Replacement Seatbelts, any retractable belts for early models? Options

[Tom73]

I am sure that this has been discussed before but is there any retractable belts thatis a bolt in replacement for the early model manual belts? Thought about retrofitting later model retractable belts but there is no pocket in the firewall for mounting them. Suggestions???

tom...

[dmenche914]

There is a difference between early and late cars for the different seat belts. Early cars had non-retract belts, later cars had retract belts. The addition of the retract belts meant that Porsche had to add a place for the retract spool, they indented the fire wall in the two upper corners to fit the spool, hence the stock spool cannot fit in the same spot on an early car. (short of cutting and welding the fire wall)
Also note that the cover for the engine relay plate had to be changed at the same time, as the early cover did not clear the new bulge into the engine bay. The back pad upolstery also is slightly different, but appears it would be very easy to get around that

So what to do????

i personnally prefer the non-retract belts, they hold me inplace much better, I like the oneness with the car feeling they give. However, that makes it near impossible to reach over to open the passenger window, or dig in the glove box without removing the belt, which I perfer not to do, even when at a stop light (been hit several times badly whilest sitting at stop lights)

The possible solution is a retract unit from a car that will mount on the same bolt that the original non-retract belt mounted. There are two choices, one up top, and one below. I suspect the lower mounting of a spool would interfer with seat travel, so the upper bolt is probably the better choice.

I had an old 67 Bug that someone retrofited with retracting 3 pt. belts. I am not sure, but I think they were from a toyota or datsun pick up. Nice self contained spool with cover mounted tot eh stock upper bolt in the Bug

I think that is pretty much your option for retract belts. wrecker might be a place to start (avoid belts from cars that have been hit, cuase they may have been streched by the accident, and no longer offer the safety of a un-used belt. )

Best bet might be some of the older cars, as many modern cars hide the spool in the panels. The spool that was added to my old Bug was clearly designed to be exposed, as it had a nice plastic cover over it.

Also check out some of the Datsun, or Toyota or what ever aftermarket suppliers, thay may be of some help. Maybe some british car suppliers, like Triumph or MG, they ought to have some compact units.

Good luck in your search.

Also note, in the interest of safety, early cars added the extra 50lbs or so each side of side impact protection in the doors (early and late doors can be swapped, get the entire window and mechanism, as they differed and will not interchange, however Porsche changed the window design at a diferent time that the side impact bars, so you might be able to get by with only a new door shell, and use your old glass and mechanism, so check closely before buying) (PS I have a set of late doors with impact protection for sale, with the glass and mechanism, $80 a pair, send a PM if interested) Also consider the later cars had better trunk protection (gussets added in front of the spare tire well) and of course the last two years had the safer bumpers.