E-body seat belt install questions

ProSport · May 22, 2021

Hi guys, I have a '70 Challenger that just has lap belts so I want to add 3 point retractable belts to the 2 front bucket seats.
It has a headliner in it and no holes in the headliner yet for the upper seat belt bolt.

I'm just looking for some tips on doing this properly. What size and threads are the bolts that go in/near the B-pillar?
And do any of you have pics of that area without the headliner installed so I can get a general feel for where the hole is located.
Do I just slit the headliner with a razor blade?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Chryco Psycho · May 22, 2021

Same size bolt as the floor belts , , I don't have a picture but you should be able to feel the holes through the cloth , you cn make the holes with a soldering iron this will fuse the ends of the hole to prevent spreading but I have not had a problem if it is cut with a exacto knife either.
If you want them retractable 74 was the only year that offered this & they don't function well , there may be an aftermarket alternative . The retractor fit behind the inner 1/4 panel & bolted near the floor so the belt ran up to the roof & back down the floor by the driver seat .

Challenger RTA · May 22, 2021

I do believe the threads are the same as the floor. behind it feels like a large square nut 1". make a slice or an x when you find it. picture of drivers side.

ProSport · May 22, 2021

Thanks guys, this should help me alot!

ProSport · May 22, 2021

Challenger RTA said:
I do believe the threads are the same as the floor. behind it feels like a large square nut 1". make a slice or an x when you find it. picture of drivers side.

Do you happen to have a photo from further away? I've found a couple spots that feel like a hole. I'll do some internet searching also.

Challenger RTA · May 22, 2021

Sorry had to finish watching an old episode of Combat,would have done it sooner. Hope this helps. headliner in place ready to glue. the hole is at the top of picture.

ProSport · May 22, 2021

Perfect, thank you very much!!

RayL · May 25, 2021

Hey ProSport if you are still out there - what did you end up with? My '73 project came with new carpet, upholstery and headliner, but no seatbelts at all. Not even a hole where they should be. I'd be happy to hear what you or anyone else has to recommend. This is a driver quality build, so safety over authenticity.

MoparCarGuy · May 26, 2021

If you have not sourced any aftermarket belts, this may help...
Wesco Performance Seat Belts

RayL · May 26, 2021

Thanks. I came across Wesco and XV Racing so far. I didn't dig into either site yet.

Now I'm a bit confused because the XV belts actually appear to be shown in a few of your images. Are Wesco & XV the same company?

XV Racing Products 3-Point Retractable Belt-Bucket Seats- Black

MoparCarGuy · May 26, 2021

RayL said:
Thanks. I came across Wesco and XV Racing so far. I didn't dig into either site yet.

Now I'm a bit confused because the XV belts actually appear to be shown in a few of your images. Are Wesco & XV the same company?

XV Racing Products 3-Point Retractable Belt-Bucket Seats- Black

View attachment 82819

XV sells the Wesco belts re-branded with their logo. I gave XV a call first in support of a Mopar vendor and they gladly matched the Wesco pricing.
XV confirmed the selections for size, etc. I put together the photos a while back when others wanted to go to 3-point shoulder belts.
I put safety ahead of correctness for seatbelts. I also have a set of Snake-Oyl-restored 1970 E-body seatbelts that are gathering dust. Spent over $500 for them.

moparroy · May 28, 2021

I had been looking at these:
3 Point Retractable Seat Belt, 12" End Release, Wired Option, Select Color
for my 1974 project. From the dimensions they show the retractor will fit under the rear seat inner panel.

They offer the wired buckle to maintain the warning system - mine is a Canadian car so no starter interlock but I would like to keep the warning system.
Down side is the cable buckle and the top release button not ideal but cable is hidden...

I asked Wesco if they offer wired buckles.

superbee6 · Dec 2, 2022

Hey Moparroy,

I know this is an old thread but any chance you have some pictures of the mount points under the rear side panel? I have a 70 and was thinking of adding the 74 style 3 point belt. I know there are easier kits out there, I just like they way these look.

EW1BH27 · Dec 2, 2022

Here's the rear left mounting point behind the plastic interior side panel.

EW1BH27 · Dec 2, 2022

Right side

superbee6 · Dec 2, 2022

Thanks for the quick reply, but isn't that for the rear seat belts? I was hoping for the location of the rewinder for the 74 3 point front shoulder belts.

superbee6 · Dec 2, 2022

EW1BH27 · Dec 2, 2022

Sorry about that, I guess I misunderstood your request. I have no pictures of 1974 styles.

moparroy · Dec 2, 2022

Let me take a look at what I have in the pics I took during various stages of that area. Carpet is now installed - I can still take pics of that area - but I have also installed sound deadener in that area so older pics might show it more clearly. The 3 pt harness behind the front seat attaches through the floor to a weld nut that is welded onto the top of the front leaf spring bracket. I know this well as I had to replace the passenger side front leaf bracket and the bracket I got did not have the nut on it so I had to fashion something to look OE. That under pic might help you too. Going through the floor with a right angle bracket on the retractor is a very different set up than the pics above.
BTW I discovered the wired buckle on the aftermarket product I said I was looking at above was the wrong switch type (NO / NC) for the OE seat belt warning system which I wanted to preserve. I ended up reconditioning a set of belts from 2 sets that I had - turned out the original set was not that bad except the passenger side belt was damaged and replaced with something different in the same event that damaged that leaf spring mount. I don't have them installed yet but they seem to work ok out of the car.