10 replies to this topic

[reyhan_285]

Good evening all

 

Its been a very long time since I have looked at my Austin mini, but my friend who has a mk2 supra is nearly finished his car and its making me want to work and drive my car again. I hopefully will have it on the road by "summer".

 

Anyway my question was does anyone know if a 1964 Austin Mini came with seat belts? If I have to have them for the MOT? She does have them but I was wanting a racing harness with the twist buckle, but they are not road legal as far as I'm aware. But from what I have been told if the car does not have seat belts as standard then you can get away with the racing harness. Is this true? 

 

Thank you all in advanced.

[Tupers]

It would not have come with seat belts from new unless you requested them at the dealer. However if seat belts are fitted they must be used and be legal. I'd imagine an MOT inspector would be obliged to check them and if they're illegal in a latter car I can't see why they wouldn't be illegal in a old car. 

 

Also race harnesses aren't great for road use as properly adjusted ones restrict your ability to move around to check blind spots and reach the switches on the dash. 

[Cooperman]

Belts would have been a extra on a 1964 car. I know I ordered my new 1964 Cooper 998 with Irvin full-harness belts and they were not a low cost extra. 

 

A racing harness is still legal with a later car. Think of all the rally cars which have to have full harness belts under the FIA rules, but also have to drive on the public roads. It's never been a problem for anyone I know and my rally cars have always passed with Sparco full harness belts.

[Dr s]

Cooper man, where did those Irvins mount too? I've got a set of period Britax on the way for my mk2. I'm thinking bottom of the seat base with a spreader plate just above the boot floor.

[reyhan_285]

Thank you very much guys, that has honestly made my day. Hopefully she will be on the road by the end of summer and then i can finally upload some pictures of her. She wont be pretty but she is mine 

[pdaykin]

I'm pretty sure that my 64 came with them as standard.

64 was the change point for the belt mounts being moved - didn't the fitment become standard when the upper belt mount moved further down the B pilar ?

[Ivor Badger]

Most cars did not come with belts as std, even when required to be fitted as law around 72. You bought the car and then had to pay extra for the belts until a public outcry. ie, why am I being sold an illegal car that I have to pay extra for to make legal? The mounts had to be fitted from 64, but were installed on a mini much earlier as were most vehicles. So you got the mounts, but no belts from 64 to 72. I think only Volvos and Rover 2000s(?) came with belts as std in the 60s.

[pdaykin]

I thought belts legally had to be fitted to the front from 65. But cars had them before the cut off. I remember having them in the P5 and landy.

Mounting points had to be fitted before then - 62 ish? - but didn't have to have belts.

Maybe the belts on my 64 were dealer fitted after all.

[pdaykin]

Just been looking and it seems like 65 was cut off for three point belts in the front

[dklawson]

I cannot answer anything about the legality of belts in the U.K. or address definite cut-in dates for belts on the Mini.  

 

However, my June 30th build Mini has built-in front seat belt mounts and came to me with a set of what looked to be factory magnetic latch Kangols installed in the front.  There were no provisions at all for rear belts.

 

Regarding the racing harness, if your MOT rules exclude use of racing harnesses on street cars, the law seems very misguided.  The FIA sanctioned, multi-point belts are generally much heavier duty than factory belts.  Making a racing harness illegal would seem to me to be denying you greater safety.  

[Rog46]

I believe racing harnesses fail because you have to be able to fasten the seat belt with one hand! How ever if the car doesn't have to have a seatbelt then they're just straps.

I had a 64 moggy traveller that came with mounting points but no seat belts.