Fitting inertia reel seat belts to a Mk 1

[rolesyboy]

Anybody make any suggestions on how to fit some inertia reel seatbelts taken from a late Mini in to a Mk 1. The housing is too big to bolt to the sill (fouls on the door bins) and the rear pockets have a hole where somebody has done this in the past but looks a veryflimsy so I am thinking of adding some very heavy washers/plate to the reverse side. I have tried to get on with the old Kangols but they are frankly bloody awful and I live in fear of chipping my paint/trapping them in my door. Cheers. Might see a few of you at Gaydon this weekend.

[mk1]

Best to mount them on the floor where its flat. Big washers or even better 3mm plates are essential.

[rolesyboy]

Are inertia reel belts meant to be absolutely vertical left to right or front to back? They seem to be locked all the time. Getting em to work is like catching flies with chopsticks..

[Tim]

Yes, they need to be vertical in two planes. The inertial sensor is usually either a little pendulum or a ball bearing, when they aren't level they behave as though the car is under heavy braking (or rolling on its side).

There are adjustable ones that can be mounted at an angle, then corrected.

Tim

[Smiffy]

Done this to my Mk3 (1970) You need the mounting piece/block out the later pockets as well. Cut the around the mount so you take a piece of the pocket, then drill the spot weld out and remove. Now position it on the outside of the pocket and mark and drill holes to plug weld it in position. Now drill the large centre hole for the bolt, piece of piss and they worked first time.