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MG MGA - Lap Belts

Hi

I want to buy a pair of these belts
http://wescoperformance.stores.yahoo.net/latch-l-lap-seatbelts-snap.html
They are 3inch red webbing, snap connector, latch & link buckle, They are $100 a pair but the company want $70 for postage. I have asked if there is any other lower cost shipping but have had no reply.
Are these available in Europe or is there another way I can get them shipped at a lower cost? Looking for ideas.

thanks

Barry
B Bridgens

They look a bit complicated (or I am simple). How about these?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-1300-Midget-MGB-GT-Magnette-Classic-Car-Universal-Chrome-Buckle-Lap-Seat-belt-/271027855236?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f1a84df84#ht_2096wt_1151
Only available in black.
N McGurk

"Lift buckles" are not legal for seat belts in Australia - maybe worth checking your regulations.
http://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/interior/int123.htm
Mike Ellsmore

I had the latch & link buckles on 5-point belts in a stock car for my daughter some years ago. I got to drive it on the track once for field testing. In the heat of competition with a quick steering maneuver I caught a shirt sleeve on the lever and inadvertently unlatched the belts. There may be a good reason for lift buckles to be illegal in some places. That said, I have been using the flat lift buckle belts in my MGA for a quarter million miles (including competition) with no such incident.
Barney Gaylord

In an MGA I would not consider anything but three point belts. A lap belt just keeps you from being ejected but does not keep you from smashing your teeth/nose into the steering wheel. If you want racing style belts, get the ones that have the big push button in the center but then you are probably looking at four or five-point anchors. Otherwise, Moss's three point, flat surfaced release belts are great, especially with the quick release end which is a must have in a roadster.
Steven B

Well, .... SCCA does not allow 3-point belts in an open car unless it is equipped with a roll bar (or if the 3-point belts were factory installed). I ain't saying 3-points is not good, just that it is "illegal" in some cases.

Also, a detachable belt anchor end may be illegal in some places, even though it is required for function of the MGA convertible top. Some of our friends in Australia may fill you in on that little discrepancy in the law.

In most places a seat belt it not required at all in the MGA, because it was never standard equipment when the cars were in production (although it was a dealer option starting with 1960 model year cars, and the MGA 1600-MK-II model). But if you install a seat belt, in many places you will be required to use it.

A 2-point lap belt is of course better than no belt. If I was concerned about better safety provisions in the MGA, I think a side impact door beam would be higher priority. A shoulder harness is easier to install, but does not achieve the same result.

Safety features are all relative. If you don't feel safe in the MGA you might want to drive a more modern car (like an SUV maybe). There are some people who feel safe enough riding a motorcycle, and the MGA looks much safer by comparison. The greatest factor to safety in the MGA (as with a motorcycle) is driver awareness, being careful, and defensive driving (don't let the other idiot get you). If you could ride a motorcycle without getting killed, you should be okay it the MGA. I have come to feel quite comfortable with a lap belt driving between two trucks on the expressway (for about a quarter million miles by now).
Barney Gaylord

Hi

I echo your thoughts entirely Barney. I ride a Harley as well and you are right you have to be total aware and it does not have a seat belt of any kind. I have two Porsche 356 with lap belts and other than I forget that I have it on when I try and get out( red face) I feel perfectly happy. The law in France is like many places if it was not fitted originally there is no requirement, if fitted they must be worn. Having seen the 3 point kits I remain a little concerned about the shoulder fixing, the two floor fixings can get into plenty of metal near the chassis.
By law I don't need belts but I will go with 3 inch lap belts with snap connectors.
Thanks for all the other advice and comments.

Barry
B Bridgens

Barry, Moss sells a nice "Competition seat belt" (222-211), but they are about $100 each. Very nicely made. I suppose its available from Moss UK, which may allow for less in shipping costs to you.

George
G Goeppner

Reading Barney's experience about inadvertently releasing the harness latch lock reminded me of the USAF parachute torso harness we used in our Harrier and Phantom aircraft. The parachute buckles at the shoulder were, if my memory serves me right, called koch fasteners. We had a fatal incident once when the pilot of a Harrier ejected and the shock loading on the buckle on one shoulder caused the latch to lift sufficiently for the buckle to release and the parachute candle. After that we had pins installed across the lift flap to stop such a repetition.

I guess my three point harness (similar buckle to the one shown in Neil's link and not dissimilar in overall operation to those koch fasteners) could release with a sudden jar or as Barney describes. Makes you think!

Steve

PS. My koch fasteners held okay when I departed my Phantom in a bit of a hurry, but I was new to the torso harness and upon hitting the ground spent some time feeling for the more traditional parachute release in the stomach area instead of pulling pins and raising flaps at shoulder level!

Steve Gyles

Hi George

Moss are charging £100 each in Europe (Moss.co.uk) that's about $160 each $320 a pair plus postage. They also don't do red. It makes the $170 a pair posted in the right colour from Wesco seem cheap.

Barry
B Bridgens

Barry, why don't you go with the 3 point shoulder belts?
I think lap belts give almost no protection, esp don't stop the head from pitching forward.
Art Pearse

Hi Art

I am not sure about the integrity of the shoulder fixing on the MGA. I know that it was a factory option but it was an afterthought. There is the continual latching and unlatching of the fixing for putting up the hood. Like Barney I feel that there are many things on an MGA that would be better fitted to the car to improve safety but it is is a 1960s car with all the quirks that that enatails so no side impact bars, no airbags and no seat belts. For originality I should not fit seat belts, but I feel that period lap belts are better than nothing.

Barry
B Bridgens

I just installed shoulder anchors in mine - copy of the CSR. I doubt my collar bone is any stronger than these!
Art Pearse

Hi Barry:
I ordered these belts in red and they were much too bright . . . almost floresent in color. If you get them buy black they look much mor vintage.
Jc
John Crawley

Hi John

Thanks for the advice, I have already ordered the belts so like you I am going to have live with them.

thanks

Barry
B Bridgens

Use of seat-belts in an MGA is a very emotive subject.

I have always been of the opinion that if you didn't have a roll (over) bar then you were better off without belts.

Apart from the years when I used to race my car, it has never had seat belts fitted. This is fine for the driver who in the event of an accident is prepared for the impact by bracing against both the toeboard (brake peadal usually) and the steering wheel.

Not so good however for the passenger, the leather seats are just a perch and with nothing to hold onto the passemger is very vunerable to being thrown forwards.

I often find that when acting as a taxi service, usually for a teenage son, that I dismiss the use of the 'A' just because of lack of belts. Hence I'm in the process of looking at seat-belt fitting options.

The joys of getting older!
J Bray

This thread was discussed between 23/09/2012 and 04/10/2012

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