Swapping seat belts

[Kitty]

Okay, its been confirmed. The attack belts HAVE to go. I'm tired of nearly losing an eye every time I get in the car.

However I've never worked with seat belts before. Is converting from auto belts to regular belts a big issue? What would be involved? I tried to search for a topic covering this but couldnt' find one. If there is one out there somewhere I would be most appreciative if someone pointed me that way.

Thanks.

[qaking]

Kitty,

I remember seeing some post from Simon, i believe, he has done this mod. I believe the 88-89 shoulder belt bolt holes are still there and your interior trim pieces are effected. :wink:

[mattswabb]

I did mine this past winter. There are 2 ways to do it.

You can remove the trim and the auto belts. Then on the b pillar trim you'll need to make a hole to mount the shoulder belt to. Also need to mount the belts to the floor just inside the rocker and change out the seat belt parts between the seats.

The best (most work) way is to find a complete early festiva in the junkyard and remove everything. Some of the things you need: the trim around the doors, pillar trim, headliner, rear seat plastic panels, complete seat belts. The headliner is a pain to remove as are the pillar trim pieces. They are glued in and you have to be careful.

There are a lot of differences between the auto and manual seat belt interiors. One thing I had to do was make a small steel tab to mount the seat belt retractors.


good luck

matt

[SimonTuffGuy]

I replaced mine with racing harnesses.

[Kitty]

Thanks Matt. I'll start cruising the local yards for parts.

[B6T]

I replaced mine with racing harnesses.

... which is not legal in some places and depending on how you have the belts secured, can be less safe then the OEM belts. I would use the OEM belts on the street and use the harnesses on the track. If you get in an accident with those belts, your insurance company will ass f**k you (sorry to put it that way but that's what it will be like). Since you removed the OEM designed restraint system that was designed by Mazda for that car, and installed a restraint system that wasn't certified by the insurance company, they don't have to cover you... which will leave you personally responsible to pay for the damages that you and your passenger suffer... which would be rediculously expensive in the US.

[SimonTuffGuy]

Fred - Hmmm... Never heard of anything like that. But you do have a good idea. (the only reason I have the harnesses is really for the look, since normal belts don't look right with racing seats.

Maybe my next junkyard trip will include some normal belts.

[Guest]

Yeah ask Rummel about his cop experience with racing belts... and IIRC, he's in the same state as you...

[SimonTuffGuy]

He's in MD.

I've never had a problem while pulled over and wearing my harnesses...?

[oxbrain]

a friend of mine has been using a harness for almost two years now in his daily driver. Never had a problem with it.

I'm going to have to ask one of the cops here.

[festscort]

are all festiva's in the states equipped with these auto belts?

cause I just threw out like 3 sets of manual belts that I had kicking around and is there any special trim you guys are looking for when converting cause festy's are dime a dozen in the junkyards.

[Kitty]

Not all Festys in the states are auto belts. My last one ('88 L model) had regular belts.

[4cylDreadnaught]

auto belts are a 5 against 'Clicket or Ticket' sight checks by the 5-O.

although IMHO not wearing a belt is damn stupid anyway.

[Safety Guy]

U.S. Festivas were manual belts in '88 and '89.

In 1990 the gov't mandated any car without front airbags was to have "passive belts."

So in '90 all Festivas got the motorized "knock your hat and glasses off seat belts" until the last year of manufacture ('93).

Aspires came with front air bags (1st Gen "assault style" overpowered) and so had regular belts again.

Karl

[hellraiser6919]

So in '90 all Festivas got the motorized "knock your hat and glasses off seat belts" until the last year of manufacture ('93).

more like motorized knock you the hell out belts. but mine are burnt out so it doesnt smack my head when i get out... i never have time to wait till the belt gets all the way to the front.