Im looking at buying a ford escort 1975 but one thing that has put me off is that they do not have rear seat belts from factory, having a child she needs to be buckled in somehow!
my question is can i install 2x 3 point seatbelts (adjustable, non retractable, like rear belts from a mini) in the rear! will it need to be certed or will it be ok and pass the wof or just install and take out pre wof inspection! im confident enough to install them properly myself but i dont want to get stuck with having to do extra things that cost me money, if its goning to be a huge mess then ill have to miss out on the car i wont oh so bad =(
cheers
ceebee2,
Aug 20, 5:03am
I have fitted many rear seat belts to old vehicles using the seat belt bolts and supplied square washers.cannot see why these systems will fail the WOF PROVIDED you choose the correct area to anchor them.( If there are no pillar mounts then consult with a seat belt installer to see what they will do for your car). Also use spray on underseal to prevent the bolts from rusting. I would install them and take it for the WOF.
_dwat_,
Aug 20, 5:08am
wonderful! just what i needed to hear, thanks for the great info
a.woodrow,
Aug 20, 5:13am
Before you get carried away I would check with an engineer that where you intend to mount them is strong enough to hold in an accident, if there aren't already bolt holes for mounts. And you'll need to get it certified. (unless the bolt holes are already there)
andy61,
Aug 20, 5:19pm
Have a look under the rear seat,the mounting points may already be there,just need the rubber/plastic bungs taking out .Many cars did have the mounting points fitted but not used.
smac,
Aug 20, 5:24pm
Unless there are factory mounts already there, it will need to be certed.
chebry,
Aug 20, 6:11pm
Rear belts were in all new cars from 71. I had a 75 Ford Escort that had rear belts yours should at least have the mounting holes even if the belts have been removed.
bellky,
Aug 20, 6:12pm
NO THEY WERE NOT.
smac,
Aug 20, 6:14pm
Nope. Weren't compulsory until well after that. Our '78 Cortina never had them.
sifty,
Aug 20, 6:44pm
I found mounting points in a 71 Fairmont, which surprised me.
hi-ling,
Aug 20, 6:58pm
You should find the mounting points are there, they are most likely covered with a plastic plug or a round piece of tape, they will be painted over, but they will be there.
mike107,
Aug 20, 7:25pm
Hi. My 73 Galant GTO has all the threaded mounting holes for seat belts at back. I just take them out before wof, then put them back in again. All the holes were covered by trim and then a round bit of tape.
scuba,
Aug 20, 7:36pm
why would you take them out!
franc123,
Aug 20, 7:37pm
No they were not compulsory in NZ until November 1979 and a significant amount of older cars did not have them fitted until then.Thats not to say that on an older car factory mounting points won't be there.
scuba,
Aug 20, 7:44pm
rear seat belts weren't compulsory until november 78 from memory.
but lots of cars already had factory seat belt anchor points
chebry,
Aug 20, 9:54pm
All Aussie models had them from 71 and since NZ shared many models with that market we had the same fittings as the CKD packs were the same. Some of the dunger Escorts and Cortinas were not suffered by the OZ market so they may have differed but the mounts were included they did not stamp different floor pans for odd markets everybody got the same.
franc123,
Aug 20, 10:21pm
But not all CKD packs of those would have received belts, mounts yes, belts no. Big difference.And an Aust market TC, D, E and F Cortina DID have a different floorpan and tunnel, it had to in order to fit the Falcon drivetrains into them.
pebbles61,
Aug 21, 12:29am
One less thing to fail on!
If I failed on mine I'd take them out there and then just to pass.
scuba,
Aug 21, 12:43am
I wouldn't risk potentially faulty seatbelts- for peace of mindeasier to just replace if necessary> don't even have to be retractable seatbelts if they were "factory".
pebbles61,
Aug 21, 12:46am
Fair enough, when I have kids I will most likely install some new static belts or retractables.
But if my current ones fail then I'd remove them. Most OS mechanics know this so they don't bother to check them it seems.
kazbanz,
Aug 21, 12:51am
OP do a search on th escort forums. I would be VERY suprised if the factory mounting points for belts aren't there but why not find out for certain! I'm more than happy to be proven wrong in this situation but I strongly suspect if you fit a set of cortina belts from the same era using the factory mounts that not one wof tester would batt an eyelid. Goes without saying you should check the condition of the webbing and mechanism before installing.
fordcrzy,
Aug 21, 2:57am
not hard to find the points. pull the seat squabs out and look. also push your thumb ip and down the c pillar where the head lining is and you may find the hole for the belt bolt
chebry,
Aug 21, 2:01pm
The Falcon powered cars differed but the 4 bangers were the same the only difference being no engines smaller than 1600cc in either Craptinas or escorts The 6cyl cars were OZ built not ckd
pnh4,
Aug 21, 2:18pm
Exactly, the backing plate to be installed must be 3mm min' steel monel riveted not welded & within close proximty of a major seam, add $400 for a cert aswell
hi-ling,
Aug 21, 2:54pm
The factory rear seatbelt mounts ARE there, they are std on all Mk2 Escorts, so you dont have to worry about cert.
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