[alfa] Inertia reel seatbelts for 1973 105 2000 GTV

[Mark Battley <M.Battley@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

I wish to buy some replacement inertia reel seatbelts for my 1973 2000 GTV.
My car has some older inertia reel belts, however these are worn, and do not
retract properly. The inertia reel is mounted at the standard mounting point
on the inside sill of the car by the floor, and part of the retraction
problem is that the angle is wrong from there up to the standard top mount
position by the rear side window.

I've asked some of the main European suppliers, and have four alternatives
offered:

1. Static belts, on the basis that inertia reels don't work well

2. Same as I have, but comment that it doesn't work well

3. Multi-directional reel which use the upper mount by your shoulder,
comments is that it is very easy to use, but the disadvantage is that the
reels are highly visible (doesn't worry me). 

4. I'm still trying to clarify this one, but it seems to me from the sketch
I've been sent that it may mount the reel at the mounting point on the wheel
arch that is normally used for the rear belt.

Of these 3 sounds like a good solution, and possibly 4.

I've been in a car in the USA that had the reel mounted below the upper
point, about half way down the side of the car below the rear side window.
However my car doesn't have a factory mounting point there. It was quite a
tidy solution, but would obviously require some structural reinforcement.
The organisation that I work for used to do testing of cars for modified
seatbelt mounts, and I've seen some scary deformations and failures when
belts have been mounted in non-standard positions.

What other solutions have people used?

Thanks,

Mark.

Mark Battley
Auckland, New Zealand

1973 Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce
1989 Fiat Uno Turbo
1999 Fiat Marea Wagon, 2.0 20V
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