Seat belts have been federally mandated equipment in new cars since 1966. They have saved countless thousands of lives and should be in every hot rod, street machine, muscle car, and classic truck we build.
Automakers began offering seat belts as a safety option in the late 1940s. Nash Motors is often credited with being the first American company to offer seatbelts when they were introduced as an option for the 1949 model year. Even if belts were not ordered, many cars did have factory-installed anchor points. For example, Fords had seat belt anchor holes capped with rubber plugs. All American passenger cars made from 1962 onward had factory anchor points for two front seat lap belts. Trucks were required to have belt anchor points beginning with the 1972 model year.
If your classic car or truck wasn’t available with factory-installed seat belts, there are kits available to reinforce the floor pan to accept seat belt anchor plates. From there, you have many choices for the belts themselves, from lap belts to OEM style three-point setups. Let’s take a look at your options for a safe, secure installation.
Have your old seat belts seen better days? Morris Classic Concepts Seat Belt Kits are nice upgrades for classic vehicles that use the OEM belt mounting points for easy installation. Two-point lap and three-point retractable versions are available for popular vehicles from 1966 through the 2000s. (Image/Jim Smart)Vehicles factory-equipped with seat belts will have anchor points like this welded to the body. Ford was one of the first to offer seat belts as an option as part of their “Lifeguard” safety campaign for the 1956 model year. Seat belts cost a staggering $9.00. (Image/Jim Smart)Beginning in 1967, some automakers added shoulder harness anchor points in anticipation for federally-mandated three-point safety systems. All 1968-up vehicles were equipped with three-point shoulder belts. (Image/Jim Smart)What if your vehicle didn’t wasn’t set up for seat belts from the factory? Relax, you have options. Summit Racing carries universal-fit two- and three-point safety belts from several companies including RetroBelt, SafeTBoy, and Allstar Performance. Many are available in several colors and buckle options including pushbutton and aircraft-style. (Image/Summit Racing)If your classic car or truck does not have factory-installed seat belt anchor points, you can install them yourself. The Summit Racing™ Seat Belt Anchor Plate Kit has 11-gauge steel plates that you weld to bottom side of the floor pan or rocker panel. The plates have captured threaded nuts for the included 7/16-inch Grade 5 bolts and washers to provide solid attachment points for seat belt anchors. Because these plates look like original equipment, they’re ideal for restoration projects. (Image/Summit Racing)This SafeTBoy Seat Belt Mount Kit is perfect for properly anchoring lap belts in your vehicle. It comes with floor reinforcement plates with threaded holes mount under the floor pan to reduces the chance of the belt bolt tearing through the floor when the belt is under load. The kit also has angled belt attachment plates to complete the installation. These SafeTBoy lap belt instructions show you how. (Image/Summit Racing)This Allstar Performance Seat Belt Mounting Kit is designed to work with the company’s two-point lap or three-point retractable belts, but it will work with most other aftermarket belts as well. (Image/Summit Racing)You can anchor universal-fit belts wherever you wish as long as they fit occupants comfortably. Here we’re mounting the retractor for a three-point belt system to the floor pan with a reinforcement plate underneath. (Image/Jim Smart)Seat belt kits typically include the hardware and spacers you’re going to need. Read the instructions for how to locate them properly. You don’t want to strangle the occupants! (Image/Jim Smart)Shoulder belts anchor like this at the sail pillar mounting point. The black cover slides over the bolt head. (Image/Jim Smart)Lap belt buckles usually mount to the transmission tunnel as shown. (Image/Jim Smart)You can give your rear seat passengers three-point belts too. The retractors can be mounted on the rear package shelf. You want to position the retractors as close to the sail pillars as possible and keep them a uniform distance apart. (Image/Jim Smart)With the retractor bolt hole locations marked, drill pilot holes, then holes for the 7/16-inch bolts. Use the Summit Racing anchor plates beneath the package shelf. (Image/Jim Smart)With the retractors mounted, bolt the seat belt lap buckles to the floor pan anchor points. (Image/Jim Smart)Here what rear set belts should look like when installed in a 1968 Mustang.(Image/Jim Smart)
Jim Smart is a veteran automotive journalist, technical editor, and historian with hundreds of how-to and feature articles to his credit. Jim's also an enthusiast, and has owned and restored many classic vehicles, including an impressive mix of vintage Ford Mustangs.
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