I believe 1965 was when fitting seatbelts in the front was made compulsary for new cars. Was it 3 point fixing from the start - or were some cars fitted with lap straps only? If so when did 3 point fixing become compulsary?
Thanks for any info.
I've never seen a UK car fitted with lap only - it wouldn't protect the driver from hitting the steering wheel or even windscreen. Think they are only fitted in conjunction with airbags.
Diagonal only belts were available, though.
First car I remember fitted with anchor points was the Rover P6 2000 - and they were three point - front and back.
A friend of my father had a new one of these just after they came out - and it was also fitted with front seatbelts. He was wearing his and his wife not when they were involved in a head on collision. He survived near unscathed but the wife sadly died. The car was written off - despite being only a few months old. Nothing convinced this youngster just how worthwhile they are than that incident.
The only time I've ever seen lap straps only is in the chase scene in 'Bullitt'! The bad guys buckle up just before they peel rubber.
I've never seen a UK car fitted with lap only - it wouldn't protect the driver from hitting the steering wheel or even windscreen. Think they are only fitted in conjunction with airbags.
Diagonal only belts were available, though.
First car I remember fitted with anchor points was the Rover P6 2000 - and they were three point - front and back.
A friend of my father had a new one of these just after they came out - and it was also fitted with front seatbelts. He was wearing his and his wife not when they were involved in a head on collision. He survived near unscathed but the wife sadly died. The car was written off - despite being only a few months old. Nothing convinced this youngster just how worthwhile they are than that incident.
The message from "Dave Plowman (News)" contains these words:
Lap belts were certainly an option when seat belts first came in.
Don't remember them at all. (A Volvo speciality 1956 - 58 apparently).
I fitted seat belts to one of my 105E Anglias (early 60s). I don't think that had built in anchor points. I certainly didn't use them if they were there. I presume it was a lap and diagonal but I can't actually remember for sure.
Middle seat, rear.
My 1966 Herald 1200 Saloon had them. No sign that there had ever been a mounting point by teh sill, either, so I think they were original fitment.
Ian
Yes indeed. My SD1 has that. But I assumed the OP meant front seats. Have you ever seen a lap only there in a UK car?
I have, Series III Land Rover, and I think a Sunbeam Alpine Series IV (or V). I also have a vague memory of one of my father's cars being lap belt only - probably a Humber Pullman or a Humber Snipe. Although it's entirely possible that these were after-market fits since he and my grandfather used to tinker endlessly with cars.
I have a vague recollection of the Alpine, being a convertible, not having an upper mounting point. However, although it was compulsory to have seat belts fitted in the 1960s, it wasn't compulsory to wear them, and the one lift I had in my work colleague's Alpine, neither he nor I put them on, so I can't really remember.
Jim
Coming out of the mists of time, I remember my father buying a Ford Consul which I'm sure had a bench seat in the front. The middle seat I'm positive had a lap belt, but I seem to recall the two outer seats did as well. This information maybe completely inaccurate as it was a long time ago & really doesn't answer the OP's question anyway.
Alan...
I had a 1959 Morris Minor which didn't have any seatbelt mounting points. But the 1962 MGB has lap sash mounts.
The diagonal usually went over your shoulder and back to the floor. As I said lap belts are only much use if you have something reasonably forgiving for the head to come in contact with. Not so when driving a car.
Only the middle seat, and anyone with legs short enough to sit in it is unlikely to be able to hit the dashboard with their head. They might end up with a gearlever sticking through their forehead though.
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "nona" saying something like:
Yes, definitely, and before 1965. Very, very few, as most folk who wanted belts and gave it a moment's thought opted for the safer 3-point lap and diagonal.
It might even have been 1965 as part of the same legislation - before that you could fit what you liked.
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