348 5 Point Harness Mounting

My car's in FL and I'm in MD, so no pictures handy, but take a look at any 348 Challenge car and you'll see how the factory specified mounting the 5-point harnesses used in the Series. Of course, Challenge cars have no upholstered bulkhead panels behind the seats, so you'll need some mods there, and the Challenge seats have cut-outs to accomodate the anti-sub (5th) belt, but . . .

 

You aren't by any chance planning on coming to the FCA track event at Sebring the weekend after next, are you? If so, you're more than welcome to look at my car. If not, I'll try to remember to photograph the upper mounting points for you.

 

Don't run a 5/6 point in a street car. If you are doing track you can run challenge style 1/4" plates that are about 2"x3" drilled and tapped for eyes welded to the bulk head behind the seat. I actually do not like the wimpy challegne mounts and ran my 1/4" plate mounts on 1/8" plate that is about 8"x8" and welded that ot he bukhead. Why?...the bulkhead is wimpy 22 gauage steel.

 

there is not a simple way to do this in a 348. you can't make a harness bar to go between b pillers because the 3point shoulder harness goes from the center of the car to the ouside. additionally bad is the fact that the lap belt is integral with seat. Unsafe IMO since the seat bolts are small diameter screwed in thin sheetmetal. 10 gs just on the seat is 450lbs! So if you are going to play you are going to pay. You will have to remove cut modify some fascia in order to do a proper 4-5 point mount. Also the 4 pt mount may not be as safe as the 3 point. belts systems are designed as systems and it is well known that 4 point have no antisubmarine effect. 3 points don't either but the 3 point allows you body to collapse around the stretchy belts in a collision. The crash dynamics is different. IMO 4points should never be used. 5pts are minimum and 6 point parachute style is the way to go if you are going to the track. Safety is a system. Make sure what you do is well thought out.

YMMV

 

update , has anyone fabricated a harness bar for the 348 ? i was thinking of using the orig seatbelt mount at the center bulkhead , and coming out to mount at the sheet metal w/ a reinforced pad base bolted down .?//?

 

If you remove the padding behind the seat by the rear window you can accesses the factory pick up points. For street use you can install a recoil shoulder strap in by the outside pillar. Or you can make a bar from that to the central recoil mounting for the "mouse" belts.
I fabricated doubling plates for each side of the body under the window, glued and bolted in, then placed an eye bolt in position to accept shoulder harness. The lap straps were attached along with the stock. Customer can use either system any time.

 

Brian do you have a picture of your work? Just wanted to get a visual.

 

I had a 348 spider that I converted to use a standard 3 point retractable belt like the ones that are in almost all current street cars. I used the standard Ferrari retractors that are mounted between the seats and a belt set that I purchased from JC Whitney. The retraction was toward the center and the connection point was on the outside edge of the seat where the original belt attached. It took a little thought and slight modifications but worked great and looked factory. I sold that car several years ago so no photos.

 

more specific....what padding behind each seat , you mean the upper vinyl cover? is it a threaded pick up point?

 

The eye bolts are positioned immediately under the window and centered on the seat. I left the OE padding (the very top piece) and covered the exposed area with some matching carpet, all you see is the "eye" and can then clip in shoulder straps when at the track. The seat end is a bit messy with both systems in, and a different manufacture of harness might also be less bulky.

If you remove the padding panels (studs go through into the engine compartment) you will see that it is simple to replace with a generic recoil belt as previous post.