rd!

[FancyFinnegan]

This maybe a "whatever you want" question...but have a 72' 510 and the stock seat belts are just scary. Would like to replace with something a little more modern, retractable? Trying to keep as stock as possible...but has anyone done this, or have opinions on replacements that don't look like replacements? :) Thanks!

[Will]

I used some from a Z car on my E10 Cherry, and they worked pretty well. They have reels that attach to standard seat belt mounting bolts, so I didn't need to modify anything - the only problem was the two buckles that attach to the drive shaft tunnel were oriented about 90 degrees off, so they were a little inconvenient to buckle.

 

Still totally safe, and kept me in the car!

 

They looked like this, with a big reel at one end of the belt:

[bonvo]

whats wrong with the stock lap belts?

[datsunaholic]

Some folks prefer not eating the steering wheel. When I got rear-ended on the freeway (I was stopped in stop-go traffic, someone came from the carpool lane to hit me at over 40+) my car got slammed headon into the concrete divider. My left hand came off the steering wheel and broke the dash from the impact... I can imagine what the damage had been if it'd been my chest/head into the steering wheel. The shoulder strap held. This was in a '81 510 with proper retracting 3-point belts. My '72 510 belts suck. Not only is the lap part removeable (and falls off all the time) but the anchor is way too high so it goes across my neck. I've been trying to retrofit something else but so far nothing I have fits. 620 retractors have been the closest, but the shoulder strap is still anchored too high. Need a drop-anchor loop.

[bonvo]

thats why my 610 has a 5 point harness but in order to put a 3 point retractable seat belt in a 510 would take some skills with a welder

[datsunaholic]

I don't see why it would take a welder unless maybe it was a 68/69. 70-73 510s have 3-point belts, there's already a welded lug up above the B-pillar. It's just too high to make the belt comfortable for my 5'8" self. Aside from the anti-pivot pin, the 620 belts bolted in fine but the upper anchor was still too high, hence needing the drop sleeve.

[LaidoutRivi63]

I just finished installing 75 corolla seatbelts into my 71 510 wagon. Took a bit of fabrication, but the comfort and safety is worth it.

[LaidoutRivi63]

Here are a couple photos. This is the lower mount fabbed for the factory corolla belts. its 14ga with 1/8" reinforcement pieces for the bolted areas.

I also put a mount in the pillar to accommodate the shorter shoulder harness. Makes it more comfortable as well. There is a large 1/8 inch plate reinforcement brace inside the pillar with the nut welded to it to ensure its a strong enough mount. This mount is rosette welded into the pillar.

Another detail of the lower mount prior to welding.

[DatMo]

So from what I've read, 68 510's are 2 point?

[Tristin]

So from what I've read, 68 510's are 2 point?

 

Yes. The lap belt is secured by one bolt.

[dscottdatsun]

Try looking here.

 

http://www.datsport.com/body-interior-retract-safety-belt.html

 

Scott