73 Beetle Seat Belt question

1973Beetle · Shadetree Mechanic Joined: Jun 20, 2007 Posts: 1

Hey guys, A co-worker of mine just bought a restored 1973 Beetle. The previous ownernever put the seat belts back in, he also Rhino lined the inside of the car so we think he covered up the mounting holes. Neither of us have ever worked on a older Beetle so we don't have a clue how the seat belts go back in. Does anyone have a picture of the interior of their Beetle so we can get an idea how to mount these seat belts. All help and advice is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
~Sam

AirB4Water · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:31 pm Post subject:

OK i i put retractable seatbelts from a super in my 67....you need to locate three threaded holes...two in the door post and one in the center channel for each belt...i measured 1 1/2 inch from the door sill for the retractable unit....around 33" to the top hole...on the tunnel it's around 7 1/2 inches to where the hmmmm other part of the seat belts bolts in. i looked for some pics but found none in the galleries...looks like most are of the exterior...if you can't see any depressions for the holes i took a safety pin or straight pin to locate them...batting probably will have to be removed for the door post holes...good luck!

GregM · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:45 pm Post subject:

GregM · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:46 pm Post subject:

GregM · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:47 pm Post subject:

Sneazel · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:54 pm Post subject:

Hi, Great Pictures. I have the same question and joined up tonight.

I am about to order and install 2 point front seatbelts for my 65 VW and I have found the belt mounting holes in my bug on the center hump for the inside seatbelt for each front seat. I am not able to locate the mounting holes on the outside for each seatbelt. I assume the holes are also pre factory made since the other mounting holes are there for the upper 3 point connection and inside two point holes, both factory capped. I cant feel the cap on the outside like I can on the inside under the carpet.

I dont want to tear up the carpet to look for the seatbelt mounting holes on the outside for each front seat so thought I would post a question.

Do you know if these "outside" front seatbelt mounting holes need to be drilled or would they be there under the carpet somewhere due to the others being factory drilled too? Do you have any pictures of the front seat belt mounting hole locations like the last ones. Those are great!!

Thanks in advance.

GregM · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 9:28 pm Post subject:

The outside seatbelt mounting points are on the "B" pillar at the bottom. They are under the vinly behind the windlace.

Sneazel · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:00 am Post subject:

Thanks, That helps.

One more question maybe you can help me with.

On my 65 bug in that same area that your picture shows, I don’t feel any indentation or bump where a hole may have been factory pre-drilled for this mounting location. The vinyl in and around that area is smooth with no bumps at all underneath on the metal. The other two mounting holes are factory drilled and capped in the bug, one covered by carpet (center) that can easily be felt.

Is it normal for two mounting holes to be drilled at the factory and capped, but this lower belt mounting hole (from your picture) on the drivers left, passengers right, needs to be drilled by me?

Any advice on drilling the hole if that is what’s needed?

Thanks in advance for your advice and time. This was a single owner mostly original stock bug (parents original car) and I want to proceed carefully before I tear up carpet and vinyl and drill holes.

Sneazel

These pictures show the place I expected to locate/feel a pre-drilled mounting hole and what the upper 3 point mount looks like capped from the factory. All other seatbelt mounting holes are present and most are capped. The pics may be a little big, ill work on that.

I was going to poke the vinyl with a needle in the area of the missing mounting hole as suggested, but it is solid under the vinal, glued directly to the body metal with no padding in that area. A needle wont go in past the vinal layre in any location in that general area.

The passenger side vinal is a little less glued down so I may pull up that side and have a look underneath.

Thanks for all the advice.

[img][/img]

Sneazel · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

Hi Greg,

I peeled back the vinyl and carpet looking for the seatbelt mount hole, but it looks like there is no hole drilled for this mount. I peeled the covering back past the point where the pic you posted showed the area the hole should be at.

The small hole in the picture (hope these post better then the last ones) is where a "non removable" carpet tack was used to secure the corner of the floor carpet that was installed in the early 80's its not original. The tack was simply pounded through the sheet metal and the hole is 1 to 2 mm at most. The screw seen in the pic is for the back seat rail that I removed for better access.

Both sides of the car are the same and this VW has never been wrecked (in that area, just the front and rear bumper bangs over the years), so I am certian the mount holes were not filled in during a repair at any point in the past. Especially on both sides.

This is a 1965 bug bought new in 65, maybe late 64?. It has been stock and no body work in these areas has been done as fars as I know, but the car is a year older then me so maybe I missed something.

I am baffeled and any help is appreciated.

Nice Orange bug! Ill have to post some of my pics soon.

[img][/img]

Sneazel

I found an old vw manual for 1966 that shows the front, outside seat belt mounting hole's are not in the standard location. They are more on the floor beam about 6" towards the front of the car from the rear door jam. This was under the carpet that was installed over it in my vw's case. I do remember the VW once had rubber type floors so this mounting hole may have been easier to spot without the carpet in my case.

I have posted a picture of the old manual I found on thesamba. I just found that site recently and now I want a 2003 old style mexican vw.

I will post better pictures of the mounting holes in my VW soon.

Thanks for the advice and your time. Good luck on that new bug too.

PJ

69falcon · Mechanic Joined: Nov 09, 2009 Posts: 45

i just mounted 3 point belts in my 71 beetle... the holes for the top mount were about the middle of the back window on the B pillar...i used the stock mounts at the bottom of the door but put the retracting piece out in the floor of the back seat so it would work better... I also reinforced the floor so it won't pull out if needed... the car didn't have any belts when i got it!