Seat Belt Mounting Sites '63 Suburban

[62Burb]

My new '63 Burb has arrived, and I'm looking at the various things needed to get her on the road before winter if possible. I'll be addressing a variety of issues in several threads. Being a '63 she has no seatbelt, original or added. I ID'd several through-bolts and I am wondering if they were placed there for this purpose; they all bolt through a crossmember beneath. The photo shows an example from the passenger side - round spot left of photo.

I also want to add driver/passenger 3 points; I am assuming that if I remove the wide trim strip above the windows that will reveal the doorpost opening for inserting a fastener plate?

Brad

[Funky61]

I had seatbelts in my 61 but they were anchored behind the seat. Sorry no photos as I took them out.

Also the two sets I had were for the driver and center position area of the front seat and not the jump seat.

[62Burb]

Turns out it is a rubber grommet in the earlier post, protecting a threaded hole that is bolt-ready for seatbelts. Seems to be a 7/16' 20tpi. The pics show views from above and below.

Also pictured is the doorpost; I removed the screws fastening it down and think i'll have just enough room to slip in a backing plate for a 3-point restraint. The front of the door pillar panel is firmly cemented in at the factory, and I don't want to distort the panel too much. I also think I can do the same for the outside seats in the back row, using the rear panel. I realize not that many people would go the 3-point route, but I'm kinda a safety nut, and expect to be hauling grandkids.

Brad

[Funky61]

That bolt hole does look factory; I wonder if the 62’s or any others have that as well. Thanks for posting it.

[62Burb]

My guess is that '63 was the first year, what with the seatbelt laws coming in at that time. Also, in my FIL's '62 Suburban, he had jury-rigged a pipe from wall to wall behind the front seats that the seatbelts went around. I remember because you had to step over it to access the back - where he had replaced the seats with troop-style bench seats with storage, and NO seat belts of course!

Brad