Date:         Thu, 13 May 2010 12:16:13 -0700
Reply-To:     Shawn Wright <vwdiesels@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Shawn Wright <vwdiesels@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: vanagon camper seating capacity
In-Reply-To:  <4bec3f0d.5cebd80a.394b.5f19@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

My '88 and '82 Westies, both CDN models, came with only two rear lap belts.
I've added a 3rd middle belt using the stock anchors, but have only used it
on a rare occasion when needing to transport an extra child. I have also
upgraded the passenger side rear belt to a factory shoulder belt, and plan
to do the driver side rear at some point, but need to pull the cabinet out
and allow for passing the belt through the cabinet.

A third lap belt is probably not ideal for safety (as the mount points are
very closely spaced), but neither are the OEM lap belts ideal, and both
options are better than no belts at all. The legality of adding an
additional belt may be an issue, especially in regions where seatbelts are
mandatory, and maximum seating capacity may be based on the factory
installed seatbelt count.

Our choice to drive these vehicles comes with many compromises, and one of
those is the safety of a 25+ year old design - we all have to decide what
we're comfortable with.

On Thu, May 13, 2010 at 10:57 AM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>wrote:

> At 01:54 PM 5/13/2010, mcneely4@cox.net wrote:
>
>> David, was this original, or something done by someone who owned the
>> camper?   Mine definitely has only two belts, and I truly believe it
>> was original that way.  David
>>
>
> I don't have the camper manual any more, and I can't absolutely swear
> that it was factory.  It was definitely my impression that it was,
> though.  It may be significant that this vehicle while ordered in
> Michigan was delivered in Germany on a buy-and-drive plan.  It
> actually got sidetracked and spent until '92 in Scotland, whence I
> picked it up at the Navy vehicle docks in Bayonne NJ.  I may get a
> chance later this summer to examine it closely and take pictures that
> may help establish the situation.
>
> YOurs,
> d
>



--
Shawn Wright