Seat belts

[OzRiv]

Hey
I have just imported a 72 Buick Riviera, and to get ADR compliance, I have to replace all seat belts, add an extra belt in the back (middle) and add upper mounts for lap-sash belts in the back.
The original front belts are mounted to the floor next to the seat, not behind the door opening, so I'm trying to figure out what to do so the new belts are not blocking passenger access to the back seat.
I know many of you have gone through this before me, so where can you guys recommend I should go for new belts, preferably in Melbourne.

TIA

[SirGeo]

Can you mount to the pillar?

And why can't you keep the floor mounted belts? ADR should just say you need seat belts.. not where they have to go.. atleast thats what I thought....

[anychevy]

Can you mount to the pillar?

And why can't you keep the floor mounted belts? ADR should just say you need seat belts.. not where they have to go.. atleast thats what I thought....

Not sure of VIC laws, but that's how it is in NSW, you just need belts here as well ?
Find a more sympathetic inspector :D

[69camaro]

I must have had a real sympathetic inspector.. I've got full vic rego and still running the original 69 dated belts.

[OzRiv]

I guess my VASS tester is pretty tough, he gave me a whole list of reasons I couldn't keep the original belts:
Not AS2596 labled
buckels not spring loaded
buckles not at the side of the hip
buckles can fall to the floor
lap-sash to outer rear seats, not just lap belts
rear seat over 1.2m wide so must add extra lap belt in middle.

I really wanted retractable belts for the front, just for practicality since it will be my daily driver, but i just noticed that the roof mounts for the front belts is a special 2 bolt job, and with the floor mounting, i think I may just end up with a set of custom fixed belts :(

[FORDI6]

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/B3F9BDB7-551F-4C21-BA5A-119CA9719174/0/VSI21.pdf

Hopefully this should help, read the general notes at the end, regarding suitable location;)

[EAT-30T]

So in NSW I shouldn't need to relocated em??

[anychevy]

So in NSW I shouldn't need to relocated em??
I don't think so, it's something about pre 75 (I think) vehicles being exempt from ADR rules :confused:
I know for historic rego all you need is a pink slip, so your definately o.k. there :D

[EAT-30T]

LMAO all the way to the RTA!! :D

[anychevy]

LMAO all the way to the RTA!! :D
Yep, they don't seem to give a rats a$$ as long as you pay :D and if you transfer from historic (club)
to full rego you don't pay stamp duty.
If there's a loophole, I'll find it

[FORDI6]

LMAO all the way to the RTA!! :D

Don't know the story in NSW, but I think they're a bit easier than VIC,

[RSZ28]

So in NSW I shouldn't need to relocated em??

You will probably need to switch from lap to lap sash in NSW. (I did). with exception of rear centre which is ok as a lap.

I used the upper mount point, originally two bolts and switched to a single 7/16 bolt, with a plate mounted behind the existing double bolt holes. Fiddly to get in, but good result. Will switch to inertias down the track. In NSW any mount point must be an original mount point, or have a 6 square inch plate with nut installed to bolt the belt mount to.

Existing bolt holes in Camaro are 1/2 UNC, and ADR is for 7/16 UNF. presents a few challenges with Oz seatbelts, need to ream the hole out a little to fit the 1/2 bolt. Minimal.

[OzJavelin]

Hmm .. interesting I'm *STILL* waiting for the engineer to get back to me for initial VASS inspection on my '74 Javelin. Sounds like I'll be having some mucking about with seatbelts too, so the Jav has some really stupid front inertial-reel belts (seems to have the reels on BOTH ends!?) and the rear belts are only lap belts :(

BTW: What's the go with front/rear indicators?

[OzRiv]

My VASS guy told me that '73 and later have to have amber indicators with the correct standards codes ... i think its the SAE(?) raised text on the lens... not sure, mine was built '71 so I didn't have to worry about lenses.
BTW: What's the go with front/rear indicators?

[blackoutsteve]

In the US, sash belts were required as mandatory during the 1969 model year. so..
I'll bet your Riviera has all the OE mounting holes for sash and lap belts. And being a Buick, it wouldn't surprise me if they were inertia/retractable.

Buy some crappy local Klippan belts that mount in the OE locations to keep these engineers happy, get your RWC, and then swap them for the correct OE Buick belts.

There is NOTHING wrong with US OE belts. The main reason why they are knocked back is because they haven't been tested under Australia's UV lighting conditions and haven't got the AS number to say they passed.
It's a real load of crap.