68 Beetle seatbelt specs
Crispy - November 5th, 2014 at 07:54 PM
I want to order custom made seat belts for my 68 beetle.
They are the non retractable lap sash ones with a web buckle.
I need to know the length of the webbing that the buckle bit attaches to. Ie. the length from the bol on the floor/tunnel to the hip.
Does anyone use these types and do you know how long they are?
The original seatbelts in my beetle weren't the right ones for the car so I can't measure them.
Thanks!
psimitar - November 5th, 2014 at 10:38 PM
Ask the question on the VW Heritage online store. For Every item they have an ask a question tab. I alwasy get a reply within a few days tops.
AA003 - November 9th, 2014 at 03:44 PM
You'ld be better asking an Australian as these were Australia only.
hulbyw - November 9th, 2014 at 05:15 PM
Not so. My '68 was made in Germany. Unfortunately I don't have the original seat belts so I cannot help with measurements. I have inertia reels
AA003 - November 10th, 2014 at 06:03 AM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by hulbyw
Not so. My '68 was made in Germany. Unfortunately I don't have the original seat belts so I cannot help with measurements. I have inertia reels
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So are both of my T3s but the seatbelts were made in Australia.
viiking - December 27th, 2014 at 02:39 PM
Have you resolved this?
I have an original 68!with the central plastic "cassette" belt tongue attachment point.
Is this the one you are talking about?
AA003 - December 27th, 2014 at 05:47 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by viiking
Have you resolved this?
I have an original 68!with the central plastic "cassette" belt tongue attachment point.
Is this the one you are talking about?
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That's not original. They didn't come out until around '71 or '72. I put one in my '70.
beetleboyjeff - December 27th, 2014 at 07:13 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by AA003
| Quote: | Originally
posted by viiking
Have you resolved this?
I have an original 68!with the central plastic "cassette" belt tongue attachment point.
Is this the one you are talking about?
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That's not original. They didn't come out until around '71 or '72. I put one in my '70.
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My 69 has one of those - it was in it when I bought it in the late 70s - pretty sure it is standard.
viiking - December 27th, 2014 at 07:26 PM
Fitted as of January 1969 as law changed in NSW requiring the replacement of the original sash only belt that came fitted with the car.
They were fitted to my dad's 68 by the dealer and the belts I have are the original ones from 1969.
psimitar - December 27th, 2014 at 08:20 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by AA003
| Quote: | Originally
posted by hulbyw
Not so. My '68 was made in Germany. Unfortunately I don't have the original seat belts so I cannot help with measurements. I have inertia reels
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So are both of my T3s but the seatbelts were made in Australia.
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Not everything of VW Australia was made in Australia dude. The web style belts were used in USA and the UK too. Possibly Europe but I don't know the
demographic.
For the OP I suggest looking up the NCOP, National Code of Practice, for vehicles and the ADR specific for your year of manufacture alongside your
states regs. Between these you will be able to figure out what belts you require or you can take the easy option and pay $120ph for your local vehicle
engineer to tell you what you need 
AA003 - December 27th, 2014 at 08:59 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by psimitar
| Quote: | Originally
posted by AA003
| Quote: | Originally
posted by hulbyw
Not so. My '68 was made in Germany. Unfortunately I don't have the original seat belts so I cannot help with measurements. I have inertia reels
|
So are both of my T3s but the seatbelts were made in Australia.
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Not everything of VW Australia was made in Australia dude. The web style belts were used in USA and the UK too. Possibly Europe but I don't know the
demographic.
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What are you talking about?
Seat belts in Australia of that era must be stamped with the appropriate Australian standard. The USA and UK were not.
psimitar - December 27th, 2014 at 11:02 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by AA003
| Quote: | Originally
posted by psimitar
| Quote: | Originally
posted by AA003
| Quote: | Originally
posted by hulbyw
Not so. My '68 was made in Germany. Unfortunately I don't have the original seat belts so I cannot help with measurements. I have inertia reels
|
So are both of my T3s but the seatbelts were made in Australia.
|
Not everything of VW Australia was made in Australia dude. The web style belts were used in USA and the UK too. Possibly Europe but I don't know the
demographic.
|
What are you talking about?
Seat belts in Australia of that era must be stamped with the appropriate Australian standard. The USA and UK were not.
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Oh dear. Doesn't mean they weren't manufactured elsewhere as even back then global companies would use the most strigent of the standards in which
the vehicle was to be sold to save money. No different really to the modern homologation standards most modern vehicle manufacturers go by.
You know, like a Bugatti Veyron would be no different in construction irrespective of the country it's being sold in as it passes all standards. The
German standard probably being the most strigent in the world
AA003 - December 28th, 2014 at 06:34 AM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by psimitarOh dear. Doesn't mean they weren't manufactured elsewhere as even back then global companies would use the most strigent of
the standards in which the vehicle was to be sold to save money. No different really to the modern homologation standards most modern vehicle
manufacturers go by.
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You have no idea what you are talking about.
The pommy seat belts that Just Kampers were selling were not legal here so they stopped selling them. They met European standards.
Try buying a bicycle helmet from overseas. It would not be legal in Australia. Child safety seats from overseas until recently were not legal.
DakDak67 - December 28th, 2014 at 07:56 AM
To the OP , I have the OG belts as you describe in my 68 . Are you still after the specs?
psimitar - December 28th, 2014 at 01:19 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by AA003
You have no idea what you are talking about.
