Early seat belt recall ?

[aegean]

Noticed that all the seat belts in my '74 260 were dated 1976. Anyone know if there was a recall in 1974/75 or 76 that necessitated the replacement of the seat belts ?

[handsandwhich]

My January 1975 built car has July 1976 manufactured belts so you may be on to something there?

 

Unless we have a limited edition Delorean Datsun.

[YosemiteZed]

Hi

Isuppose a bit of history is required here

 

In the late 60's Australia was the leading nation to enforce seatbelts to be installed by manufacturers into vechicles.

Although wearing of them was not compulsory for a few years latter on and sometimes only required a lap belt and again Australia was the first country to enforce this

Tougher legislation was being enforced in the early seventies for 3 point lap and sash to stop the occupant from submarineing under lap seatbelts

In the early seventies the reports going back to the safety committies was the comfort and positioning of the staps/buckles and anchors was not encoraging people to wear the safety belts

From 1973 -1975 a review of the retraction systems and webbing / heat effdarect on plastic components lead to changes in the standards applied to car manufacturers.

 

in late 1974 to jan 1976 the Australian Standards issued new requirements to meet these factors (ADR 4B/4C/4D) and vechicle manufacturers had to comply

the parts listing shows a seatbelt change in 10/1975 to the 04/1976 and one can only assume that the vechicle builds had to change there type to meet these requirements for 3 point anchorages and improve operation and comfort of the seatbelts.

 

I can only assume that your seatbelts where changed over to meet these requirements outlined either as a recall or did not meet the new aus/standards being implemented in a short period of time before the actual sale in australia

Cheers

Phil

[maddos]

Very informative Yosemite.

I noticed this on my 1/75 model also having the later dated belts.

[zedrally]

YosemiteZed is on the money.

 

The Factory seatbelts weren't ADR approved, hence them being substituted with the Aussie Version which was.

 

Stupid really as the Factory ones where better in all respects, but how do you battle with such a mentality ?