[Healeys] Seat Belts - A caution

[David Nock British Car Specialists]

After being a witness to a Healey accident on a club tour which both  
driver and passenger were wearing LAP belts only. It was a touring  
speed accident of about 35 to 40 mph and watching the car go off the  
road into a imbankment and a small tree. The results were that the  
driver took the steering column to the chest and broke several ribs,  
The passenger slipped under the belt and then went face first into  
the dash.  Both survived but had severe injuries.

Then i had a customer that reluctlently installed retractable  
shoulder belts in a BJ8. Then two days later was in a very bad  
accident and went off the road driving to fast. Both driver and  
passenger were wearing retractable shoulder belts and survived. THe  
car was a total. If you want to see the results of that car there are  
pics on my web site.

My personal opinion something is a lot better that nothing and I will  
go with the retractable shoulder belt and take my chances.

  If you want total protection  sell the Healey and get a new car  
with 14 air bags, crush points, and shoulder belts for all passengers  
and all the rest of the saftey stuff that the goverment has required  
us to have for our saftey.



On May 22, 2013, at 4:19 PM, Jack Feldman wrote:

> When I first got my BT7 I bought two three point belts. I  
> installed  three
> point belts on both MGs. The GT had the mounting nuts already  
> installed,
> the C had to have a hole drilled in the side of the wheel well to  
> mount the
> retractor mechanism.
>
> I took the Healey to one of the national experts to get sorted out,  
> and
> asked him to install them. Not only did he refuse, he refused to  
> discuss it
> at all, even when I told him that a racing Orthopedic Dr., friend said
> there would be no problem from spinal compression in an accident.
>
> Got to Guru number 2. He said he would install them if I paid cash and
> didn't have a paper trail to the installation. Evidently, the issue  
> was
> that they didn't trust the steel in our 60+ year old cars to hold  
> in an
> accident.
>
> These are two men who dedicated their lives to be best Healey  
> restorations
> in the country.
>
>
> Comments?
>
> Jack
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