09-10-2001, 01:39 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Mount Pleasant, SC,
Posts: 81
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Not Ranked
I HAD MEANT TO POST SOMETHING ON THIS TOPIC A WHILE BACK AND NOW SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TIME.
WHAN I FIRST PURCHASED MY UNIQUE FROM THE ORIGINAL BUILDER I DID SOME INVESTIGATION ON HOW IT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE SELLER. IN GENERAL, EVERYTHING WAS FINE, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO SEATBELT INSTALLATION IT WAS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE BUILDER HAD MOUNTED THE BELTS AND HARNESSES WHERE THEY FIT HIM COMFORTABLY, BUT HAD DRILLED THROUGH THE FLOOR AND REAR BULKHEAD (FIBREGLASS) AND SIMPLY PUT LARGE WASHERS AS BACKING. TO MY HORROR, THE BELTS WERE NOT ATTACHED TO THE FRAME, BUT TO SOME VERY THIN GLASS (SEATS ARE MOUNTED ON STEEL PLATE WELDED BETWEEN FRAME RAILS). THE HARNESS WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE ROLLBAR OR FRAME, BUT WAS SIMPLY THROUGH-BOLTED TO THE REAR NON-STRUCTURAL BULKHEAD--THE STRONGEST COMPONET OF WHICH IS THE CARPET.
THIS IS NOT THE UNIQUE-RECOMMENDED METHOD OF INSTALLATION AS YOU CAN ALL IMAGINE, BUT MY PREDECESSOR DIDN'T GET THE NEED TO BOLT THESE IMPORTANT RESTRAINTS TO THE FRAME--
IF YOU DIDN'T BUILD IT YOURSELF, DON'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.
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Rick Brownyard,
Just Aging Racefully
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