[alfa] Re: GTV Rear Seatbelts, Sources and Advice Sought

["J. Hutson Hart" <hutsonhart@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Mark,

This is really awesome assistance, thanks very much.  I've been poking
around and staring at what's behind/under the seats and your detailed
explanation sheds needed light on the subject.  My intent is to get
the design and components all set and clear in my mind, and then have
a local upholsterer do the work and make whatever mods are needed to
the seats themselves.

I'm thinking 3-point static belts for the kids would be fine, unless I
can find a clean way to hide the retractor units.  It occurs to me
that I could mimic what some modern Bimmers do, and mount dual
retractors back behind the trunk wall, at the _inside_ shoulder,
feeding the belt thorugh a slot at the top of the seat back, with just
a receptacle anchor at the outboard position.  That way, when
retracted, the belts would sit flush vertically up the seat back on
either side.  What do you think about that?

I also like what you say about the retractor position for the front
belts too, as I have been vexed by the wrong-ish angling of the
retractors mounted on the floor/sill.


On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 11:01:13 +1300, Mark Battley <m.battley@domain.elided> wrote:
> I'd also suggest buying new belts, and the Securon are a good source
> (http://www.securon.co.uk/). I recently fitted some of their adjustable
> angle retractors to the front of my GTV, with the reels up at the shoulder
> mounting point. A much better solution than having the reel down on the sill
> where the angles are wrong.
> 
> Anyhow, rear mounting points: (I have statics there for my kids)
>  1. Upper: Outer region of the "parcel shelf" behind the rear seat: the
> reinforced mounting plates can be seen/felt from inside the boot/trunk.
> 
>   2. Base of the seat back on each side of the tunnel, probably under sound
> deadening, but can be seen from underneath by the trans tunnel. Push
> something thin through from below to tell you where to start digging in the
> sound deadening.
> 
> 3. The hardest to find, normally buried under sound deadening and trim: just
> under the foam/vinyl padding on the inner wheel arch.  It's a sheet metal
> bracket spot welded to the inner arch, so a short bolt is required
> (there is no hole through the arch). They are on the inner wheelarch itself
> near to where it joins the inner side panel. You will probably need to lift
> a few inches of vinyl trim (the bit glued to the wheel arch, not the actual
> screwed on side panel) to find them and dig in the sound deadening with a
> screwdriver. They are slightly above the level of the seat base, so the bolt
> ends up just above the seat cushion.
> 
> Mark Battley
> Auckland, New Zealand
> 
> 1973 Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce
> 1998 Alfa Romeo 156 TS
> 1999 Fiat Marea Wagon, 2.0 20V
> 1989 Fiat Uno Turbo
> 
> At 6:19 AM +0000 11/13/04, alfa-digest wrote:
> >Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 22:10:55 -0800
> >From: "J. Hutson Hart" <hutsonhart@domain.elided>
> >Subject: [alfa] WTB: GTV Rear Seatbelts, Sources and Advice Sought
> >
> >Gotta get the new GTV set-up to accommodate my daughter in the back
> >seat.  Who can give me some info on a source for seatbelts that are
> >actually Alfa standard or similar to what Alfa supplied?  [Cross and
> >serpent emblems on the buckles would be very cool, if such a thing
> >exists.]  I'd like to keep as original as possible while still solving
> >the problem relatively quickly.  Also, advice on anchor points and
> >mounting strategies is very welcome.
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of alfa-digest V10 #415
> ***************************
> 


-- 
Cheers!
Hutson

J. Hutson Hart - ARA/DSARC
1972 [Euro] 2000 GT Veloce
Petaluma, CA 
primary ping: hutsonhart@domain.elided
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