Seat Belts in an Oval

G'day Guys and Gals

I'm building a custom Beetle 57 Oval (body off resto), and the engine I am putting in is a 2110cc.

If my understanding is correct this means when I go to get it blueplated/registered in QLD I will need to have seat belts in the front (as well as other things such as front discs etc)

My questions are as follows:

1. Am I required to put in seat belts for the rear seat if I want to have the car registered for more then two passengers (i.e to take passengers legally in back seat)

2. Were front seat belts standard on a 57'

3 I was hoping to put in over shoulder seat belts (like cars today) maybe even retractable (i.e not just lap seatbelts) I have seen that some of the early beetles had the top anchor point bolted through the door pillar, don't want this.

I have cut out the top anchor points on a later model beetle and was thinking I might be able to weld these into the inside of the door pillar. However will this clash with the semaphore housing??

Has anyone modified or put in seatbelts this way??

My pan is a 58, I'm not sure from memory if there are even any anchor points for floor points??

Any other options that will pass eng certificate??

Could go a 3 point harness and anchor to rear firewall (not sure if this is legal) but this may be a pain in the a$$ to get in and out of (not that the car will be a daily driver) plus this would mean I couldn't take passengers on rear seats....

Has anyone modified ovals for seatbelts etc

Advice....or piccies.....??

Sorry guys lots of questions and thinking out aloud but I'd appreciate any feedback

Brad

Hi Brad

To answer one of your questions, yep your floorpan has mounting holes (threaded insert on tunnel), and a hole in outer edge of pan where the other end of the lap belt mounts through.

anyone else has any advice?
Alan

Check out the rebuild diary on my web page.

On my Oval I have lost the semaphores cause of the B-pillar anchor points.

I'm pretty sure that belts were never std on early beetles.

:tree

KISS

Keep it simple stupid......

Dont put retractable belts in U will regret it.

Get the proper nuts weled onto the back of a steel plate and have then welded into the body section as hidden looks nicer than the SHITTY bolt hanging through the body shell or floor pan


I have done this on my 56 way back in 1983

Alsio fit 2 only to the rear seat belts as this is the only amount of people you will ever fit into that small space.

Yes don't get those bolt through ones. They look crap. Also don't destroy the semaphore housing. Mount them lower. Check out a 66 beetle. They have the b pillar anchor point much lower and will defintiely clear the semaphore. I agree with vw54 don't go retrackables as they tend to be more of a pain and more crap to jump over if you do have people in the back.