[vespaden]

I just bought myself a 73 GTV. I had a 69 Duetto, but after having a kid, I figured I needed a back seat otherwise the car would just sit in the garage. Well, now I'm faced with the problem of putting some seat belts in the car so the wife will actually let me drive it with my son onboard. The car, as it is presently configured, has lap belts in the front and nothing in the rear. I suppose that is stock for this year in the US. Does anyone have any suggestions for installing three-point belts in the front? More importantly, any suggestions on belts in the rear? I'm wondering where I might find existing attachment points. I'd prefer not to have to do any welding, but will, if it comes to that. Also, any suggestions on where to source the belts?

Thanks,
Paul
Oakland, CA

 

[Alfajay]

I bought aftermarket 3 point belts from Gem Street Rods. Gem carries 2 point lap belts, as well as 3 point, and their prices seemed reasonable. See Seat Belts

The photo below is the best shot I have showing the installation of GEM 3 point belts in my '66 Sprint GT. We added the mounts for the roller and upper guide while the car was in the bodyshop, so yes, some welding was involved. Your '73 may have provisions in place already. Even my '66 had a backing plate where the upper guide mounts - there just wasn't a bolt hole or a threaded insert.

Can't help you on the rear lap belts - as you can see from the photo, I deleted my rear seat bottom.

 

[ducatibruce]

On my RHD (that had rear belts standard) there are mount points on the rear parcel shelf, inner wheel arch under the seat bottom, and on the seat support/trans tunnel.

I think they're there for all markets whether belts were fittend standard or not.

 

[iachella]

Yes, there are bolt holes for rear seat belts. Take out the rear seats and look around and you will find them. I had the same story a few years ago when a kid came into my life.

My car had lap belts in the front and I took those out and put them in the rear. I then got some new lap belts for the front from JC Whitney. I chose a metal flapper style buckle like you find on airlines. I love them.

If you go with shoulder belts on the front, you can still use your front lap belts in the rear, as you will be removing them. I don't think you cold get shoulder belts in the back without a fair amount of reconfiguring and welding of some points. If you don't fancy putting used belts into the back where your kid is, JC Whitney does have a good selection of lap belts.

When your kid is older, boy or girl, they will love riding in your car more than the minivan!! That gives you more joy in having kept the car and not sold it because a family has come in the way. Go for it!

 

[ducatibruce]

My 73 had 3 point fittings in the rear standard. The upper (shoulder) belt is fitted to the parcel shelf & the other end to the wheel well, the buckle fitted to the seat support/trans tunnel.

 

[iachella]

My 73 had 3 point fittings in the rear standard.

Wow! Really? That's amazing, and odd for the early 70s. Is it a bolt hole welded to the parcel support sheet metal? Then the card board shelf is pierced with a bolt?

Any pictures handy? I've removed my parcel to have the card redone and didn't see anything there, but with a picture I could decide if I ever wanted to have someone weld something in.

 

[vespaden]

I pulled the rear seat bottom out, and I see some very small holes near the tunnel that have been filled in with some sort of caulk. Maybe factory? They seem pretty small for a seat belt bolt. However, that is nothing a drill can't take care of. I have not found anything on the outside of the floor for seat belts. I guess I'll just drill some holes there too. I'm not sure about whether I'll go with lap belts or three point belts. If I go three point, I'm thinking that I can just attach the top point to the parcel shelf, along with a big washer or plate to spread out the load in case of accident.

-Paul

 

[jamieandthemagi]

I put a comprehensive install guide on alfa bb, search this forum.

 

[archeologist]

I pulled the rear seat bottom out, and I see some very small holes near the tunnel that have been filled in with some sort of caulk. Maybe factory? They seem pretty small for a seat belt bolt. However, that is nothing a drill can't take care of. I have not found anything on the outside of the floor for seat belts. I guess I'll just drill some holes there too. I'm not sure about whether I'll go with lap belts or three point belts. If I go three point, I'm thinking that I can just attach the top point to the parcel shelf, along with a big washer or plate to spread out the load in case of accident.

