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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Seat belt installation

Hi

I am looking to install seatbelts to my MkII Sprite that does not have seat belt mounts in the sills (and is too early for these to be a legal requirement).

Any advice for retrofit of belts please? (my 1961 car does have the upper seatbelt twin bolt mounts on each wheel arch and cone shaped mounting points in the rear sides of the tunnel but is devoid of anything in the inner sills which are likely to be later homemade panels).

I see the following fitting notes for dealers for Mk1 Sprites: http://www.gerardsgarage.com/Garage/Tech/SeatBeltWS.htm I do not fancy drilling such a large hole in the inner sill to fit a plate with captive nuts I would need to make up. Anyone drilled a seat belt mounting bolt in the floor, in the corner close to the inner sill and the rear spring mount (instead of the inner sill) with a suitable reinforcing plate welded underside?

I have custom static lap and strap belts for road use made up by Quickfit Safety Belts which use the original twin bolt upper fitting but has click connectors (rather than plates for 7/16 inch bolts) for the lap strap so I can easily temporarily clip in a race harness when required into an eye bolt. I will be welding in two upper harness eye bolt mounts.

Thanks
Mike
M Wood

Hi Mike, I am due to have the inner wing replaced on my 69 Sprite and have bought a new one. My Sprite has a full harness and does not use the inner wing seatbelt mounting. So, with the objective of saving weight (every little bit helps) I drilled out the spot welds to remove the threaded seat belt boss and purchased a small round circle of metal to neatly replace it. I have however kept the boss itself. If you want it let me know and and I will check the threads are ok (and imperial as they should be) and post it to you.
Daniel

Isnt there enough space to just weld a nut on the inner side of the inner sill? The sill is fairly thick, and in the corner with the floor and rear bulkhead should be strong enough for a seat belt mount?
Chris Madge

Mike, I have done this. I used an anchor plate made I think, for Spitfire. A 2" square plate with the correct nut welded in the middle. I slid it into the sill cavity from the rear opening in the wheel arch which in my case was still open as I hadn't fitted the sill closing pieces. But it would be easy to open up a slot there, fit the anchor, and fit a new sill closer.

I marked the inner sill and drilled the clearance hole for a seat belt anchor bolt and 4 smaller holes for plug welds in the corners. The plug welds are just to locate the plate and stop it rattling around as the anchor plate and its nut on the inside of the sill and obviously cannot pull through.

You just need to devise a way of temporarily positioning the plate along inside the sill, as its just out of reach, until you can get the bolt started in its thread. Then tighten it (I used a spacer) to clamp the plate hard against the sill whilst you do the plug welds.
GuyW

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seat-Belt-Plate-Fitting-FIA-Harness-Eyebolt-Back-Plate-7-16-Thread-ADV/352645993886
GuyW

I have fitted inertia reel belts from a midget to my Frogeye. These reels go on top of the wheel arch. The outer bottom mounting is a nut welded to a thick plate, itself welded under the floor, ie exactly what you are asking. For the inner mounting, I thought that welding inside the tunnel would be tricky, so I welded a nut to a thick plate and pop riveted that to the inside of the tunnel. With the plate on the inside, and the tunnel sheeting quite substantial, I think that will be OK.

It really depends on what fittings the belts have. If they have right angled plates then they go on the floor. If flat, they go on a vertical surface.
Les Rose

Posted to early in the day! Still I have the inner wing mount for anyone else . . .
Daniel

Hi all

Many thanks for the advice.

Daniel - yes, please post me the inner wing mount.

Best wishes
Mike
M Wood

This thread was discussed between 26/05/2022 and 27/05/2022

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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