What Are These Holes For?

[KenFirch]

I was doing some interior panel work on my 73, and noticed 2 large threaded holes on each side between the hatch and quarter window.

What were they used for?  They seem pretty far back to be used for a shoulder belt.  Were they left open as shown?

Just curious....

 

[EuroDat]

They are there to mount the coat hocks. I think they call them coat hocks anyway. I don't have a photo, but can take one if you need to see what I mean.

Edit: Looking closer at your photo, its zoomed in which made it hard to located its position. Seems further back just before the hatch struts. If I remeber correctly mine has two impressions their, but no hole. It must of been an option. Don't know what?

Chas

Edited April 1, 2015 by EuroDat

[CoastGuardZ]

Those are for the shoulder belts. I'm not sure if the belts were an option or standard, so I'm not 100% on whether the hole was left open or covered in some way. Mine is a '72 built in 9/71, when I got her in 2005 the shoulder belts that were installed had a 1990 manufacturing date stamped on the tag. Also, I think I have an extra set I could dig for if you're interested.

Edited April 1, 2015 by CoastGuardZ

[siteunseen]

My 02/'72 didn't have shoulder belts.  I think the previous owner removed them, they are a PITA, so I robbed the ones of my other car.  The police look for that black stripe across your chest around here.

 

I don't have those covers, just bolts showing.

[Montana Z]

My 11/71 has shoulder belts mounted there.  Siteunseen, like yours mine just have the bolts no cover.

[cbuczesk]

That's the shoulder mount for 70-75 Zs. IIRC they all had the bolts showing. No covers. In 76 they mounted the retractor to the top of the rear strut tower and had a plastic cover over the retractor.

 

Chuck

[KenFirch]

Okay, that makes sense now.   It would be nice to have a safer belt system, but I can see how it would be a PITA.   I'm use to the old lap belt setup from my old Mustangs, and cops don't pull you over if you have the factory setup.  Which leads me to the next question as to whether mine came with shoulder belts or not.  It looks like 240Z's may have had a retractor located behind the seat.   I would think that by 73 it would have been mandatory.  I did find this thread:

 

http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/30147-seat-belt-options-s30240z/

Edited April 1, 2015 by sfm6s524

[siteunseen]

The lap belt does have a retractor.  The shoulder belt just hangs on a clip attached below the rear windows.  Once I'm buckled up and snug, I can't even reach the radio.  

 

Maybe someday I'll get one of these, http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic08f09/40-7490

[markvanderhill]

Maybe someday I'll get one of these, http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic08f09/40-7490

 

I have these, highly recommended. Very, very easy install. No more having to contort yourself to find the shoulder part that unclipped from the belt part. No adjustments necessary if you're wearing a thicker jacket. 

[Stanley]

On my 73 the shoulder belt unclips from the lap belt sometimes if it (the shoulder belt) is not  tightened enough. It happened on the freeway a few times before I figured out that it needs to be tightened. But when I make a stop and take off the belt, it often unclips itself. Haven't tried it yet, but it seems like you could cut a nylon washer and slip it over the connector that goes through the lap belt, so it wouldn't do that.

[Stanley]

Kind of off topic, but don't want to start a new thread. It worked! Used a 1.25 dia rubber fender washer with a 5/16" hole from ACE hardware. Clipped shoulder belt onto the lap belt and stretched the rubber washer over the fitting. Takes about 10 seconds. Needs to be a thin washer to fit under the little carriage bolt thing.  Works perfect. Tried to make it unclip but couldn't. A nylon washer would be more work and not as good.

 

Can't sling the unclipped belt over my shoulder as a ticket preventer anymore, but that's not a great idea anyway.