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MG MGA - Seat belt & roof frame

I've had my MGA for 4 months and have just tried putting the hood up for the first time.
The diagonal shoulder strap of the seat belt passes round the outside of the roof frame which can't be right (see pic). But if I move it inside the hood frame it's going to foul when the roof goes down. Am I missing something?

GrahamMV

Graham..this is the classic problem for an Mga... it was never designed for a shoulder belt safety harness only a lap belt. Many folk have installed shoulder and also retactable and most probably and hopefully the guy you bought the car from has ..on occasions... ( after all you are in the UK ) needed to put the soft top up. There should be a disconnect behind the seat frame and near the doors to allow the belt to be respositioned inside the soft top support...if not you will need to install one. I attach the pic of mine and you can see the soft top support to the left of the disconnect shackle ( system needed only a few times per year here in sunny OZ).

n ferguson

Thanks for explaining that. Mine is just bolted at the back (I think you can see the bolt in my pic). I will try and source a "disconnect". Does it take long to disconnect and reconnect the belt, as if so, I may leave it as is, because I try not to use the car if its wet.
Had originaly thought I could resite belt inside the roof support, as with roof down, the frame drags the belt down off my shoulder.
GrahamMV

Graham the Mk11 MGA has a bracket, welded to the chassis behind the seats, which allows the belt to be disconnected when you put the hood up or down.

I am on my way this morning to weld 2 sets, one on a friends chassis, and one on my latest rebuild.

Todd Clarke (USA) makes and sells these excellent fittings.

Barry.
BM Gannon

Mine has a pin on the botton seat belt mounting so that you can disconnect, re-route and then re-connect the seat belt after raising or lowering the hood, a bit of a fiddle so the best plan is to leave you hood down all the time!

Lindsay Sampford

Mine is fixed at top and bottom by bolts; sadly no release mechanism. But was thinking maybe fitting one of these would sort it (pic)?

GrahamMV

Does the bolt go through a plate as my pin does, in which case you could replace the bolt with a pin and spring clip.
Lindsay Sampford

Sorry to one up you guys but my seat belts are featured on the MGAGURU site! Pictures show the fixing points and R pin release for disconnecting whenever the hood is put up or down. (Credits also to Barry Gannon above who did the welding for these brackets)

http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/interior/int123.htm

Regards
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Lindsay, That bracket, pictured in your post, looks like one made by Todd Clarke (as mentioned above). It provides the best option for hood up or down.
Barry
BM Gannon

Yes Barry, well spotted, it is a Todd Clarke! He does some good stuff.
Lindsay.
Lindsay & Lynda Sampford

Graham, What you need is the quick release attachment as supplied by QuickfitSBS in Stanmore which would fit on the rear tonneau point. It consists of a special belt end with a keyhole slot and a spring loaded 7/16" screw which replaces your existing bolt. You would have to remove your existing belt end and sew the new one on but that shouldn't be a problem. They might even stitch it for you. They are beautifully made and chromium plated. I've tried to upload a picture but apparently my file is 'too large'. I think it's a fairly new addition to their belt accessories list and I can't find it on the www.quickfitsbs.com site but if you e-mail them they will send you a picture. They really look to be high quality parts and are about £40 + VAT a pair Mike
m.j. moore

Mike, I posted these pictures I got from SBS a couple of years back. I don't know if it's changed since then.

Neil McGurk

and this one. I had to compress these pictures to submit (still have them saved from last time!)

Neil

Neil McGurk

Thanks. Really appreciate the help.

Lindsay, yes mine does go through a plate. So it would certainly be a simple job once I have sourced the pin & clip.
Mike, Stanmore is only 20 minutes away, so I can drive there and takee a look.

I did want to ask how you find your belts with the hood down. I find the diagonal shoulder strap is always slipping down to the side of my arm. If there is something I can do rectify that, it makes sense doing everything at the same time.
g Victors

Yes that's the one Neil: looks good. I'm having belts made up by them at the moment but I've got Todd Clarke frame brackets with quick release cotter pin so I didn't opt for the quick release rear fitting. I'm a bit worried also that my rear belt might wander over the seat back. Quickfit also do a chrome plated belt loop that can screw to the top of the seat frame and prevent the belt moving sideways. This is pictured on one of the accessory boards on the website. I won't be terribly keen though in drilling through the leather. If I were you Graham I would go along to Quickfit and talk to Pawel Podchoredicki as he is the expert there. Mike
m.j. moore

Realise when I reopened this thread that all you guys are happy with the fixed length 3 point. I scrapped the inconvenient horror a long time ago and fitted a retractable with a disconnect and can actually get in the car and connect up without a monumental struggle.....not original but then neither are the installations shown on the thread..evolution!!!
n ferguson

Thanks - will get down there this week
Graham M V

This thread was discussed between 14/08/2009 and 16/08/2009

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