Restore old seatbelts or buy a harness?

[NYNick]

I'm installing E21 sport seats in my 74 and have the old belts from the car. They're kinda crappy and, well, old. I'd like a simple harness setup that doesn't require a rollbar but I'm also open to re-installing these old ones. I'm not sure how good the old ones work but maybe I can send them out and have them restored somewhere? I think I'd prefer the harness set up (new, safer, more secure), but will be spending ZERO time on the track so I don't need it for that purpose and don't really want to get into welding or reinventing the wheel to secure them. I'm deleting my rear seat if that makes securing the harness easier.

 

Anybody have any ideas? Options?

 

Thanks

 

Nick

[g_force]

Have you ever had a harness in a street car? It's not practical. Not only is it a pain to strap in/out, if it's properly adjusted, you cannot reach the radio/AC or lean forward to look down a cross street.

[Simeon]

I would be nervous about the installation putting the harness at a bad angle to compress your spine in an accident, particularly when used with a standard car seat. Not sure if bolting the harness to the rear parcel shelf, immediately behind the driver and passenger would give you a decent angle. 

[irdave]

Contact @bluedevils He sells great seat belts.

[Einspritz]

IIRC Sabelt and Schroth make 2" belt systems that use the OE clip in the front and the rear seat for track day use, so all you  have to do is bolt it to the lower door bolt.

[bluedevils]

Not sure about the harness things but i can help with quality 3 point belts for less $$$$ than what BMW charges for a pair of new 2002 belts (when they are available, as they go in and out of NLA status like other 2002 parts, and when reissued they costs twice as much). As I always recommend, If you want the best quality, save your money and buy from BMW, (ask Blunttech he has the best prices, tell him Rabbi sent you) they are plug and play and very-well engineered. I simply don't understand the fellows who spent big bucks on wheels, induction and other stuff for their 2002s but skim on safety. That said, I currently carry German aftermarket belts, which use Autoliv brand retractors (also some TRW/Repa parts) which is very close in quality to new BMW belts. It is my experience from restoring BMW (and some Porsche)  that only the German (and some other European) made seat belts are the best quality and safest. On special request (will cost more, depending on the condition of your cores), I can also refurbish your old belts (have zillions of BMW seat belts parts), and also make 3-point rear retractable shoulder belts to replace the old automatic lap belts and spaghetti belts, all high quality.  if you are interested shoot me a PM through FAQ.     

[M2M3M3]

no harness is safe without a roll bar or cage in a 2002.  they ensure that your body stays upright in a crash, which means your head is now a rollbar when the roof crushes in. if you ever cut up a 2002, or see one rolled, you will realize how cheesy the roof supports are.

 

and as stated, they are very impractical on the street.  properly tensioned, you can't reach anything but the wheel or shifter.  loosen them up to reach stuff and you have defeated the purpose of the harness.

 

excellent thought that the old stuff needs replacing!!!!  the original belts in all 2002's should be replaced.  major safety item, yet people still use the original, unmaintained mechanisms and the UV and age decayed belts.  get some new belts from BLUEDEVILS.  they look original but are NEW and work GREAT!!!

[Stevenc22]

I have used these belts twice. They are very nice quality and look pretty original in a 2002. Recently retrofitted these into JPLips 1600GT.

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Garen-Universal-3-point-Retractable-Replacement-Seat-Belt-with-Metal-Stalk-PAIR/702284240

 

https://tanakapowersport.com/collections/replacement-seat-belts/products/2-x-garen-universal-3-point-retractable-buckle-seat-belt-w-metal-stack

 

Some of the cheaper ones on ebay are absolute garbage. I ordered a set and could bend the metal brackets by hand, they were so cheaply made.

 

Edited November 26, 2018 by Stevenc22

[wheelieking]

9 hours ago, irdave said:

Contact @bluedevils He sells great seat belts.

 

+1

 I have all new belts from @bluedevils including the upgraded 3 point rear belts.  They are awesome. 

[adawil2002]

Have Al, Bluedevils, restore your belts & retractors. He restored mine 4 years ago, made a huge difference.

[Son of Marty]

Just to hit the nail one more time, you can't trust your life to 40 year old seat belts, replace them with quality 3 point belts. 

[g_force]

1 hour ago, Son of Marty said:

Just to hit the nail one more time, you can't trust your life to 40 year old seat belts, replace them with quality 3 point belts. 

 

Most racing safety organizations only give belts a 5 year life. 

As an aside, all the seatbelts in my stable are 5 years old or older, save two sets - my newest car and my track car.  Thus, I obviously don't buy that they're dust by the 5th year, but I have replaced belts on quite a few cars.

[TobyB]

I still have Takata air bags...

 

...and have rewebbed my own seat belts.

 

Common sense, here- if the hardware is good, you can use an industrial

(or stout home) sewing machine, and can buy strong thread, you can 

reweb your own.  It's not airbag science- duplicate the factory work with

new materials that are rated for what they're doing, and viola, you are back to

1972 levels of safety.  Or maybe marginally better.

 

That bugs you?

 

Buy a new car.  

 

Or buy good replacements from Al!

 

It's probably time to reweb the E30 and E36 belts, isn't it?

 

I better repack the firing canisters on the airbags in the E36, too....

 

 

heh

 

t

 

not safety conscious.

[NYNick]

Thanks guys. This reminds me of what they tell you at the race track about buying a helmet.

 

"Buy a cheap helmet for a cheap head!"

 

Spoke to Al. Belts are on their way.