Rear shoulder belts in a 1970 Charger

[Kern Dog]

I was talking with a fellow FBBO friend @CoronetDarter and the topic of rear seat belts came up. He was looking at modifying the package tray area to integrate some sort of attachment point to secure child safety seats.
It got me thinking....
I never ride in the back so rear seat belts have not occupied many of my thoughts but hey, I thought I'd see what I could learn.
I read that rear shoulder belts were available in the 1968-70 B bodies but I don't recall ever seeing them. I'm assuming that like shoulder portion on the front belts, these did not retract? Looking at this picture from when I replaced the broken rear window after shattering it during a weed-eating chore....

The thin horizontal slot furthest to the edge looks like where the belt may have been attached?
I'm just getting a few ideas on this and willing to consider advice on how to proceed. I'd want retractors for whatever I do. The front belts are from XV Motorsports and they work quite well. I've thought of retrofitting belts from a late model car like a Challenger, Charger or anything really. I'd just need black or dark gray belts and buckles to match the front belts.
Cheers...

 

[pnora]

FSM does not show much.

 

[dadsbee]

Not like such has never been shown here....

 

[furious70]

I have these guy's rear kit in my charger and fury. Welded to the cross member behind the rear seat.
Seat Belts Made In USA. Styles And Colors For Most Makes.Call302) 629-8508 Seat Belts Made In USA. Styles And Colors For Most Makes.Call:(302) 629-8508

Andoauto.com

 

[Kern Dog]

Thanks Wayne!

Not like such has never been shown here....
View attachment 1926786View attachment 1926787

That looks like what Rich was speaking of for his Coronet.

 

[hunt2elk]

I have only seen one B-body that had factory rear shoulder belts. It happened to be a 1969 A12 butterscotch Super Bee. I had pics of it because I was looking to buy it years ago, but ended up passing. Can't find the pics I took, but I'm certain that Darrin aka BigDA12 has some of it.

 

[PlymCrazy]

It's a bit late for my own kids, but definitely something to consider now that the grandkid thing has started.
Good thread

 

[PurpleBeeper]

1. There was a post about 2 weeks ago with a guy that had a set of rear shoulder belts out of the car.
2. In my ragtop, I just built a small piece of metal to attach the car seat “back hook” and bolted it to the cross member behind the back seat. I’m not “sure” if hardtops/coups have that ???

 

[HawkRod]

I added rear should belts to my 70 Road Runner back in 2015. Posts start here: Hawk-Rod: The Restoration

Here are a couple of (not great) pictures after installation: Hawk-Rod: The Restoration

I've had these (and passengers have used them) for 10 years now. They work great (at least to take on and off) and no complaints from back seat passengers. I've never tested them in a crash and don't intend to try...

 

[CoronetDarter]

1. There was a post about 2 weeks ago with a guy that had a set of rear shoulder belts out of the car.
2. In my ragtop, I just built a small piece of metal to attach the car seat “back hook” and bolted it to the cross member behind the back seat. I’m not “sure” if hardtops/coups have that ???

Yes, B Bodies all have that 'X' that supports the package tray. My Dart has one too.
My vision of the restraints is exactly how Wayne installed his. Mopar sells the U-shaped bracket, and I purchased on Ebay a three pack of the plastic flip-up covers that are installed in the late model Challengers.
Talking to @HawkRod, he purchased front shoulder belts from Seat Belt Planet and modified them for the back seat, and naturally they came out looking like an OEM install. Greg and I, being the cheap bastards that we are, are planning on a Pick n Pull recon mission to find some used rear seat belts out of a late model sedan.

 

[dadsbee]

If you go to my 64 thread, I show how I did the quick connect loops and the entire deal... mind your 69 should have rear belts, while the 64 had none. Was very convenient that the 64 uses to quick push pins to hold the package tray. I just used those holes for the attachments.

1964 Dodge 440

 

[CoronetDarter]

Thanks Wayne, your resto posts illustrate how I want to update the Coronet. I plan on using the flip top bezels from the late model Challenger, so I'll have to fab a box for the bracket and weld it to the underside of the package tray.
You have darling granddaughters BTW. Mine are a little older; 7 and 5 years old; and they love driving in the Coronet. I chauffeur them to and from school on Tuesdays but I'm not taking the Coronet until I have the upper restraint tabs installed. I don't want a teacher or a nosy mom pointing out the obvious.

 

[furious70]

To each their own of course, but I ran the Simpson forward facing car seat with just the center lap belt in both my cars and was able to sinch it down very tight and secure. I wouldn't ever tell someone to not use the LATCH mechanisms but just pointing that out. I also had a 99 intrepid when my daughter was young and it did not have LATCH at all so I could only use the lap belt.

 

[CoronetDarter]

To each their own of course, but I ran the Simpson forward facing car seat with just the center lap belt in both my cars and was able to sinch it down very tight and secure. I wouldn't ever tell someone to not use the LATCH mechanisms but just pointing that out. I also had a 99 intrepid when my daughter was young and it did not have LATCH at all so I could only use the lap belt.

For sure, my generation and my kid's generation all grew up without the LATCH system and lived to tell about it.
I currently drive the girls in their car seats with only the lap belts securing them in. It's not the most secure way, and my son and daughter-in-law trust me enough take them around town. But everyone will feel more at ease with the upper latch installed. And I'm going to enjoy starting a new and out-of-the ordinary project.

 

[Demonic]

The old Dodgecharger.com site had a big topic about this with pics. Yes, the slot in your pic is where they go, Greg. There's been one or two cars found with them at most, super rare option.

 

[Demonic]

 

[Kern Dog]

Yes, B Bodies all have that 'X' that supports the package tray. My Dart has one too.

Those diagonal braces are structural. They help resist torsional movement, effectively tying the floor to the package tray to the C pillars and the roof.

Greg and I, being the cheap bastards that we are, are planning on a Pick n Pull recon mission to find some used rear seat belts out of a late model sedan.

That is funny, yet true. Money is only part of it though. There is fun in making use of stuff that gets thrown away. I’ve recycled and repurposed stuff all my life. One could call it being cheap but sometimes it is smarter than buying new because you often modify this stuff to fit your specific needs.

The old Dodgecharger.com site had a big topic about this with pics. Yes, the slot in your pic is where they go, Greg. There's been one or two cars found with them at most, super rare option.

Of all the cars I’ve seen at shows and in magazines, I don’t recall ever seeing one. Maybe I have and just didn’t notice them.
Here is the left corner of the package tray of my Jigsaw Charger.

The slot measures 3/4” X 2 3/4”.

I have a 72 Duster out back that has similar slotted openings in about the same place. I have owned close to 30 A body cars and have never had one with rear shoulder belts. Just like the B bodies, I don’t recall ever seeing one at a car show either. I know that automakers get some advance warning about Federal regulations that are coming so I wonder if they stamped these panels figuring that they would be ready in case the shoulder belts got mandated with Ralph Nader running amok.

The belts themselves are 1 7/8”

The aftermarket belts in the car also measure 1 7/8”.

I have never sat in the back seat with the car in motion. The only other person that has driven this car is the guy that painted it and three alignment guys. Still, I like the idea of having the rear belts.

 

[DeltaV]

I went through the 1970/71 parts catalog and did not find anything for the rear shoulder belts.

I was hoping to find the anchor points. No joy.

Maybe I'll search again in a few days...weekend.

 

[Kern Dog]

I'm curious if the package tray is where the retractors get hidden. If so, I'd think that additional reinforcements would be necessary.

 

[69ChargerR/TSE]

My 69 Charger Service Manual shows the set up.