Possible to add shoulder belts and headrests? 67 Newport Base model with bench.

[OneEyed]

I don't feel very comfortable driving at highway speeds in the Newport. It is possible to add shoulder belts and headrests? I've seen headrests in similar models and years.

Would I be able to attach a shoulder belt to the B pillar or run it up/over and behind the drivers seat somehow?

Anyone ever done this or are there any retrofit kits or anything?

 

[Edison]

I have a Newport with bench and lap belts, and I feel safer in it than any of my other cars lol. Anyone who hits it is gonna be on the losing end I'm sure.

 

[bulldogchesty]

You are right about the other car being on the losing end, but when you hit that tin box you will get the worst wiplash of your life. Our cars do not give any when hit, but we do. I also would like to put headrests on my 68 Newport.

 

[Edison]

I saw this 73 Newport that has headrests on it's bench seats. They look like they would swap easily into an older model. If not bolt in, like the skeleton could be swapped over. I've swapped a few seat pans on Hondas but never on these cars before so I dunno.

 

[bulldogchesty]

looks like they were an option in 68.

 

[bulldogchesty]

I have an old front seat from my parts car and I will pull the seat apart to find out if it came with the holes for the head rests.

 

[OneEyed]

Thats a great idea bulldogchesty, post pics of what you find as well!

 

[Big_John]

looks like they were an option in 68.View attachment 30484

Mandatory as of January 1st 1968.

 

[Big_John]

Scroll down for some different installations. Might give you some ideas.

http://www.julianos.com/how2.html

 

[1978 NYB]

Mandatory as of January 1st 1968.

I think it was mandatory on 1 January 1969.

Previous regulatory approach. As discussed in the NPRM preceding this final rule, a historical examination of head restraint standards in this country indicates that the focus has been the prevention of neck hyperextension (the rearward movement of the head and neck over a large range of motion relative to the torso), as opposed to controlling lesser amounts of head and neck movement in a crash. The predecessor to FMVSS No. 202 was General Services Administration (GSA) Standard 515/22, which applied to vehicles purchased by the U.S. Government and went into effect on October 1, 1967. GSA 515/22 required that the top of the head restraint achieve a height 700 mm (27.5 inches (in)) above the H-point.[SUP][8][/SUP] Also in 1967, research using staged 48 kilometer per hour (kph) (30 mile per hour, mph) crashes concluded that a head restraint 711 mm (28 in) above the H-point was adequate to prevent neck hyperextension of a 95th percentile male. FVMSS No. 202, which became effective on January 1, 1969, required that head restraints be at least 700 mm (27.5 in) above the seating reference point or limit the relative angle between the head and the torso to 45 degrees or less during a dynamic test.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings/HeadRest/update/202FinalRule.html

 

[Big_John]

I think it was mandatory on 1 January 1969.

Previous regulatory approach. As discussed in the NPRM preceding this final rule, a historical examination of head restraint standards in this country indicates that the focus has been the prevention of neck hyperextension (the rearward movement of the head and neck over a large range of motion relative to the torso), as opposed to controlling lesser amounts of head and neck movement in a crash. The predecessor to FMVSS No. 202 was General Services Administration (GSA) Standard 515/22, which applied to vehicles purchased by the U.S. Government and went into effect on October 1, 1967. GSA 515/22 required that the top of the head restraint achieve a height 700 mm (27.5 inches (in)) above the H-point.[SUP][8][/SUP] Also in 1967, research using staged 48 kilometer per hour (kph) (30 mile per hour, mph) crashes concluded that a head restraint 711 mm (28 in) above the H-point was adequate to prevent neck hyperextension of a 95th percentile male. FVMSS No. 202, which became effective on January 1, 1969, required that head restraints be at least 700 mm (27.5 in) above the seating reference point or limit the relative angle between the head and the torso to 45 degrees or less during a dynamic test.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings/HeadRest/update/202FinalRule.html

That quote and link is for the head restraint or head rest that was mandated 1 Jan 1969.

 

[Big_John]

Oh wait.... I meant for shoulder harnesses. They were 1 Jan 1968.

Duh..... Long day....

Yes, the head rest was optional in 1968. I have seen those cars.

 

[tallhair]

Oh wait.... I meant for shoulder harnesses. They were 1 Jan 1968.

Duh..... Long day....

Yes, the head rest was optional in 1968. I have seen those cars.

We all have a bad day once in a while Big John

 

[Big_John]

We all have a bad day once in a while Big John

Been like this all week. Need some R&R this weekend.

 

[crazyboutwagons]

i had front 3 point belts installed in my 68 sport suburban wagon by the shop that did my rust repair. i bought them for seatbeltsplus.com for like $79.00 each. they came with all mounting hardware. they came with mounting plates with nuts welded to them for the b pillar. the shop drilled a hole in the sheetmetal and reversed the plate putting the nut in the hole and then welded the plate to the b pillar and mounted the upper point to it. kit also came with floor reinforcement plates. work great and wife says shee feels a lot safer riding in the car now.

 

[bulldogchesty]

68 Newport bench seat headrest holes.

 

[OneEyed]

Any idea if my '67 with full bench would have these holes?

Are there tubes in those holes for the headrest to slide down into?

 

[OneEyed]

Was digging through the pile of receipts and various paperwork that was stuffed in the glove box when I bought the car. Found the original window sticker, sales ticket and owners manual for my 1967 Newport.

Page 13 - Shoulder Belts (optional)

Page 14 - Headrests (optional) for bucket and split bench.

Unfortunately I have a full bench. But I will have to look in to how they attached the shoulder belt. I've already had the b pillar opened up and didn't see any thing for mounting.

Any ideas?

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Mandatory as of January 1st 1968.

Not true, my 1969 still sporting the original interior did not have them.

This is a 1/69 Build.

Alan