-Paul

Do it right, if you don't you can either crush your spine in an accident, or the belt will slip off and you'll kiss the steering wheel.

Any good race shop can weld in the upper mount easily, many aftermarket belts I have seen come with the plate and nut needed.

I'm looking into this for an old Jeep Wagoneer as well, just trying to mimic what the factory did later.

 

[ducatibruce]

Shoulder belt mount, inside the car, parcel shelf

Shoulder belt mount inside the boot, L/hand parcel shelf

Shoulder belt mount inside the boot, R/hand parcel shelf

Lower belt mount wheel well

Centre belt mount seat base support/trans tunnel

Hope it helps

 

[Bill S]

Nice pictures, DucatiBruce. I'm guessing those mounting points work best for non-retractable belts. It doesn't look like a retractor would fit on that wheel-well mounting point. It's already pretty crowded in the back of a GTV!

 

[iachella]

Ah, I see mine has the upper plates as well. They are pretty far back though. I would assume the retractor gets placed up there since there is so much distance from the bolt hole to the edge of the seat. It seems to be about 6" back. If I ever install shoulder belts in the back (when my kids start to use a booster seat) I think I will install a nut plate closer to the seat and use static belts. I'm not so big on retractor belts. The kids can pull the belt tight themselves.

 

[archeologist]

In the Sedan section Peter Lundquist has a nice writeup on installing three point belts with retractors in a Berlina. Same basic concept. He used that upper mount for the D ring and cut a slot in the package tray.

 

[fangio8c]

FWIW...

I have a GTV and 2 young kids (currently a 4.5 year old and an 11 months old). When my son was 2 years old I wanted to put in rear seatbelts (or latch connectors) so I could put child seats in. After doing a mock-up with the car seats I had, I determined that the project would be relatively futile for a few reasons: There wouldn't be enough legroom for either my son or me (I'm only 6'0") with child seat installed. And, there was barely any headroom for him in the rear with the child seat installed. I looked for lower profile child seats but wasn't successful.

Now, at 4.5 years old and 40lbs, my son rides in the front seat in a booster child seat and LOVES IT!!! But, alas, it is not a car the whole family can enjoy.

Honestly, I don't know how a small child (old/big enough to legally not be in a child seat) would be comfortable in the rear seats AND the front passengers also be comfortable at the same time.

Solution... we're buying a Giulia Super .

Now as far as front seatbelts go... I'm perfectly happy with my 3pt belts with airplane style latches and manual adjustment. In fact, I feel more secure than with inertia reel belts because mine "hold" me in firmly yet comfortably. I always thought they were OEM on my '70 GTV.

 

[iachella]

I put lap belts in the back of my GTV and put in a car seat years ago. My son is currently 7 years old and 54" tall and can still fit in it with the front seat pulled forward. The rear seats are removed though. I put down a plank covered in vinyl, so I probably have a little more headroom. I don't think 3-point belts are any better than 2-point for a car seat.

When my 5 year old daughter and my son are in the car, she is in the back and my son is in the front with a booster seat. Nobody is behind me as my seat is all the way back. The front has lap belts too, and my wife isn't all that happy about that, but I just ignore her for now.

When they are both too big for car seats, I plan to re-upholster the rear in a very low profile padding. That way the one in the back will still have enough headroom. The legroom is fine, as the front seat can always be pulled forward all the way with the older kid in the front. The three point location in the rear is nice to have found, so I might install that just to calm the wife. I see the third point for the fronts, too so I might do it to the front passenger side too. I'd love to find something like the old American cars of the 60s that had the shoulder belt tucked up against the headliner until someone needed it and mostly just used the lap belt.

My wife doesn't give a **** about Alfas, so it will never be four in the car. My kids love riding in the car as they do it so rarely. Weekends are always the four of us in the big car.

 

[ducatibruce]

All 4 belts in mine are 3 point static, I prefer them to retractors and it's also original.