64-66 saftey concerns/seat belts
 

I've been looking to purchase a 64-66 Mustang but im sort of concerned about the seatbelts. Are they safe?? because they dont have the shoulder strap and there could be a possiblity of u flying out of the car is what im thinking. INfO this Newbie on this:D

The early mustangs came with seat belts only, not shoulder belts. But that was what was considered norm then. Starting in 68 they were installing shoulder belts that were seperate from the lap belt and attached to the roof of car.

If you want shoulder belts purchase a 1968 or later car.

I believe you could buy after market seatbelts for the earlier stangs which had the shoulder and seat belt. I don't believe they came with seat belts in the back seats either. Well atleast I know my cousins '66 Coupe didn't come with seat belts in the back

For the early 64 1/2 models, seat belt were and option. in 65 they became standard, and in 66 it was required by law to have seat belts in the car.

Niether of my 64 1/2's had seat belts. I bought a set of generic Fits all types for my 6 cyl, and bought a set of original seat belts for my 289 stang. The original style had problems jamming, so I just got a set of really nice Fit all Pepboys seat belts and put those in.

I was in a major accident in my 6cyl 64 1/2 a month after I started driving. The car didnt have belts in it then, and I hit someone going 60 MPH. They were at a dead stop. I flew foward and smashed my face against the metal spoke steering wheel center and was knocked unconsouis for a brief amount of time. My teeth tore the lower lips, and a section of my chin almost off. I had a big part of my chin and lip dangling. I didnt know it when I came too, I felt my face numb, and saw blood everywhere. I had to kick the door open, I was to dazed to try to climb out of the window, and the door was pinched shut.

When I flew foward, my knees scraped the underside of the dash, and when I flew back after the impact, my kness and my legs had a good few layers of skin ripped loose also. If I had a passenger in the car like I was supposed to that day, they would of been killed. After I had the car fixed, and took months to work up the courage to look at it, and let alone drive it, First thing I did, was have my mom drive me to pep boys, so I can get some seat belts. I put them in, then slowy started all over again.

They may be a little dangerous, but some chance is far better than no chance. If my 64 1/2 "D" code with the 289 wasnt a somewhat rare car in great shape, I would be putting a roll bar in it and a five point harness, just to stiffen the chassie, and to add safety measure, not for looks.

Ouch
 

Oh Man Glad you made it, what a oops.

I seen and read an article a while back in I think Mustang mag, not 5.0 or Musacle Mustangs and Fast Fords a Article were they installed shoulder belts in a 65-67 Mustang coupe and only made very minor modes in order to install the new shoulder belts in the car.
Good luck, you can always upgrade to a better lap belt by installing a racing belt..

Mac :)

I have a late model 68 coupe. Does anyone know if it came standard with the shoulder belts or if it was an option? Mine didn't have any when I got it but they could've been removed sometime over the years.

I have a 68 Coupe built on Dec. 31, 1967 that has the shoulder restraints. I hate 'em tho. When you're not in the car there's a hook up in the roof to hang them on so unless you just leave them dangling they're pretty inconvenient. Not one of Ford's better idea's.

Kisner, your 68 would of come with shoulder belts. They were probably removed sometime in its life. The attachment nut plate is more then likely still in the roof, just covered with the headliner.

As pntril stated there was also a small wire hook to hold them up there when not in use.

Surely wasn't the best idea, but all the american cars had them hanging from the roof. GM too. If I remember correctly GM shoulder belts had a small piece of elastic material sewn on the belt that was used to hook their belts to a plastic doohicky on the roof too.

Many were removed, cause no-one used them.

Like the ignition interlock that came out in 73. Boy, what a mess that was.

Yes, I can see the bolt hole under the headliner (my headliner's removed) where it would have mounted. I do have all the rest of the original seat belts though. My question is - what would the shoulder belt have fastened to? Looks like my buckle on the other side of the seat only has one opening. Were there 2 separate buckles - one for the lap belt and one for the shoulder belt?