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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Retractable Seat Belts

Posted by: tyler Jun 29 2005, 12:30 PM

Can someone tell me what year 914's have the retractable belts mounted to the floor and how to tell the difference between those and the ones that are mounted up above (if this is true)? I've been looking for a set of retractables tp replace the regular ones in my '70 and I'd like to mount them on the floor. Somewhere I picked up that the earlier ones were mounted up higher.
I suppose the only difference would be belt length, but I'd like to be sure.

Posted by: SLITS Jun 29 2005, 12:36 PM

Essentially '73 and later

To install retracts in your '70, you would have to:

1. Install a moveable pass seat assembly, 'cause the backpads are different

2. Weld in mounts for the reel assembly

3. Weld in mounts on the "B" pillars (as I remember)

Don't remember anything else

Posted by: Dave_Darling Jun 29 2005, 01:14 PM

The retractors were on the firewall, just below the rear window--not on the floor.

The early cars have the threaded hole for the upper mount of the shoulder belt, I believe.

Still, cutting and welding is necessary, from what I read.

AA supposedly has retractors that bolt up to the upper shoulder belt mounting point. No data on these, never dealt with them.

--DD

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty Jun 29 2005, 01:24 PM

Not only are they mounted on the firewall, they're mounted in pockets let in to the firewall, so the pockets have to be installed. Mark has a set in his '72 that came from an '83 Volvo 240Turbo. Rear seat belts, not front. They're mounted on the floor. The threaded hole in the pillar is already there in the '72s. Not gonna work in the '70-'71 on the passenger side unless you install a moveable seat and a later rear pad. It is likely the holes in the pillars are there, though. The Cap'n

Posted by: markb Jun 29 2005, 01:29 PM

QUOTE (Cap'n Krusty @ Jun 29 2005, 11:24 AM)
Mark has a set in his '72 that came from an '83 Volvo 240Turbo. Rear seat belts, not front. They're mounted on the floor.

The Cap'n means my black 71 has a Volvo retractable for the driver. I used the rear belt from a wagon because they're longer. You need the extra length because they're mounted so low. The passenger seat on the 70-71s is too wide to put a standard retractable in, but I'm looking for something that will work. I'll let you all know when I find one that fits.

Posted by: Natedog Jun 29 2005, 04:58 PM

Kind of a bump here.....

I found a set of seatbelts that I would like to use in my 73 914. At this point all I have is a part number.

On the box: 914 803 181 (11)
On the belt: 01.80101.0

Can anyone confirm that these will work for my 914?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Cheers
Nate

Posted by: tyler Nov 2 2005, 02:33 PM

Nate, Did you get your seatbelts installed yet? I'm going to start on mine but I can't remember how the belt comes thru the backpad. Mine doesn't have the slot, of course, but there must be some kind of trim piece.
If anyone has a good picture, I'd appreciate it

Posted by: GeorgeRud Nov 2 2005, 04:24 PM

I bought and installed the ones AA has listed on my 914-6 several years ago. Since I didn't want to cut up an original 914-6, it was the only way to get the retractable belts to work and not cobble up the car. They aren't perfect, but they do the job well and just need the belt retractor attached to the upper seatbelt mount, and the other ends simply bolted in place.

Probably worth the money they charge for them so you don't have to play around with welding, etc. It's also nice to have retractable belts that actually retract every time without a lot of fussing.

Anyone have any tricks to get old (1973) 914 belts to soften up. The ones on my other car are very stiff from age, and are a pain to get to retract properly.

Posted by: mikey Nov 2 2005, 11:16 PM

QUOTE
I bought and installed the ones AA has listed on my 914-6 several years ago

Attached image(s)

Posted by: mikey Nov 2 2005, 11:17 PM

Might add retractors to my 1970 and would really like to see what they look like.