Re: [alfa] Lap-Shoulder seat belts for Spider Quad

["Dean W. Cains" <dwc@xxxxxx>]

Hi Dan:

What was Alfa thinking with those belts in the '88's?  Anyway, the first 
thing you need to do is swap the seats, or just the backs, left for right, 
to get the shoulder belt guides on the outsides of the seats.  Problem is 
that those belt guides are taller than all the other years used, and 
they'll interfere with the convertible top frame.  So, next step is to find 
a set of the shorter guides, maybe from another  Digester or APE.  Finally, 
mount the new belts just as the original belts were mounted in all the 
non-'88's, which is perhaps easier said than done.  Have you looked to see 
if the mounting points are on your car's body (meaning on the outer sides 
of the rear deck bottom, rear corners of the inner rockers, and sides of 
the driveshaft tunnel)?  It would be hard to imagine that Pininfarina left 
those off when they installed the extra mounts for the motorized belts, as 
they were only used in the US, and only for a short while.  Look carefully 
for those mounts.  There probably won't be any hardware, so again, check 
with a Digester or APE, and you might want to seek out a non-'88 rear deck 
trim panel, too, which has the openings for the conventional belts.

FWIW, the IAP gasket set isn't the best, but is useable.  If you can swap 
for a kit by Reinz or Goetze, that would be a good plan.  If not, at least 
get a Reinz head gasket, and a proper set of o-rings and pins, such as 
those sold by Jon Norman.  I have personally found the Italian-made gaskets 
to be less than ideal, but I know others who haven't had the same 
complaints.  Also, get that engine block surgically clean, and by that I 
mean specifically the oil passages, as regardless of what Louie may have 
said, you've really got no clue where that block has been.  Have a machine 
shop check the top surface for planar trueness, too, and check liner 
protrusion.  Good luck with the project, which sounds like fun.  Your 
patience will pay off.

Regards,

Dean
Lutz, FL
'74 & '87 Spider Veloce's


At 08:00 PM 6/3/2004, you wrote:

> Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2004 07:01:56 -0500
> From: "Dan Lewis" <lewisdk6@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] Lap-Shoulder seat belts for Spider Quad
>
>   Can anybody show me how and where to mount a set of lap/shoulder seat belts
> in my '88 Spider Quadrifoglio?  I currently have just those stupid
> power-retractable shoulder belts (that don't work anyway!) and have purchased
> a set of Klippan Model 4600 3-point belts, with retractors and hardware.  The
> problem is . . . where and how do I mount these suckers?!  I've looked all
> through the rear and can't find any obvious locations.
>
>   If this has to be a matter of fabrication and/or alteration, I don't mind
> doing it, just so I've got some better protection for minor-to-semi-major
> impacts.  I figure anything beyond that and my wife will be comfortably
> well-off and I'll be comfortably dead.
>
>   A web site with pics and instructions would be good, or send pics of your
> own setup and directions on how it was done.  I'd really appreciate it!
>
>   It's getting closer to road time for my li'l red baby.  Got a block coming
> from the good guys at DeNoya Trading Post, got a good crank and rods from
> another Alfisti, got a full gasket set and other stuff from IAP, now I just
> need bearings and the time to put it all back together.  "Patience,
> Grasshopper."  This could be a fun summer!!!
>
> Dan Lewis
> Bellevue, NE
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