*F-BodyFanatic*

iTrader: (2)

...This question may seem stupid, but I read in some places it worked, others it did not. If someone who has exp. with it and knows off-hand could answer my question, that would be great!

I just got "new" panels for my car. I thought they would have the over-the-shoulder belt style, but they do not... which really isn't a big deal to me...

BUT, I will also need new belts. I got some of the panels today, and after inspection, noticed that I have the lap-style belts. Will it be a problem to put over-the-shoulder belts in there? (And by this I mean mount the over-the-shoulder style belts in the lap belt place...)

I've read the only "problem" I'll have is that I'll have to cut the mounting braket for the back seat off, and the lapbelt will double over possibly ( )

All in all, would it be a bad move? I'm in progress with a guy right now about seat belts, and it's been rough trying to find some black ones to begin with... and now I've ran into this problem.

Comments? Suggestions?

Thanks

*F-BodyFanatic*

iTrader: (2)

no one??

Xophertony

are you talking about the front or the back? do you allready have the belts and just need to make a hole in the panal? if you actually need to install the belts themselves.... wow... it's possible but would require ALOT of work. if anyone has actually done it i would be surprised. but now that i have typed that i am sure somone will pipe in saying they have done it. heres a picture of the fornt shoulder mount

*F-BodyFanatic*

iTrader: (2)

No no... it's for the rear seats.

Right now I have over-the-shoulder rear seat belts. But, I just bought panels from someone and they have the lap-style belts.

Before I got the panels (since they were from an '89 I assumed they were over-the-shoulder belt compliant), I found out they have the lap-style belts.

So what I'd like to know is if I can take my over-the-shoulder rear belts, and turn them into lap-style belts.

I've been told it's possible and you just have to cut the mounting bracket off (that attaches to the corner of the rear seat). My question is... does it work? And would the belt double over? (Since when they go over the shoulder, they're coming from 2 locations), or would the belt just be really long?

Thanks.

Petes 84Z28

The 'new' panels you got were not from an 89.
Where did you plan to mount your existing retractor? It has to be mounted level in order to operate correctly; if it's mounted tipped at an angle, you will not be able to pull the belt out.
If you got the rear armrest panels as well, they will have slots in them to accomodate the 82-88 lap belts and retractors, which you will need to get if you plan to keep the new panels. The brackets on the rear seatback should unbolt.
The guy you bought the panels from mis-led you, maybe not intentionally, but you should see if he will take them back, and then procure the proper panels to fit your existing belt set-up.

*F-BodyFanatic*

iTrader: (2)

I got the entire set (minus the headliner trim) from him. So it's a complete set of panels. I don't mind switching to the lap style belts, the back seat is rarely used. I was just curious is I'm going to have a problem with applying the over the shoulder belts where there should be lap belts. If it doesn't work, I can always resell the back belts and get new ones.

He swears they were from an '89, even though they don't appear to be. I'm not really worried about it, since hardly anyone sits back there anyways.

I just didn't know if I would have to do any type of welding or anything to mount them, since my orginal setup was to be for shoulder belts.

Thanks for your tips though, it is much appreciated.