Fitting Rear Seat Belts

[Outrun944]

Hi guys

I'm looking to fit rear seat belts for a 1985 square dash (I did do a forum search but to my surprise found very little unless I used crap search terms!)

Has anyone ever done this before? Or any recommendations for places that will do it for me and rough cost for doing so?

Would just lap belts be sufficient in terms of DVLA/UK road law and small children? With the latter, are there child car seats that fit 944's with their own shoulder and lap belt, that just require the lap belt to hold in place?

Sorry this is all a little new to me with a missus and two young boys now!! I'd hate to get to the stage where I had to sell the 944, the kids can't wait to be driven in it anyway!


I guess I need someone good at upholstery too because not long before I got the car nice near leather seats were put in and they're in immaculate condition of course. I would like it to remain that way and not make a hash of it!
Mike of these forums took a look for me aaages ago when I went to visit him and was looking for the structure that might be present for the shoulder point to be mounted to but didn't find it.... I'm not sure what this is and what it means in doing this.


Any help greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Al

 

[j4mou]

I've just bought a set of belts, I'm just waiting for alasdair to send me the brackets then ile be doing mine, mine is an 86 and didn't come with rear belts from new. So I'm in the same boat as you. Ile let you know how it goes as I do it if you want. James

 

[Outrun944]

ORIGINAL: j4mou

I've just bought a set of belts, I'm just waiting for alasdair to send me the brackets then ile be doing mine, mine is an 86 and didn't come with rear belts from new. So I'm in the same boat as you. Ile let you know how it goes as I do it if you want. James

That's great! Plus you're not too far from me, always willing to lend a hand if I'm not busy too

 

[j4mou]

Ok thanks

 

[jwindwood]

It's easy if you want lap or static lap/diagonal. Just take the seat base out and the fixing points are obvious, you just need to cut the relevant holes. Top mounts are under the plastic plugs on the rear pillars. Inertia reel are more difficult on an early car because they lack the brackets for the reels in the boot area.
The other options are three point inertia, where the reels mount on the rear pillar (But they will get in the way) or inertia lap belts.

 

[supersport]

Other than the solutions Mike gives - I have 3 point statics in mine and are a pita if you change who you carry in the back and not as good as inertia reels.

I had Quickfit SBS fit proper inertia belts to the rear of the my 911 and asked about doing the same to the 944. The cost is in putting a mounting point in place as there isn't one, I can't remember the estimate, it might have been £500 fully fitted but could have been cheaper. Would be best to give them a ring and ask, they are a really helpful and knowledgeable lot.

They did my 911 in a couple of hours so we dropped the car off in the morning and I took my son to the natural history museum for the day and then we picked the car up when he got board so it was a worthwhile trip to the smoke. If I ever get the 944 done, will go to the science museum next time []

 

[Outrun944]

Thanks guys so far!
And also for the tip on Quickfit SBS - found their website (nice and informative), bit far for me... but I think I'd like this done in the hands of experts maybe, because it's kids involved.
I dunno though, I get the vibe that it's not too hard to do just a static lap belt... which I'm guessing is sufficient to hold a child seat with it's own harness for the child in place?

Hmmm decisions

 

[j4mou]

I have a single lap belt in the rear of mine, and I put our eldests seat in using the single strap, it was very wobbly, and removed it. as said earlier Al is selling me a set of brackets from a later car which I will have fitted proffesionally in my car by a certified welder and ile fit the rest myself.

 

[944 man]

Later cars also have a threaded mounting on either side of the leading edge of the load deck, which is intended for securing child seats. With regards to the law - if your car doesnt have them fitted then you neednt use rear belts, but of course, this only applies to adults.

 

[timfield]

I fitted lap belts from my old 911 in the back of my 944 as I have an early one and didn't have he brackets in the back. I think it's a good compromise as you can feel the position of the threaded holes through the seat if you know roughly where they are, I then just made a tiny cut with a knife and job done!
My kids are 7 & 5 and fit in the seats perfectly so I don't use boosters in the 944, but do in every other car we have as the seats are bigger!
We adjust the belts to fit them and then sit in the same side each time as static belts are a pain to change.
From what I can understand on the law below 3 a child has to have the latest correct seat and above 3 they have to use a boaster and what is fitted to the car. I've asked many policemen and not once got a sensible answer so found a Solicitors website that explained their take on it.
Don't know if I'm right or wrong on this but otherwise I can't use my car as no booster fits the seat and if it did you put their heads above the head rest!
Cheers
Tim

 

[os951]

These cars differs a lot what comes to possibility to install rear seat belts. During the '80's different market areas had different regulations. I installed last fall rear set belts to a 1988 which was sold new in Sweden. It didn't have rear belts at all. I had to install two point belts since it didn't have attachment point for the belt roll mechanism in the boot area. Even seat cushion didn't have holes at all, so i had to make them. Luckily body had necessary attachment points available for belt bolts. It's odd roll mechanism attachment plate wasn't there when even C-pillars had them. I installed two point roll belts.
My own 1988 US spec car had originally two point roll belts. I changed them to three point roll ones. All necessary attachment points were there. Also boot area's side carpets had all necessary holes available.

 

[944 man]

I am surprised to read that the inertia reel mountings werent present in the boot side area on a 1988 car. Yould think that it would be cheaper for Porsche to build the one common body for all (LHD) markets.


Simon

 

[os951]

Yes it is odd, when a car sold new in Sweden lacks them and my own US spec car had them. There are some strange things in these cars. All bodys fabricated for model year 1987 had attachment points available for split rear seat. This option came to model year 1988..Also wiring is there for 10-speaker system on 1987 models when 10-speaker system came for model year 1988. Or how about 1985 cauge cluster which have already ABS warning light possibility when ABS came for model year 1987.