The pommy seat belts that Just Kampers were selling were not legal here so they stopped selling them. They met European standards.
Try buying a bicycle helmet from overseas. It would not be legal in Australia. Child safety seats from overseas until recently were not legal.
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I do actually but as you are being stubborn lets just agree to disagree
Apologies to the OP 
AA003 - December 29th, 2014 at 05:11 AM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by psimitar lets just agree to disagree
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It's not an opinion.
Because of this type of misinformation people buy seat belts from England, Europe, USA etc only to find that they have wasted their money on
non-approved seat belts. If you don't believe me ask Roy at Bus Stop, Vintage Vee Dub Supplies or Just Kampers.
pfillery - December 29th, 2014 at 08:52 AM
I have a set that was in my 68. Kept them when it went because I'd fitted newer belts in the front. Lap sash with webbing strap and metal buckle with
blue VW push button. Same style as used on many cars of the period. If you want originals these are the ones and available for sale as I won't use
them. Happy to measure if you just want that.
I would be careful that any belts carry the correct standards marks. 68 was a transition year for belts I believe, I was told I could remove the rear
belts if I wanted as they weren't needed until later on.
Who were you going to use for your custom belts? There are only a few legit Aussie approved makers of seat belts. I know a lot of people use original
buckles and fittings and get new webbing made.
56oval resto - December 29th, 2014 at 11:54 AM
worked with JK AUS for 3 years or so , no longer with them ( left earlier this year )
JK seat belts do have the tag on them that meet all AUS/NZ standards
if you are replacing belts in any car , they need to meet our AUS regulations
all you need to do is actually ask the supplier if the belts meet our AUS standards , check with JK AUS - Gerald .......
cheers ...Simon
AA003 - YOU ARE CORRECT
Joel - December 29th, 2014 at 04:18 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by pfillery
I know a lot of people use original buckles and fittings and get new webbing made.
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Pretty sure you will find that is not legal either.
pfillery - December 29th, 2014 at 09:41 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by Joel
| Quote: | Originally
posted by pfillery
I know a lot of people use original buckles and fittings and get new webbing made.
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Pretty sure you will find that is not legal either.
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Not sure. I know there's places who sell refurbished ones for early Holdens etc.
psimitar - December 30th, 2014 at 12:26 AM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by AA003
| Quote: | Originally
posted by psimitar lets just agree to disagree
|
It's not an opinion.
Because of this type of misinformation people buy seat belts from England, Europe, USA etc only to find that they have wasted their money on
non-approved seat belts. If you don't believe me ask Roy at Bus Stop, Vintage Vee Dub Supplies or Just Kampers.
|
Not what I was getting at. The majority of all the items you've mentioned would probably easily pass the AU standards but the company didn't bother
paying to have them ratified to sell in Oz.
And that was my point. The item doesn't need to be made in Australia to pass AU laws but obviously for insurance purposes must have the approval in
the country the item is used in to comply with your insurance policy.
Everything I've said all along has been that the country of manufacture doesn't matter so long as the item has been homologated, or stamped/tagged
with the relevant safety standard, for the country it's to be used in. The original CDK kits that started VW Australia were made in Germany but
passed the ADR rulings of the day otherwise the entire vehicle would have been illegal.
So that was my point but you just didn't get it.
For the OP - it is always down to the customer to check an item to be bought meets local laws but an Australian manufactured item must meet local laws
for them to stay in business so means less research for the buyer.
I bought my belts from Klippan. Various colours available and when I bought a few years back were very reasonably priced compared to most others.
hulbyw - December 30th, 2014 at 10:17 AM
Hemco in Ballarat, Vic will make Aust approved seatbelts to fit a specific vehicle. I had a set made for my son's Datsun 1600 a while back. I am
quite sure if you asked them they will either have a set or make a set that will fit a '68. However I am unsure whether they will make the style with
a web buckle. They may only sell buckles on a steel cable/stork. Unless you are going for a fully original look, I can highly recommend swapping to
the stork style buckle as they don't fall down between the seats like the original webbing buckles do (I have been running inertia reels out of a
'76 for 20 years but I still remember what a PITA the webbing buckles were)
Cheers........Wayne
AA003 - December 30th, 2014 at 01:10 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by hulbyw
Hemco in Ballarat, Vic will make Aust approved seatbelts to fit a specific vehicle.
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They made belts for Australian delivered Volkswagens as some of ours were of a completely different design to any other country to meet our
standards.
The belts for Australian Beetles (circa 1970) were made by Britax.
DakDak67 - December 30th, 2014 at 04:37 PM
Wow, this is still going. Yawn.
helbus - December 30th, 2014 at 05:21 PM
Our 1971 has a solid mount stalk that is about 250mm. I would surmise that the web length you would want would be 250mm if the mount holes are in the
same position.
AA003 - December 31st, 2014 at 10:40 AM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by DakDak67
Wow, this is still going. Yawn.
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It's what happens when you get foreigners on here trying to tell you about Australia.
DakDak67 - December 31st, 2014 at 11:49 AM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by AA003
| Quote: | Originally
posted by DakDak67
Wow, this is still going. Yawn.
|
It's what happens when you get foreigners on here trying to tell you about Australia.
|
psimitar - December 31st, 2014 at 02:38 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by AA003
| Quote: | Originally
posted by DakDak67
Wow, this is still going. Yawn.
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It's what happens when you get foreigners on here trying to tell you about Australia.
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Yawn, whatever Captain always right 