Manxter Rear Seatbelts

Tom-Kathleen · Post by **Tom-Kathleen** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:58 pm

Has anyone installed "legal" (safe, into metal, not fiberglass) rear lap belts in their Manxter? We are finally thinking about installing the rear belts in Kathleen's Manxter and are looking for ways to intall a set. Attaching the center points to the tunnel looks OK, but you can't get the 45 deg angle towards the rear which holds you in if you need it in an accident. The outboard mounts are looking even harder. So, if anyone has done this, we would apprciate some ideas. Thanks! Tom

Olli · Post by **Olli** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 2:54 am

Tom, I used some 1.25" or 1.50" heavy walled box tubing which goes the entire width of the car just behind the rear seats. Take a look under the back of the Manxter and visulize the bar with each end sitting on top of the old Beetle body mount locations. I bolted the bar down using the VW threads. To the bar I welded tabs for the seat belts. I cut slits into the body for the belts to go through. I can send you a picture. Olli

Tom-Kathleen · Post by **Tom-Kathleen** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:38 am

Olli - great idea. I will look at how hard it will be to make a part like that. I just looked at the Manxter and I assume you are using the 2 holes that used to be body mounts when the car was a bug. The new bar looks like it would need a bend to clear the transaxle, or be rasied to just clear the body but stay above the transaxle. I assume the other round bar you have running side to side from the rear most roof support structure is for the shouder belt mounts? We can't have a bar there, it would get in the way of the storage box we use on the long trips. Thanks for the help, this soulds like a nice solution to our problem. Tom

90volts · Post by **90volts** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:28 pm

same isea as ours. but it comes up and is welded to a piece of angle iron which cradles the bottom of the tub. in addition to seat belt mounting point it gives more rigidity to the buggy.

Tom-Kathleen · Post by **Tom-Kathleen** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:32 am

90 Volts - I think Olli is talking about further foward on the car. The Manxter has room behind the seats similar to what would be the flat rear seat area in a Manx. The rear seats are about where they would be in a Bug, because some people mount their batterys under the seat. The mounting bolts are 1/2 way between the torsion bar and the rear shock mount on the cast iron connector. They used to be the rearmost (bug) body mounting points. Tom

Olli · Post by **Olli** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 5:30 pm

Tom is right. I used the VW rear body mount pad locations. This way the bar bolts directly to the chassis. It also puts the bar at approx. butt to hip height in relationship to the rear seats. Olli