A safe passenger is a happy...
A safe passenger is a happy passenger!
A number of upgrades that we do to our classic trucks are undoubtedly safety related. Sure, upgrading to big brakes can be seen as a performance upgrade, but it’s equally as important as a safety upgrade. Being able to safely stop in a short amount of space and time can be the difference between saving your truck and its precious cargo or the unmentionable. But there are a few modifications that can be made inside the cab that are just as imperative when it comes to safety.
One such improvement is that of three-point shoulder harness seatbelts. On some trucks, installing such a system can be a bit tedious unless you’re using a late-model seat that came equipped with these from the factory. But when it comes to ’67-72 C10s, it couldn’t be easier. That’s thanks to the fact that GM-equipped trucks of that era come with a reinforced attachment point on both B-pillars to add the upper, option-only shoulder harness. It’s just a matter of removing a few bolts and attaching the shoulder belt setup and you’re off to the races.
In addition to being an important safety upgrade, I’ve actually found that the finished installation is cleaner than having a pair of lap belts flinging around inside the cab. With the retractors pulling the belt in nice and tight, I’m not slamming the seatbelts in the doorjamb any longer and I don’t have to lean in and tuck the center belts in when I want to clean up the seat area. CCT
The first step in upgrading...
The first step in upgrading to three-point shoulder belts is to remove whatever passed as seatbelts previously. Brothers’ kit comes with passenger and driver side-specific brackets, so be sure to read through the simple instructions before proceeding. The smaller 90-degree bracket installs on the passenger side using the sill mount for the stock lap belts.
Since all ’67-72 Chevy trucks...
Since all ’67-72 Chevy trucks came from the factory with the upper shoulder mounting point, it’s a simple matter of removing the plug that covers the hole and installing the upper shoulder belt anchor using the provided hardware.
The belt retractor mechanism...
The belt retractor mechanism and lower belt bracket then attaches to the lower sill mount.
The latch mechanism attaches...
The latch mechanism attaches to the center of the cab using the stock seatbelt fastener and attachment point.
The driver side is only slightly...
The driver side is only slightly different due to the shape of the stock gas tank. You can see how the bracket is made to clear the protrusion on the tank.
Like the passenger side, the...
Like the passenger side, the upper attachment point is provided by the factory.
The lower bracket locates...
The lower bracket locates the retraction mechanism just ahead of the bump in the gas tank, right in line with the seat back.
The driver side latch mechanism...
The driver side latch mechanism also attaches to the stock lap belt location in the middle of the truck cab’s floor.
And there you have it, a simple...
And there you have it, a simple install for a dramatic increase in safety. I also like the way the shoulder belts tuck up nicely into the pillar instead of hanging out the door frame like the old lap belts did.