Seat belt Retractor Location (1 Viewer)

[mark248am]

Hey, I tried googling but couldn't find an answer for some reason. My shop installed the seatbelt in the side pillar instead of the hole above the rear window. When I asked them why they told me that there isn't a spot in the rear to place the seatbelt retractor but there is a place in the side pillar? It's a 1980 car and from what I read there should be holes already for the seatbelt, am I missing something? The car is in a different country so can't check myself.

 

[Living in the Past]

In the US we had this bracket on on the hard tops prior to 2/78 when they moved to the rollbar.

The loose one was removed from Australian market troopy. There is an fixed nut above the window to anchor the belt there.

 

[mark248am]

ahhhh that explains why all the photos i have been able to find have the rollbar, damn it, now regretting not requesting the rollbar as part of the build.

 

[mtn biker]

I had to mount mine to the roll bar because 69 didn't have seat belts from the factory. Maybe @Living in the Past might be able to correct me on that, I am not 100% if that was indeed factual or that is just what the PO told me to make me feel more comfortable.

 

[mark248am]

Is it normal to have the hole up on top for the seatbelt but not the one below it for the retractor? I would assume they'd both be there together.

 

[Living in the Past]

I had to mount mine to the roll bar because 69 didn't have seat belts from the factory. Maybe @Living in the Past might be able to correct me on that, I am not 100% if that was indeed factual or that is just what the PO told me to make me feel more comfortable.

69 had lap belts on the front seat. There were not retractable until 73 model. My 73 has anchor for lap belts on the jump seats but my 70 does not. 1/76 three point seat belts were required in the US. Have a parts cruiser made in 1962 with 1963 on the VIN plaque. It has brackets in the front of the wheel wells for seat belts.

 

[mark248am]

My shop said that because its a GCC spec car (from Saudi Arabia), they didn't have retractable seatbelts. So I'm guessing that the part where the retractable seatbelt attaches to over the wheel well was only available in certain markets, but the hole on the top of the window was there for every market probably cuz toyota produced the same part for all.

 

[Living in the Past]

My shop said that because its a GCC spec car (from Saudi Arabia), they didn't have retractable seatbelts. So I'm guessing that the part where the retractable seatbelt attaches to over the wheel well was only available in certain markets, but the hole on the top of the window was there for every market probably cuz toyota produced the same part for all.

I know Australia had disc brakes starting with the 83 model. Not sure on the three point seat belts. The troopy was an 84. The fixed not in the top started in 1973. Three years before thebUS required three point seat belts. Believe some countries in Europe required them earlier, possibly Germany. Would perfer the seat belt anchored further back. Currently have a 77 top on my 79 so it has the bracket. The loose ones I grabbed because might add three pointd belts to an earlier cruiser. I acquired some FJ45LP upper brackets out of Canada. They had some brackets only used there. It anchors the belt above the corner windows.

 

[flx]

The nut on top of the hardtop appeared before the lower one (I think 1973 versus 1976/77). I believe the first 3-points belts were the non-retractable kind so no need for a special place to bolt a retractor. Bottom part of the belt would bolt to the floor.

Even without the dedicated nut there are a lot of available nuts where to bolt a belt retractor on the lower part of the tub and I don't understand why they could not attach the top part in the back in your case...

Soft-top FJ40 with 3-points belt had the top nut on the B-pillar so it's not that wrong to put it there.

Your rear bench seat is inverted, the one in the picture should be on the right side =)

 

[numby]

Is it normal to have the hole up on top for the seatbelt but not the one below it for the retractor? I would assume they'd both be there together.

On my 2/78 40 I've got the top bolt hole above the window but no mounting provision on the tub. I use the roll bar mounts for my factory belts. I have no reason to believe that my hardtop was switched with an earlier 8/76-1/78 version (pre roll bar mounts) but I also have no doubt that it could be an earlier top. It does have the correct side windows for 8/76 - 1984. I'd have to dig into some hidden recesses to see if there was a different original color to the top vs. the tub.

Crossover date vehicles do get some mash-ups. It would be nice to see if there are any original 2/78 and later 40s out there that still have the seat belt mount holes above the window.

FWIW - I've tried both locations for mounting the top anchor point. I do prefer the roll bar mount location for comfort. Neither would be great in a rollover I'd think.