monza
08-08-2007, 07:54 PM
Looking to see if anyone knows any upgrades I could do that are easy and possibly reversable/removable for my 65 Impala SS #'s matching car. It's a sunday driver with low miles and I don't want to change much. Has only a lap belt, no headrest. Can I add a head rest and only have a couple of little holes for each headrest. (cringing still at that thought) The belts, any options out there with out messing up things up?
Thanks
-it is getting farther from #'s matching but I have all the correct parts to change back or sell with the car.
-upgraded transmission
-disc brakes
-new carb
-electronic ignition.
Given2Fly
08-08-2007, 08:10 PM
Bench or bucket seats? If the latter, it might suit your purposes best on the seats to leave the originals unmolested, remove and store them, and install aftermarket seats with an integrated headrest.
One of things I liked about my '64 Impala was the lack of B-pillar; in this discussion, though, this feature eliminates a good mounting point for the shoulder belt pivot.
It is not likely (I'd be happy to be corrected) that GM was placing threaded bolt holes under the headliner in anticipation of the pending Federal requirements for shoulder belts (law passed in 1966, requirement effective Jan 1, 1968). In some cars this is the case, especially if s/b were available as an option. In any case, worth feeling around under the headliner or researching what others have done, if there is a mounting point waiting there, half the battle is done.
Don't go with the aftermarket setups that would place the pivot for the shoulder harness in the area below where the B-pillar would meet the lower part of the window. This is too low to present the belt to the shoulder at an acceptable angle. I tend to think using a kit with the sash guide extension looks better and is more functional than running the belt all the way to the ceiling.
Two places to start:
SFI Foundation, Seat Belts: Essential to Driver Safety (http://www.sfifoundation.com/seatbelt.html)
and the how-to articles for installing 3 point shoulder belt systems in older cars at Juliano's Street Rods (http://www.julianos.com/how2.html) - their products and mounting hardware are very good.