|
|
Post by mistersocks on Feb 9, 2014 20:07:26 GMT
Hi All,
As the title of my post suggests, I would very much like to fit inertia reel seatbelts in the back of my 1800, (the 3 point type as in the front of all modern cars). My wife wants me to sell the Morris 1800 as I cant put a child seat in it. My little boy who is 2 is obsessed with "daddys landcrab car" so I'd rather keep it, fit modern seatbelts to the rear and sell my MG ZT.
Has anybody done this, or could anyone point me in the direction of how to go about it?
Cheers
Rich.
|
|
|
|
Post by tommydp on Feb 9, 2014 20:58:48 GMT
Hi Rich
No problem fitting them in the back of the crab.
There are holes, standard thread size, already made for the buckle mounting, the lower mounting on the belt and also on the rear parcel shelf for the reel. However, you'll find a better position for the reel by drilling new holes on the shelf. Measure up and drill from the boot. No problem as seat belt sets come with an anchor mounting and all nuts etc.
This is quite straight forward. I will supply some pics and measurements but can't say when. I've been staying inside, mostly in bed, with a horrible flu for almost a week...
I've fitted rear seat belts to the blue one, and am about to do it on the white one too. I absolutely don't drive people around in a car without seat belts! Fronts are no problem, as they were required by law here quite early.
Tommy
|
|
|
|
Post by indianajones on Feb 9, 2014 21:44:15 GMT
I've been able to use the static belts in my 'crab for the baby's capsule, though I haven't tried it with the new car seat yet. Let us know how you get on, as this is something I might need to end up doing  -Andrew |
|
|
|
Post by Nick RS on Feb 9, 2014 22:07:46 GMT
Rich,
I used Securon statics in mine but these are for seats that use the adult belt rather than a five point separate harness. There is an article in the Aug 2010 issue of Classics Monthly that shows fitting a Securon inertia system into a Landcrab. I can send you a scan of this as a pm if you like but basically it says exactly what Tommy says, the lower mounts are fine but you'll need to reposition the top ones to fit the retractor mechanism. I found that the length of belt was key to allowing five point harness seats to work. Definitely struggled with a Ford Focus but another car (Jag I think) had a nice long belt that made it easy. My statics were £5 from eBay so I wouldn't have been too bothered if the child seats hadn't worked with them.
Nick
|
|
|
|
Post by tommydp on Feb 9, 2014 22:26:42 GMT
I guess the upper hole was intended for a static belt originally, so that's why we have to drill one some cms further back to allow room for the reel. I'll measure and get back later.
Interestingly, though regarding the front ones, my 71 has a threaded hole for mounting the reel, while my 70 doesn't. There is a large hole there however, so I was (just) able to fit an iron bar across the hole as an anchor mounting.
AND, while on the subject of seat belt mounting holes. If doing something to the holes on the floor tunnel, where the front buckle fastener is fitted, be careful. If you look through one of them, don't remember which, you'll see STRAIGHT ON the handbrake cable. At least on the mk 1 and 2 umbrella handle system. Don't alter the length of the screw holding the buckle fastener to the floor, as a too long screw can damage the wire, and ..... oops, the crab rolls on its own...
No idea if it's called a buckle fastener, but you know what I mean I hope:-)
Tommy
|
|
|
|
Post by Penguin45 on Feb 9, 2014 22:45:05 GMT
I would suggest that if you drill through the parcel shelf for a top mounting (or even fitting the reel) that a reinforcing panel is added.
Chris.
|
|
|
|
Post by tommydp on Feb 9, 2014 23:20:48 GMT
The seat belt sets usually come with an "anchor", sold as seat belt anchor plate on ebay. It's a nut welded to a square plate, around 5 by 5 cms, which goes under the parcel shelf.
In my case, I only used this as the new hole is in the same part of the parcel shelf as the original one, only further back. The instructions also mentioned only this "anchor" part. It looks very solid to me, as the original mounting is basically also just a nut on the underside of the shelf. The parcel shelf, as everything else on the 1800, seems to be very heavy duty in my opinion.
By all means, I'm no expert here and stand to be corrected. What do you think Chris, would you go for a larger and thicker plate as reinforcement?
Tommy
|
|
|
|
Post by Penguin45 on Feb 10, 2014 0:08:49 GMT
Get the "nut plate" welded on and that would be superb. A lot of people just go nut and bolt, so the load isn't spread very widely.
