When were seatbelts mandatory?

Post by **Goldie** » Tue May 10, 2005 5:51 pm

I intend to put seatbelts in the HPP whether they ever had them or not. Crazy not to. I know they were mandatory in pass cars by 66, but what about trucks? Was it the same? I want to use Chrysler not aftermarket, but would like something period looking.Any suggestions?...........Goldie

66patrick · Post by **66patrick** » Tue May 10, 2005 8:02 pm

Trucks and cars 1968.

mesman · Post by **mesman** » Tue May 10, 2005 8:07 pm

I don't know about "mandatory", but both my '66 and '67 D100's had seatbelts in them.

digdoug · Post by **digdoug** » Tue May 10, 2005 8:21 pm

You might ask Ralph Nader,But 66or67 seems right.

66patrick · Post by **66patrick** » Tue May 10, 2005 8:30 pm

Seat belts were optional in trucks until 1968, regardless of manufacturer. In 1968, several other things became mandatory as well, including sidemarkers, reverse lights, and (in cars), head rests, plus emission controls (49-state) across the board. Of course, California started emissions requirements in 1962, with the lowly little PCV valve.

A. Early "Seat Belt Defense" Law

In 1955, Ford and Chrysler offered lap belts as optional equipment on automobiles. In 1968, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 208 required automakers to install lap belts for each occupant and shoulder harnesses for the driver and front seat passenger on all automobiles made after January, 1968.5 This change was a response to evidence that seat belts could prevent deaths and injuries from automobile accidents.6 Accordingly, state and federal requirements for seat belt installation were enacted to encourage seat belt use.7

For more on what became mandatory and when, refer to:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/FMVSS/#SN101

383mrollg · Post by **383mrollg** » Tue May 10, 2005 9:31 pm

i have a 70 and mine didnt come with seatbelts... odd??

WD · Post by WD » Tue May 10, 2005 11:47 pm

Seatbelts weren't in ALL new trucks until the early 1980s. I had a 79 F series that was seatbeltless, per the build sheet.
-WD

Post by **Goldie** » Wed May 11, 2005 5:56 am

Were the belts in the D series the same as pass car belts? I have some of those from a 63 Plymouth. They certainly look period correct......Goldie

Jeffc · Post by **Jeffc** » Wed May 11, 2005 10:48 am

66patrick wrote:Seat belts were optional in trucks until 1968, regardless of manufacturer. In 1968, several other things became mandatory as well, including sidemarkers, reverse lights, and emission controls (49-state). Of course, California started emissions requirements in 1962, with the lowly little PCV valve.

A. Early "Seat Belt Defense" Law

In 1955, Ford and Chrysler offered lap belts as optional equipment on automobiles. In 1968, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 208 required automakers to install lap belts for each occupant and shoulder harnesses for the driver and front seat passenger on all automobiles made after January, 1968.5 This change was a response to evidence that seat belts could prevent deaths and injuries from automobile accidents.6 Accordingly, state and federal requirements for seat belt installation were enacted to encourage seat belt use.7

For more on what became mandatory and when, refer to:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/FMVSS/#SN10
1

this is all correct, however, seat belts were not required for farm and construction trucks that were to be used "off road only" and could be ordered that way.
Any truck that was ordered to be licensed for street use had to follow the above codes. States can make the rules stronger, but have to follow the Fed min...
So if you have, by chance, a truck that does not have at least lap belts by the late 60s your truck does not meet the above code and can recive a ticket if it is driven on the street. Not saying that it will happen,
just that it can happen......

66patrick · Post by **66patrick** » Wed May 11, 2005 12:10 pm

I highly doubt something could be ordered without the federally mandated safety equioment. If you have/had something (car/light truck) after '68 w/o belts, someone took them out before it was sold. Read the regs, it's there. The car maker would risk a fine selling something w/o the required equipment...don't see them doing that. "He said"...The regulation is what it is. The "off-road-only" exemption wasn't around long. School buses and commercial passenger buses are about the only exempt road vehicles anymore, with belts required for only the driver. That DOT site lists the current regs and their effective dates.

Jeffc · Post by **Jeffc** » Wed May 11, 2005 1:40 pm

After reading that page close, it would seem the trucks
were not required to have belts till 72 as the frist
part of that is for 68 only applies to cars and unlike the rest does not refer to trucks at all till 72,; just like today trucks do not fall under the same rules as cars and are not passenger cars.......

Even it this is right, going without belts in not a good thing anyway you look at it, saved my butt more than once (or my face, could be ether I guess

)

Maybe I have read it wrong?

Post by **Goldie** » Wed May 11, 2005 2:32 pm

I thank all of you for your responses, but I still don't know what they look like in a 63 truck. If anyone has ever had that early of a truck with factory belts, what do they look like? I would think the pass. car version is correct, but I don't know. Would there be belts for 3 occupants in a bench seat truck? I can certainly "wing it", but I'd like to be right... Goldie

RussRoth · Post by **RussRoth** » Wed May 11, 2005 7:03 pm

My '67 was bought new by Dad and it had a driver and passenger seatbelt. None in the middle originally but it does now.

Not positive but I think they are the same as the car ones. I can send a pic of mine to you if you would like since I still have the originals except for the middle one. I just looked in my '67 and '68 operators manual and neither say anything about seatbelts that I found. FYI, it did say after turn signals, emergency warning lights, windshield washers and radio (if so equipped) while the '68 only listed the radio that way.

Post by **Goldie** » Wed May 11, 2005 7:27 pm

when you get time and the inclination, I would appreciate it.....Goldie

WD · Post by WD » Wed May 11, 2005 8:31 pm

I looked in one of my books, Remember the older airline seatbelts with the lift up buckles? Those would be correct for early trucks. Pushbutton release would not. Hope this helps.
-WD

JimE · Post by **JimE** » Wed May 11, 2005 10:34 pm

My parents bought a Plymouth Belvedere wagon new in 1963(I was all of 6 yrs. old}, 318/727 push button auto. That car had lap belts in the front seats for driver and passenger, the slide through type as mentioned up the thread.

Being as I have always been a car person, early on about the time I was 10 or 11. As the family was on a road trip and the parents drove at night a lot of the time. I began to recognize the make and later the year of a car by its headlights and park lamps.
Back to the topic. Seat belts became mandatory in 68, headrest in cars in 69, shoulder harness sometime in the early 70s, and drivers side airbags in 95. Jim

Jeffc · Post by **Jeffc** » Thu May 12, 2005 10:54 am

My 62 did not come with belts, when my folks bought it in 68 they had them installed at the dealer were they bought it (Dodge new/used dealer) the dealer just drilled holes in the floor near the rear of the cab
at the boxed area under the tank and ran bolts threw
with a backing plate under the truck. My later trucks have the mount in
the box under the tank built in for the mounting bolts;
not sure what year they started to installing those mounting points, my 64 does not have them.
Belts had the lift type buckel and were chrome finish.

Post by **FredM** » Thu May 12, 2005 1:29 pm

Have 2 64's an a 64-5 parts pickup
they all have 41702 seat belt anchors as options
a eye bolt , by my description
behind the seat on the floor

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 13, 2005 2:40 am

My 62 had them they had eyebolts and the belts had flip up buckles too
Cageman