Early seatbelt holster question Options

[GaroldShaffer]

So I have an early seat belt holster in the classifieds. Question came up if they were only on the drivers side of the early cars or both sides. I believe it was just the driver side, but I have seen a early car with it on both sides, but no sure if the owner did that or it came that way.

Anyone know for sure?

[Peashooter]

Maybe not for sure, but my original 1970 914-6 has one, but only on the driver's side.

[McMark]

They're aftermarket or dealer installed. Put them wherever you want. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[mepstein]

They're aftermarket or dealer installed. Put them wherever you want. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Are you sure?
Both my 71's came with them but no other aftermarket stuff.

[McMark]

Am I SURE? No.

SirAndy's six doesn't have any holes in the longs.
My 71 has holes on the driver's side, but I can't see any on the PS, although the seat bottom is in the way, and I'm not pulling up my carpet to check. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I would suspect a factory part would have a part number of some sort embossed on the pieces. But they're devoid of any sort of marking or identification.

[mepstein]

Am I SURE? No.

SirAndy's six doesn't have any holes in the longs.
My 71 has holes on the driver's side, but I can't see any on the PS, although the seat bottom is in the way, and I'm not pulling up my carpet to check. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I would suspect a factory part would have a part number of some sort embossed on the pieces. But they're devoid of any sort of marking or identification.

Good point.
Mine just came on the driver side. Sort of useless but sort of cool in a 70's way.

[ChrisFoley]

This has been discussed here before: old seatbelt holder topic
I'm pretty sure cars with non-retractable seatbelts, beginning in spring 1970, had them wherever there was a movable seat but not where there was a fixed position seat.
Right now at the shop I have a '72 with them on both sides, a '71 with one on the driver side, and six #1904 that doesn't have one but the carpet is compressed where it goes. I haven't inspected for the 4 holes though.

My factory parts book doesn't have a page that covers the non-retractable USA seatbelts.

[McMark]

Good searching Chris. That was the thread I was thinking of...

The number of people with early cars who chimed in on that thread without holes seem to indicate that they were not install at the factory.
And the number of people with early cars who DO have the holes is high enough to seem to indicate that the dealers were installing these.

I suspect that if they were truly aftermarket parts, you would see them occasionally. But the response is greater than 'occasionally', so it's probably dealer installed. Dealers would install parts like these as add-ons to drive up the profit margins. So you see them with increased frequency because they tried to push them onto everyone who bought a 914.

[SirAndy]

I suspect that if they were truly aftermarket parts, you would see them occasionally. But the response is greater than 'occasionally', so it's probably dealer installed. Dealers would install parts like these as add-ons to drive up the profit margins. So you see them with increased frequency because they tried to push them onto everyone who bought a 914.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

I'm pretty sure this was a dealer item, not a factory item ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[ChrisFoley]

Ed (who worked at auto dealerships since the '70s) doesn't think they were dealer installed.

[Mike Fitton]

It was a Porsche part that came with the non-retractable REPA seat belts, some got installed with the belts some didn't. He are some NOS sets I had.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=NOS+seat+belts

[gms]

They're aftermarket or dealer installed. Put them wherever you want. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I am sure that they are a FACTORY part, I have an NOS example.
I have seen them on both sides but I cannot confirm that the factory installed them on the passenger side. Every early car I have seen has had them on the driver side

[gms]

I believe the part number is 914.803.141.10
I think it was so the seat belt did not interfere with the hand brake

[SirAndy]

Every early car I have seen has had them on the driver side

How early is "early"?

#374 does not have the mounting holes in either long.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[Cairo94507]

All 3 of my Sixes, 2 70's and the '71 had them. I do not believe they were added by the dealer. They were only on the driver's side on all 3 cars BTW.

[rgalla9146]

The idea that they were to prevent interference with the hand brake sounds reasonable.
I think they were an early car thing, pre-retractable belts.
It's a silly design. Was the driver supposed to insert the belt after leaving the car and remove the belt before entering ?
If the buckle is inserted when you are exiting it interferes with your exit.
If it is in place when you enter it interferes with your entry.
Dealer installed ? don't think so. They would have required a mechanic to use a drill.
You think antennas were installed installed randomly ?.....just think of the possibilities with these things ! they would have been all over the place.

[SirAndy]

I think they were an early car thing, pre-retractable belts.
Dealer installed ? don't think so. They would have required a mechanic to use a drill.
just think of the possibilities with these things ! they would have been all over the place.

I dis-agree!

There are plenty of early cars with non-retractable belts that do NOT have the holes to mount this part.

Plus, the holes look very much hand-drilled ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[johnhora]

my 70' original 914-6 has one on the driver side....the screws are very short and seem to just go into the carpet...I don't know that they would have been able to get into the metal...it works but keeps pulling out of the original OEM carpet...

[Tom_T]

I tried to find a pic of my buddy's OO 71 /4, but none of the pix show the right spot.

PS - The link Racer Chris gave above does have excellent pix of it in place at that post, FYI.

Based on a reliable source from the old days, who is far smarter than am I on these 914 details:

"The seat belt tongue holster was installed on all 914 and 914-6 models from model year 1970 to model year 1972 until 12/31/71. One per car on the driver's side with four 2.9x9.5 lens head screws to secure Factory part number is 91480314110 If you do not have one on your drivers side, your car is not correct!"

If your screws are pulling out, then they're probably either the wrong lenght screws &/or the carpet isn't original, since some after market carpets are a slightly deeper pile/backer material.

My supposition was always since back in the 70's, that they put this "Holster" in to get it away from jamming the folding e-brake, wich became unnecessary when the retractable belts came in.

Cheers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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[SirAndy]

"The seat belt tongue holster was installed on all 914 and 914-6 models from model year 1970 to model year 1972 until 12/31/71. One per car on the driver's side with four 2.9x9.5 lens head screws to secure Factory part number is 91480314110 If you do not have one on your drivers side, your car is not correct!"

And how exactly could that be true?
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

A large portion of those early cars do not have the mounting holes for said holster and on the ones that do have them, the holes look hand-drilled ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)