Seat belt thingy - what is it?

Hi guys,

I am fingering around with this chrome wire thingy I found in the glove box of my 71 Mach 1 when I got the car.

I wonder what its purpose is and how it is used. Someone told me it had to do with the seat belts.

they go in the metal headliner trim above the [ about center ] door to hold up the shoulder belts

they go in the metal headliner trim above the [ about center ] door to hold up the shoulder belts

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"...when not being worn or utilized with the lap belt."

Nobody wears them haahhaha

Yes, it is a PITA and takes 15 minutes to fumble them back in place after each use - or they hang down and swing freely wherever they want...

I guess the clip does not speed up the process significantly.

I use mine every day. Can't reach the radio with it on but better than eating the steering wheel in a crash.

You get used to them if you use them all the time.

I have new hardware to resew them into a modern retracting 3 point system but I get a kick out of driving the car everywhere so I never have a chance to redo them.

I thought the seat belt and shoulder belt were required to be used by federal law.

mike

I thought the seat belt and shoulder belt were required to be used by federal law.

mike

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By state, not federal. Texas did not pass a seatbelt law until 1985. I can remember that they hung under the clip until about 89. The headliner was darker under them.

I thought the seat belt and shoulder belt were required to be used by federal law.

mike

Click to expand...

By state, not federal. Texas did not pass a seatbelt law until 1985. I can remember that they hung under the clip until about 89. The headliner was darker under them.

Click to expand...

Federal law mandated the installation of seat belts in 1968 (?).

Don't know when the shoulder harness came into play.

So it is State law that you wear something. In California

you have to wear whatever the vehicle came equipped with.

That includes any passengers but don't know who gets the ticket.

A friend got pulled over for not wearing his shoulder harness

only for the cop to discover his Dodge truck never came with one.

The arresting officer was very apologetic he said.

mike

I thought the seat belt and shoulder belt were required to be used by federal law.

mike

Click to expand...

By state, not federal. Texas did not pass a seatbelt law until 1985. I can remember that they hung under the clip until about 89. The headliner was darker under them.

Click to expand...

Federal law mandated the installation of seat belts in 1968 (?).

Don't know when the shoulder harness came into play.

So it is State law that you wear something. In California

you have to wear whatever the vehicle came equipped with.

That includes any passengers but don't know who gets the ticket.

A friend got pulled over for not wearing his shoulder harness

only for the cop to discover his Dodge truck never came with one.

The arresting officer was very apologetic he said.

mike

Click to expand...

I was only addressing your original post that stated that they be used, not that they had to be installed. I think that is why the clip was there. Ford was required to include them but the car owner was not required to wear them. This gave the owner a choice to have them in plain sight or tucked away.

This reminds me of my time in college. Louisiana state law made it unlawful for anyone under the age of 21 to consume alcohol, but it said nothing about buying it. When did they correct the wording? The same year I turned 21 or 1995.