Three-Point Seat Belts

[twas_brillig]

We have a set of Beams front three point seat belts, but I find them awkward to adjust, plus the driver's side does not reliably latch. I would also like to be able to have some sort of two part belt configuration that would allow me to disconnect the shoulder strap from the lap belt, so as to pass the shoulder strap through the slot in the tonneau cover. Of course, I'd also like to be taller and look a bit more like Brad Pitt!
Who is using what? Recommendations? Thanks, Doug

 

[John Turney]

I have the retractable 3-point belts from BCS: Seat Belts

 

[twas_brillig]

John: how's the fit/ease of use/etc.? Thanks, Doug

 

[BobHaskell]

John: how's the fit/ease of use/etc.? Thanks, Doug

I have the same seat belts from BCS in our BT7. The shoulder / lap belt is one piece, like current systems, so don't know how that would work with the tonneau. I made the bracket/nut to attach each retracting mechanism to the two wheel well studs. The bracket provided by BCS only used one stud. Can take a picture if needed.

 

[twas_brillig]

Bob: do you find them easy to adjust (as drvier's switch out)? comfortable? I'm 5' 9" and 165 pounds. Thanks, Doug

 

[John Turney]

John: how's the fit/ease of use/etc.? Thanks, Doug

They fit fine and are easy to use. There is a knob on the retractor with an arrow that has to be pointing up. Sometimes if the car is parked up- or down-hill, the retractor will want to lock, but that’s unusual.

 

[BobHaskell]

Bob: do you find them easy to adjust (as drvier's switch out)? comfortable? I'm 5' 9" and 165 pounds. Thanks, Doug

Doug,

Driver switch out shouldn't be an issue. I'm 6'9" and (too) much heavier. Did have a retractor lock a couple times. But that was due to not having the arrow on the knob pointing up, as John mentioned.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

Bob, at 6’9”, what modifications have you made to your Healey to make it comfortable to drive? I’m 6’3” and my BT7 fits me well but I’m thinking another 6” of leg length would be a stretch to accommodate.

 

[BobHaskell]

Rob, I'm not sure I'm comfortable, but I can at least get in and drive. Have driven it some distance (Vermont Conclave and Eurofest in South Carolina were a couple trips).

The car has a center shift gearbox so there's a bit more room than with the side shift. The car came with a Moto-lita dished steering wheel; gives a bit more space for the knees. Have a factory hardtop. I think that has more headroom than the soft top, but I've never fitted a soft top to confirm.

I welded some angle iron to the front of the seat base and some flat stock to the inside of the base. Welded a piece of square stock to the bottom/back edge of the base that rests on the floor. Flattened a bit of the floor that tapers up, above the spring mount. Drilled new mounting holes. That allowed me to move the seat closer to the gearbox and further back. Also raised the pivot point for the seat back, giving more tilt. Might consider reworking the seat rails, installing longer studs so I could install tapered spacers to tilt the whole seat. But what I've done so far can be reversed by replacing the seat bottom.

I fitted a dead pedal cover over the dip switch. There was an article in one of the clubs' magazines a while back. The cover is supposed to be flipped up to get to the dip switch, but mine is flexible enough and close enough that I can just press down a bit harder on the dead pedal to press the switch.

Another thing to consider is reworking the accelerator pedal. Folks take out the short section of rod in front of the curved plate, moving it forward.