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Steve R
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Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by Steve R »

Hi all, This is just for info.

I've been trying to get a set of factory rear 3 point seat belts for my GTV6 but it appears they are about as common as poultry dentists. (I know they exist as a friend has them in his 84 GTV6.) Previously I had rear lap belts from a scrap yard VW Polo!

Also I'm told that Triumph Dolomite belts fit, but they are quite expensive, fairly hard to come by or decidedly second hand !

So, I bought and fitted these instead:

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/catalog/pr ... cts_id=289

Fits really well & most importantly it's much more secure for my two small children, looks good IMO and the kids love it too!

some pics:
Also to make it easy, did you know the factory put a belt mounting hole, ready tapped and braced into each C-pillar?
Attachments
Both rear sets
Both rear sets
both rear belts.jpg (225.67 KiB) Viewed 13174 times
from the rear
from the rear
rear view.jpg (180.98 KiB) Viewed 13175 times
C pillar bolt
C pillar bolt
anchor.jpg (143.5 KiB) Viewed 13175 times
83' GTV6, 3.0 24v supercharged
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SimonB
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Post by SimonB »

Very cool! All I have to do now is work out in the rear-facing baby seat will fit these belts. I think so, as it can mount on both sides with normal seat belts...I think I'll get red ones...
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'84 GTV6 UK spec back on the road after 4 years!
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SimonB
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by SimonB »

I am about to order a set of static 3 point belts, is there an easy way of finding the threaded holes on the c pillars?
Quiller Triumph sell belts that fit for 25 GBP each. Hopefully then I can stick my little ones in the back!
Mine is an 83, can anyone confirm that they have these holes? Cheers...
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'84 GTV6 UK spec back on the road after 4 years!
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by Mats »

From a safety point of view the fixed belts are useless unless you have a groin strap. The shoulder straps lifts the hip-strap in a crash and you can submarine under it and cause very serious injuries in your belly/gut region.

I would not use them, ever. Spend the money to get a 3-point system with a floating hoop at the striker.
Mats Strandberg
-Scuderia Rosso- Now burned to the ground...
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GTV 2000 -77 - Died in the fire.
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by SimonB »

Do you mean a typical inertia reel system? I am mainly thinking of using then to anchor child seats for the next few years. The belts I am talking about are 3 point ones but fixed.
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by GTV27 »

hmm, in Australia the GTV6 comes with a bracket behind the head rest for each rear seat position allowing for a child restraint to be fitted (sorry I don't have a picture). These attach to the substantial bulkhead behind the seats.

This is much more preferrable than the C pillar bolt as it is close (less belt stretch) properly aligned (not off axis, allowing for twist on impact) and further from potential impact (eg in a rear end accident, the C pillar can be deformed, impacting on belt tension).

Mats is spot on about 3 point belts - Jocken Rindt was killed by the absense of crotch straps. if you do fit them, go for the two piece ones that loop through the hip belts and tie into the shoulder straps (google Willans for a picture) as they will stop you submarining without drowing all your seamen - if you get my drift :wink: .
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by SimonB »

Thanks guys, plenty to think about here...At the moment I have lap belts in the back, its sounds like I'm better-off for now looking for the few child seats that work with these belts. My kids are 3 and 1 years old so will need special seats for a long time. I have got one that goes in the back with lap belts but hey are getting hard to find. I was going to fit 3 pointers so that modern universals would go in. I guess its back to the drawing board... My wife is not at all keen to have them in at all!
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by GTV27 »

yeah, my missus isn't all that keen to ride in the GTV6 either (could be the way I drive it :twisted: )
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by SimonB »

Wife loves it but doesn't want the kids to go in it. She thinks I am trying to bring it back as the family car!
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by Mats »

SimonB wrote:Thanks guys, plenty to think about here...At the moment I have lap belts in the back, its sounds like I'm better-off for now looking for the few child seats that work with these belts. My kids are 3 and 1 years old so will need special seats for a long time. I have got one that goes in the back with lap belts but hey are getting hard to find. I was going to fit 3 pointers so that modern universals would go in. I guess its back to the drawing board... My wife is not at all keen to have them in at all!
You're not compromizing the safety of your children to save a few bucks are you? :?
Mats Strandberg
-Scuderia Rosso- Now burned to the ground...
-onemanracing.com-
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by SimonB »

Of course not :D I'll just ask a straight question, what is the safest and best way to put universal standard child seats in a 1983 GTV6? (the class 1 or 2 size).
As far as I understand it the special motorsport harnesses won't work as the seats are designed to go in with normal seatbelts but I could be wrong.
If inertia reel are best, and I know they will fit I'll put them in. Motorsport style harnesses are a fail on the "Controle technique" in France by the way,
not sure why as surely they are safer than standard belts. Has anyone done this? There must be others with little children who own a GTV6, there is room,
especially when they are small. Although not enough boot space for any serious trips.
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by Mats »

All seats are probably designed for a "normal 3-point" belt enyway so go for that.
But in this instance you would put a rearward facing child seat in the front seat and there you already have a normal 3-point I guess? 8)
Mats Strandberg
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-onemanracing.com-
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by SimonB »

When they were little (<1year old) I used a rear facing seat in the front. Now they are both over 9Kg and so are in forward facing seats. One of the seats is designed to work with lap belts or 3 point belts, these seats are now rare.
I thought that a 3 point static belt should work as well as an inertia reel in this application, the belts fit through brackets and the child has their own 5 point belts in the seat and should be safe as long as the seat is held securely.
The static belts should fit to the existing anchorages and not require any modification. Of course if they are not as safe as the inertia reel ones in this application I will think again...

Sorry folks this is not as much fun as the tuning/racing topics! Thanks for taking the time to help me think this through...

I am a physicist but not an engineer :?:
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by GTV27 »

GTV27 wrote:hmm, in Australia the GTV6 comes with a bracket behind the head rest for each rear seat position allowing for a child restraint to be fitted (sorry I don't have a picture). These attach to the substantial bulkhead behind the seats.
if you can locate the bolt hole for the brackets fitted to the Australian models, you could attach an eyelet bolt to it and then fit the restraint belt to that.
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Re: Rear Seat Belts - GTV6, an option.

Post by SimonB »

Mats wrote:From a safety point of view the fixed belts are useless unless you have a groin strap. The shoulder straps lifts the hip-strap in a crash and you can submarine under it and cause very serious injuries in your belly/gut region.

I would not use them, ever. Spend the money to get a 3-point system with a floating hoop at the striker.

I think the static belts I am thinking of getting are 3 point with a floating hoop at the striker (they call it the tongue!)http://www.securon.co.uk/seat_belts_firstframe.htm

It looks like the only difference is the presence or absence of a retractor.
¡Si me gusta conducir, es porque conduzco un Alfa!

'84 GTV6 UK spec back on the road after 4 years!
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