04-02-2021, 08:46 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-02-2021, 09:01 PM by Reckless Rat.
Edit Reason: de in my earlier post about
)
Bob we're not talking about 1960s cars here we're talking about retrofitting seat belts to a 1930s car which was never intended nor designed to have them fitted. I doubt very much that any part of an Austin Seven tourer body is ever likely to be capable of withstanding the force necessary in current seat belt design (which it should, if the seat belt system is to conform with current legislation). Let me give you an example. There are type approval guidelines laid down for retro fitting of seat belts into mini-buses. The lap and diagonal mounts are required it to withstand a force of 6.75kN which in laymen's terms means it will have to withstand a force of over 6 1/2 tonnes without failing. You would pull the body off the chassis if you exerted that degree of loading to an A7 bodyshell, and perhaps even wreck the chassis too. It's just not designed for it.
There is no doubt that 1960s design criteria do not conform to current standards, but that's progress. However I would be very wary of the serviceability of any seatbelt from that era still being used. These devices must carry approval marks and cannot be made up in a backstreet workshop.
The retro- fitting of seat belts to a car that does not legally have to be so fitted places a legal responsibility on the person so doing to ensure that they are fit for purpose and conform to the legislation currently in place. However, how far down the road do you want to go? Airbags? ABS? crushable passenger cells? collapsable steering columns? anti-burst door locks? side protection? etc. The list is almost endless and our cars have none of it. That's just how they were, and probably best that they remain like that.
Like I said, the wish to protect yourself is laudable but I come back to the comments I made in my earlier post about vicarious liability in civil proceedings. Do it at your own risk.
There is no doubt that 1960s design criteria do not conform to current standards, but that's progress. However I would be very wary of the serviceability of any seatbelt from that era still being used. These devices must carry approval marks and cannot be made up in a backstreet workshop.
The retro- fitting of seat belts to a car that does not legally have to be so fitted places a legal responsibility on the person so doing to ensure that they are fit for purpose and conform to the legislation currently in place. However, how far down the road do you want to go? Airbags? ABS? crushable passenger cells? collapsable steering columns? anti-burst door locks? side protection? etc. The list is almost endless and our cars have none of it. That's just how they were, and probably best that they remain like that.
Like I said, the wish to protect yourself is laudable but I come back to the comments I made in my earlier post about vicarious liability in civil proceedings. Do it at your own risk.