shoulder belt too short?????

Gordy · 05-04-2008

Odd problem...... When my wife drives the GT and the seat is slid all the way forward (she's short, 5' 3") the shoulder belt is actually too short to reach it's counterpart to be buckled by a few inches. The shoulder strap is out to it's maximum length of course. I'm wondering if I should put a longer "male belt" on, that the shoulder belt clips into or, by using old seat belts, create a footlong piece, male on one end, female connector on the other, to fill in the gap. I used to work for Ford, and they sold what they called a "Seat Belt Extender", I think for use with child saftey seats, that served that very purpose.
The lap belt is fine but I would like to resolve the shoulder belt issue.
I have considered going to the 1973 style belt with the retractor (I belive that is the 73 set up) and addressing the problem that way.
Anyone else had a similar dilema, and if so how did you solve it???
Thanks for your thoughts!

wrangler · 05-04-2008

You forgot to mention one of the other obvious solution... Wife is not allowed to drive the GT!

Just kidding... who would want to deny anyone the joy of driving a GT. I had always thought that seat belt extenders were for larger drivers, never thought about the need for car seats. I think that changing it to the retractable belt would be your best route. Much easier for changing length between you and your wife as well.

jeff denton · 05-05-2008

Simple. Get her some shoes that have three inch thick soles.

Gordy · 05-26-2008

Problem solved.
I took a longer male part to a GT lap belt (the shoulder male strap is only about 6 inches long whereas the male lap belt strap is probably 18 inches long or so) and ADDED it to the driver's side trans tunnel bolt which holds the female lap belt, the shorter shoulder strap male belt, and now also the longer male shoulder strap belt. All 3 belts are bolted there now, and the cool thing is, when she has the seat way forward and uses the longer male belt, the regular shoulder strap itself is just the right length as when I have the seat way back and use the short male shoulder belt strap. That way we don't need to fight with the shoulder strap adjustment each time we switch drivers.

05-04-2008	#1 (permalink)
Gordy Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Loves Park, IL (Rockford area) Posts: 618 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Unanswered: shoulder belt too short????? Odd problem...... When my wife drives the GT and the seat is slid all the way forward (she's short, 5' 3") the shoulder belt is actually too short to reach it's counterpart to be buckled by a few inches. The shoulder strap is out to it's maximum length of course. I'm wondering if I should put a longer "male belt" on, that the shoulder belt clips into or, by using old seat belts, create a footlong piece, male on one end, female connector on the other, to fill in the gap. I used to work for Ford, and they sold what they called a "Seat Belt Extender", I think for use with child saftey seats, that served that very purpose. The lap belt is fine but I would like to resolve the shoulder belt issue. I have considered going to the 1973 style belt with the retractor (I belive that is the 73 set up) and addressing the problem that way. Anyone else had a similar dilema, and if so how did you solve it??? Thanks for your thoughts!

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05-04-2008	#2 (permalink)
wrangler Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pensacola, Florida Posts: 464 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	You forgot to mention one of the other obvious solution... Wife is not allowed to drive the GT! Just kidding... who would want to deny anyone the joy of driving a GT. I had always thought that seat belt extenders were for larger drivers, never thought about the need for car seats. I think that changing it to the retractable belt would be your best route. Much easier for changing length between you and your wife as well.

05-05-2008	#3 (permalink)
jeff denton former opel racer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: near some glaciers Posts: 2,774 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Simple. Get her some shoes that have three inch thick soles.

05-26-2008	#4 (permalink)
Gordy Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Loves Park, IL (Rockford area) Posts: 618 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Problem solved. I took a longer male part to a GT lap belt (the shoulder male strap is only about 6 inches long whereas the male lap belt strap is probably 18 inches long or so) and ADDED it to the driver's side trans tunnel bolt which holds the female lap belt, the shorter shoulder strap male belt, and now also the longer male shoulder strap belt. All 3 belts are bolted there now, and the cool thing is, when she has the seat way forward and uses the longer male belt, the regular shoulder strap itself is just the right length as when I have the seat way back and use the short male shoulder belt strap. That way we don't need to fight with the shoulder strap adjustment each time we switch drivers.

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