Vinnie,
TDs can pass inspection w/o seatbelts in the same way that they pass
w/o turn signals--if an item was not part of the car when it was built
the item is not required to be there. But you may have to demonstrate
the truth of that to the inspector, as there are those who make the claim
that something was not original equipment when, in fact, it might have
been. My car has been registered in FL, ME and now CT, and has passed
inspection w/o the turn signals in each state. Other states may apply
retroactive requirements.
Long ago I installed seatbelts, but just to make myself feel more
secure in the car. Would they help in a crash? Probably not be useful at
all. In a straight-ahead crash I would envision pivoting at the waist and
taking a mouthful of steering wheel as passenger pivots at waist and gets
a bite of glovebox door and a lobotomy simultaneously. Their purpose is
to provide an illusion of security. If there is any security at all to be
gained, it is slight.
One way to install them is to loop a chain around the tubular cross
member of the chassis and to bolt through the chain, floorboards and the
belt anchorage.
Horst Schach (sp?) shows his idea for three-point belts in his book.
He cautions that the car probably lacks the structural strength of
today's vehicles that have seatbelt anchorages designed into the
structure. Still, his three-point belt system is very likely to be an
improvement over the basic lap strap system. Were I doing any extensive
body work, I would give serious thought to adapting his ideas.
Bob
On Sun, 04 May 2003 20:14:07 -0400 V Pina <vping@optonline.net> writes:
> I have never owned a car without seatbelts.
> How do TD's pass inspection without them?
> Are they required & does anybody have them in their TD?
>
> Vinnie
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