What is this hole in the package tray for?

[JR_Charger]

This is on a 72 Charger.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Defroster?

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

This is on a 72 Charger.

View attachment 1307165

Doobie disposal!

 

[T2R9]

Roll bar. They were thinking about the racers.

Acutually it was just the way they were stamped. Could have been an aid in body assembly to have that access like to the trunk hindge area. Never seen an option that used them.

 

[Lefty71]

Could have been an aid in body assembly to have that access like to the trunk hindge area. Never seen an option that used them.

Does kinda look like the assemblyman needed to get his arm up past the elbow to hold the speaker and run the nuts on with the other hand lol.

 

[Kern Dog]

I've read that the 68-70 models had optional rear shoulder belts. Could the same option have existed for the 3rd gen cars?

 

[R413]

For the optional rear shoulder belts.

 

[T2R9]

No rear shoulder belts available in 71 that I am aware of.

 

[JR_Charger]

Does kinda look like the assemblyman needed to get his arm up past the elbow to hold the speaker and run the nuts on with the other hand lol.

Having recently tried to to install rear speakers, about the only way one person can do it is to pull the rear seat and divider and even then it's a pain. Perhaps it was easier with the original speakers. As small as the speaker mounting holes are, it seems like they would have originally taken a metal screw instead of a bolt.

I've read that the 68-70 models had optional rear shoulder belts. Could the same option have existed for the 3rd gen cars?

That is what I am thinking - why spend the money re-engineering and retooling the package shelf to remove the hole for the shoulder belts? Did the shoulder belts come back in later years?

For the optional rear shoulder belts.

Are you certain? I suspect this is what they're for as well. I'm going to be replacing my old lap belts soon and I'll consider putting shoulder belts in if my car has the structure to support them.

 

[SureGrip]

I used to have two '73 Challengers that decoded to having rear shoulder belts, but I saw no provisions on the package shelf of either one.

I've even seen a Mopar with rear shoulder belts.

 

[eldubb440]

I would think a shoulder belt would have to be anchored to something a bit more sturdy than a piece of package tray

 

[JR_Charger]

I dug around some more and found this thread - Link

The rear shoulder belt option is indeed real, but the hole I have appears to be too far back. I also don't have the peg in the trunk that the belt anchors on. I'm not sure how that works, I'd like to have a better pic of that peg to see how it attaches to the trunk. I'd like to have pics of the rest of the shoulder belt mechanism too, if there is a mechanism. Given how basic the front shoulder belt was in 72, it's likely the rear shoulder belt is also just a strap hard-mounted to the car. I think I've seen a modern retractable shoulder belt conversion, but I couldn't track anything down about it.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

 

[JR_Charger]

Been looking around some more and found these threads - 1, 2, 3.

It appears there were two different solid attachments and one retractable shoulder belt. And the version that went to the peg in the trunk that I posted previously. That's a lot of different versions of a very rare option.

 

[JR_Charger]

Looks like the shoulder belt slot was removed for 72. One can only imagine why, but it looks like I'm S.O.L. on this one.

edit - I've been looking at Cordobas to see what they had - I can't find a picture of one with rear shoulder belts, even in the early 80's! Puts some perspective on the late sixties shoulder belt option. It's not as exciting as a HEMI, but it's nice to have. I've seen a few B-body owners put the rear shoulder belts in because they're concerned for their kids/grandkids safety. I'm a little jealous that my newer car can't have a shoulder belt (without more fabrication than I can do).

 

[SureGrip]

JR, that's a great bit of research! I've never seen that before, so cool to see that it was indeed a real option.

 

[hunt2elk]

I looked at a A12 Super Bee several years ago that had the factory rear shoulder belt option. Very rare. Took a bunch of pics of them and their mounts, but for the life of me, I can't find where I put them.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Back in the day most would not even use the mandated safety belts. Then in 73 the car would not even start without the driver's side clipped. In 72 the front shoulder belt even though, standard equipment was a secondary thing. I can still remember the days of riding on the rear shelf.

 

[YY1]

Looks like that belt could slip off of that peg real easy.