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Date:         Sun, 10 Oct 2004 11:58:06 -0700
Reply-To:     Reinhard Vehring <rvehring@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Reinhard Vehring <rvehring@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: retro-fitting retractable rear seatbelts, '86 Westy
In-Reply-To:  <200410100651.i9A6pJIl015455@brindle.cardiff.ca.us>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Steve here is the link to the photos http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/rvehring/album?.dir=7c24&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/rvehring/my_photos Let me know if this works. The headrest solution is pretty crude. I got some heavy door hinges and opened the holes on a drill press to match the diameter of the headrest mounts. The screws are short ( so they don't poke through into your back) with a widely spaced wood thread. They need to cut into the wood and not split it so the right drill size is key. The headrests are kept in place by friction, you can see a wood wedge in one of the pictures. Removing them is a snap, takes about 5 secs. This is the cheap, quick solution, but it will IMO not give full protection in a crash, because the top screws will have to take most of the stress on impact and probably just be ripped out. The decent way of doing it is to replace the whole backrest of the bench with a metal frame with mounting holes for the headrests. A good upholstery shop can do it but it is $$$. The pics of the left side belt speak for themselves. The mounting point inside the cabinet has to be chosen carefully so you can access and back the mounting screw on the other side. Since the metal is pretty thin here, you need proper backing or it will just rip out. The top inside again shows an attempt to distribute the load with an L bracket.

Please take the whole construction just as a source for inspiration. I do not advocate this as safe or sufficient to prevent injury.

Take care, Reinhard 83 Westy, "Moose"

--- Steve Freyling <sf@brindle.cardiff.ca.us> wrote:

> Hi Reinhard. > If you have a photo of the left belt install > (through the westy > cabinet/closet) and the head rests, and could send > them (or send > me a URL to the photos), I'd appreciate it. > > I installed the "official" VW right rear 3-point > belt mod to my '90 > Syncro Westy (buying all of the "little" pieces from > VW) last year. > It works and looks great. > The left side...I purchased the belt and all the > pieces from VW. > I have been thinking about how to do it for over a > year and have not > really come up with a design that makes sense and > will look good. > I'd appreciate any comments/photos you can pass this > way from your experience. > > Rear seat headrests, curious how you installed them. > I bought rear headrests (and jump seat) from a > neighbor's wrecked non-Westy > van (it was rolled in a side impact). I wanted to > buy the rear bench seat > to get the headrest sleeves, but he has not parted > with the rear seat yet. > In the mean time, I have not come up with a good way > to hold the headrests > secure; so they sit in a box on the garage shelf... > Again, I'd appreciate any comments you can pass this > way from your experience. > > Regards, > Steve Freyling > '90 Syncro Westy > Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California > 760-492-1893 >

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