Fitting 5-point harnesses

Here's a question mainly for the race car builders, but anyone is very welcome to answer.
I am going to do the seatbelt thing in the Impreza Safari I am building, but I am trying to decide on the best way to go about it.
My dilemma is really about whether to drill through the seats to make the slots for the lap belts to go through in the base of the seat, or to glue them in the correct place on the seats and hope it will look realistic.
I have the Studio27 belt set, which doesn't come with the best instructions, although I have better ones from another set.
Any tips or ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks in Advance

Ray

It seems to me that cutting the hole and threading the belt would be much less of a headache than trying to glue the flat edge of the belt to the "hole." That would be incredibly fragile, would it not?

And if you cut the holes, you get to secure the belt ends down somewhere on the floorpan, where it's much easier to hide mistakes... ;)

Here's what i did in my '98 Impreza...

I just stuck them down on top of the seat, no holes drilled, but trimmed them to a point to give the impression that the webbing is folding down ito the hole. Doing it this way means that you can lay it onto the seat better, if it were threaded through a hole it will crease and 'bulk up' and be awkward to glue down.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/602534DSCF0017.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/935250DSCF0018.jpg

Jay, thanks, I was kind of thinking the same thing.
Chris, thanks for posting the photo.
One question though, are yours right, or is the right way the way it is in my reference photo?
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/535782seat.jpg

Thanks for the help guys.

Ray

All my refference sources suggest the harnesses are red, certainly in the 97-99 cars. The 2000 Impreza had blue harnesses like in your photo. Someone correct me if i'm wrong!!!

Ray, i suggest add Reihard Klein's 'Rally Cars' book to your xmas list, its a valuable source of refference for lots of rally cars.

Chris, I was not asking about the color, I know they are red. What I should have stated was, the reason I posted the photo was the way the belts are coming through the seat.
BTW, this the Christmas list I have, I would be nuts to add anything more, Jess will throw me out;)

Ray

I see what your getting at now! Well here's another pic from the previously mentioned book, the way i interpret this is that the harness is pulled through a split in the front part of the seat.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/933711DSCF00034.jpg

Chris, how current is the Rally book? You're not the first person that I've heard recommendations of it from, but I'd like to know what year it goes up to!

2000.

I can't recommend this book enough! Its packed full with photo's of all the greatest rally cars from as early as the late 50's right through to Group B, upto modern day Kitcars such as the Megane and Xsara, then onto WRC including the Octavia and Accent. There's many detailed shots of interiors and engine bays with great write ups on each car, the sections where the top rally drivers pick their favourate cars is quite interesting.

His previous book, imaginatively titled 'Rally' was outstanding but this is a real gem, a must for all rally fans, especially those that make models of the cars.

Hmmm, I see what you're saying there Chris, gives a totally different impression....
Maybe I could put that part of the belt under the seat like it slipped back through or summin':p
I will have a look into that book there, maybe Dan and I can go 50/50 and he can have the text and I will have the photos.....

Ray

Originally posted by flyonthewall
I see what your getting at now! Well here's another pic from the previously mentioned book, the way i interpret this is that the harness is pulled through a split in the front part of the seat.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/933711DSCF00034.jpg

Here's a stupid and kinda pointless question :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Do all rally-cars carry a cellphone? :silly2: :silly2:

Hiver,
yes, it is for emergency use only really, and I have seen them used outside the stages too on occasion.
It gives the drivers a way to communicate with the pits in a situation where there is damage to the car's electronics and they can't use the radio.
I am sure there are other reasons too.....like to order a pizza from the end of the stage?:D

Ray

Hi Ray,

I do drill the holes in the sides of the seats but not in the middle. I think you can put them there in both ways - in the middle section that is. I think it just depends on how the driver exited his car :confused:

The main thing for me is that they give a good impression and don't neceseraly have to be 100% correct. I'm not that purist kind of guy. Far more important is how the belts are attached to the roll cage in the back, cause that should be accurate because of 100% visibility. But I guess that book Chris is refering to should be a good resource for that as well.

Cheers,
Guido