Chris.
|
|
|
|
Post by snoopy11 on Feb 10, 2014 19:38:41 GMT
I didn't bother putting seat belts in the rear. I have fitted inertia reels to the front as a direct replacement to the original static belts and put the baby seat in the front.
When we are out in the car as a family I put the mrs in the back.
|
|
|
|
Post by mistersocks on Feb 15, 2014 10:34:31 GMT
Hi All,
Many thanks for all your replies, its very appreciated!
Sorry I havent replied sooner, my daily driver (MG ZT-T Cdti) has put the final nail in its coffin over the last week. I've spent every evening this week working on it (sticking rear calipers, non opening passenger door, non working in tank fuel pump, sticking rear calipers again, non opening drivers door and finally maf sensor failiure after a week and a £160 bosch replacement). So the 1800 will be my daily as soon as its mot'd.
I work as a welder fabricator so will be fitting seatbelts to the rear of my crab soon, am I right in thinking that I could get a set of rear belts from a breakers o would they have to be model specific (such as those offered by Quick Fit seatbelts)?
When I get round to doing the deed, I'll pit up a step by step how to if anyones interested? (and assuming I'm able to actually do it!)
Cheers
Rich
|
|
|
|
Post by Nick RS on Feb 15, 2014 13:09:33 GMT
You should be able to get new ones by Securon. Their list prices tend to be high but they are readily available on the web for far less. Halfords used to stock them but I saw them in clearance bins a few months ago so probably don't now. Here's a link that gives the codes needed for the 1800. The magazine article I read also says they do extensions for child seats too. Nick Securon |
|
|
|
Post by tommydp on Feb 15, 2014 23:56:22 GMT
A cheaper alternative could be a look at a breaker. Not many cars with parcel shelf mounted reels these days, but mini buses may have them if there is a wall between the seats and luggage cabin. I got some from an early 90s Transit, and they were as new.
I like to keep cars like they were when they were new, but rear seat belts is a must I think. A bit fun to think of the "old days" though. When my grandparents drove the blue one I used to sit on the armrest in the middle of the back seat, as I wanted to see the road. No belts then of course, And my feet was on their collie, which enjoyed lying on the back seat floor:-) And of course my grandparents smoked constantly, and never opened a window as I could catch a cold:-)
My grandfather eventually replaced the 1800 with something as strange as a Mazda 818 coupe. It didn't last long, as I complained the collie occupied the whole back seat and I was squeezed into a corner. No where near the acres of room in the 1800 of course. He then bought a large Toyota Cressida estate. Problem now was the collie didn't like it! He was sliding all over the place in the back and complaining all of the time. Unfortunately my grandfather suddenly died. it would have been interesting to see what car he would have got next. Perhaps he'd gone back to the crab, as he never parted with it, just put it away. He could never part with it, as it was the bast car he had ever had.
Well, good old days:-) I suddenly felt like writing!
Tommy
|
|
crabmaster
Member
Posts: 44
Attribute: http://www.austineighteenhundred.com.au
|
Post by crabmaster on Feb 16, 2014 12:37:45 GMT
Australian-built 1800 MKI had to have the rear parcel shelf modified to meet out seat belt standards. Tests were done on a UK-built body (the first-off sample that was sent from UK to Australia so it happens - they ended up using it for seat belt structural tests) and a support piece was added. The image below shows the support piece part HYA4505. For the test car, it was pop-riveted on to the underneath part of the parcel shelf. In Production, it was spot welded.  The metal work is bent because this photo was taken after the test - a load of 2800 lbs applied for 30 seconds applied 17 degrees from the horizontal. Tony |
|
|
|
Post by mistersocks on Feb 20, 2014 19:22:05 GMT
Wow!
Thanks guys so very much for all the info. I'll hopefully make a start on that particular project over the weekend. And Tommy, I'm all for originality too but mrs socks has said that not having rear belts is a reason for not keeping my third crab....
back in the 70's my dad used to take a trailer load of grass cuttings to the tip behind his 1800, with me sat ontop of the pile, it was my sunday afternoon treat!
thanks for the link Nick, i'll do a bit of trawling and see if i can come up with a pair of securon belts, or look forward to a weekend trawling the local breakers yards!
and Tony thats a very interesting picture and shows just how tough the landcrab shell can be!
Cheers
Rich
|
|
