Different take on 4 pt Repa harnesses

[skinnerd]

Been struggling with the factory style retractible seat belts in my car as the bolt-in roll bar just gets in the
way of how the belts should normally be positioned.
Thus the belts won't retract correctly and are always loose on me when I'm driving (bad thing) and fall too
far up the side of my neck for comfort.

Needed a better option....

I've been looking at all the nice Repa 4 pt set-ups in a number of the cars on this site, and wanted something
similar.
So I purchased a roll of the webbing with the thin orange stripe that "stretch" has been selling.
Looked into getting the early 911 buckles with the red buttons, but they were tough to find, and expensive
and for the most part in rough shape (missing parts, rusty, etc).
I opted for something similar...but different.
Instead I went with a vintage VW bus buckle that is cosmetically identical except for white buttons (which I
like as they are different) and VW stampings in the plastic that are all but invisible.
Also wanted some a little more toned down, so decided to skip the Repa patches.
However I did go for the reproduction 1973 Porsche tags.
Although hard to tell from the pics, the little pulls are a light tan color that looks really nice.

Vintage Seat Belts up in Canada put them together for me.
Received today and installed.
Instead of chrome hardware, I went with the more subdued shot peened look.
Happy with the quality of the work, the look and the fit.

Here are some pics:

[mrg3.6]

Very nice and love the seats

Martin

[bob tilton]

Superb! Even "more superber" if end price below normal cost.

[skinnerd]

Superb! Even "more superber" if end price below normal cost.

The webbing is quite spendy as are the services of Vintage Seat Belts....

But I did save on the buckles. $20 for the primo early bus set vs. a couple hundred for a good set of early 911 buckles?

So I guess I did get under the "usual" cost for these type of harnesses.
PM me if you want to know the total cost of such a set-up.

How do they say it? My pics really don't do the belts justice....they're very slick looking in person.

[bob tilton]

I am a big fan of those who explore "creative alternatives" with success! I'd say you nailed it!

[911_2.2T]

Nice! I've actually been looking at doing exactly the same :-)
And I happen to have a scheel 100 too, but I had the upholstry done 'less bulky'... Not sure if it will even go in one of the cars though..

Didn't the VW bus belts also have the plastic Repa belt ends? you should be able top put them back on.
Have you ever thought of 'pressing back' the VW logo?
I think if you take a hot metal round stick, you can just'press over the VW logo.

I know stretch is working on Repa Tags too, hopefully at an attractive pricepoint.

[skinnerd]

Didn't the VW bus belts also have the plastic Repa belt ends? you should be able top put them back on.
Have you ever thought of 'pressing back' the VW logo?
I think if you take a hot metal round stick, you can just'press over the VW logo.

I know stretch is working on Repa Tags too, hopefully at an attractive pricepoint.

Mine did not come with any plastic belt ends, but I like the minimalistic look actually.
I have a lot of ties with VW (my 1st three cars were all VW's as is my current daily driver GTI), so for me
the VW logo is staying. My way of being a little unique and not doing what everyone else is doing.

The VW bus buckles I got were in very nice condition...just needed a little cleaning of the chrome.
They look NOS now.


Vintage Seat Belts put on their own version of the Porsche/Repa tags on my belts.

[Bullethead]

Nice, Doug! Bill does nice work, yes?

Besides being partial to Scheel 100s, I like that setup a lot... where did you get the white release buttons?

[skinnerd]

Thx Russ.
Yes Bill does do nice work....and quick.
My belts were put together in just a matter of days.

The white button release buckles were standard fare for the early VW's...same vintage as the typical
red button release buckles seen in the early 911's/914-6's.
I trolled ebay under both "Porsche seat belts" and "VW seat belts" before settling on the VW buckles.
Here's the actual ebay ad from my set:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300783200603

[Gburner]

More seat belt mount info here.
http://www.schroth.com/installation-...stallation.htm

They must sell a lot of 4 point belts kits?
I'm not a fan of 4 point belts and here is why.
A 4 point belt is missing the sub belt, the one that goes between your legs to the floor.
The reason the sub belt is important is that it locates the lap belt so you can tighten the shoulder belts.
Without a sub belt when you tighten the shoulder belts it will pull the lap belt up and out of place.

The correct way to tighten race belts is..
1st connect sub belt and waste belts and tighten, then the connect the shoulder belts and tightened last.

2 types of sub belts 5 point and 6 point.
A 6 point does not require a hole in the seat bottom, downside is you sit on the 6 point belts.
I still prefer a 5 point... and a chair that will protect me if the car backs into the wall.

If you are going to change belts why not make them as safe as possible, just include a sub belt.