1966 Spitfire4 Mk2 Inertia Seat Belt Fitting - how?

[KevinB]

Some advice please. I'm looking to fit a set of inertia seat belts into my Mk2 Spitfire. I have two fixing points at the moment, rear wheel arch and transmission tunnel.  I obviously need a two more fixing points , I guess  somewhere on the floor behind the  seat near the door for the one and a second on the rear wheel arch? .  If I do this I'd need some sort of spreading plate on the floor pan and inside the wheel arch to bolt to? Does anyone have any advice or pics as to the best place to fit and how please?  Any thoughts most welcome, thank you. 

[Badwolf]

You should already have 3 anchor points for static (top of wheel arch, floor by door & bottom of trans tunnel) and need 4 for inertia. I don't know about the mk2, but on my mark iv there is an anchorage point under the vinyl trim where the wheel arch meets the raised section of floor behind the seat. I didn't realise that it was there until I spotted it from the outside, in the wheelarch, while changing a rear wheel. Worth a quick look unless someone else who knows, says you need to start drilling and welding.

[NonMember]

I don't think the Mk2 would have had that extra anchorage point from the factory - in fact I'm not convinced the MkIV did! It's not a big problem to drill and weld, though. I would say, be careful what inertia belt you use. My GT6 has them and they're a right royal PITA. They lock up when you need to lean forward, they pull you harder and harder into the seat as you struggle.

[Adrian Cooper]

I don't think that the Mk2s had seatbelts fitted from the factory, rather by the dealer who sold them, and so the fitting methods differ. Mine has the 3 points that BW mentions but I had a friend who's Mk2 just had 2 point lap belts. My static belts are a nuisance but I agree with Non-Member's warning that inertia belts might be even more annoying. Can you go along to a club meeting and see what other owners have, how they have fitted them and if they work?

[DanMi]

The MK2 had a floor mounting point in the outside rear corner of the floor pan and one on the propshaft tunnel from the factory. Any other mounts were dealer or aftermarket as Adrian is correct seatbelts were not a factory fit. These can be used but you would need to make fittings in the wheel arch if not already present. The plates are readily available eg 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BACKING-PLATE-HARNESS-EYE-SEAT-BELT-FIXING-STRESS-ANCHOR-SPREADER-PLATE-FIA-MSA/331610532648?hash=item4d35872b28:m:mistJw54aoR0j3ugjATXJXQ

 

[Colin Lindsay]

5 minutes ago, DanMi said:

The MK2 had a floor mounting point in the outside rear corner of the floor pan

I've been searching for photos but no success so far; is that a loop mount, as in the earlier Heralds, Dan? Just a looped metal mount bolted through the floor pan with two nuts?

[DanMi]

there is a plate welded on with a welded on nut. I think that is all there was from the factory, the stanpart belts used the eye screwed int the captive nut.