Shoulder belts

[Araknid]

Does anyone happen to know when the Spiders first had shoulder belts instead of just lap belts?
Also, what was the first year they used fuel injection?

Thanks!

[rlux4]

A lot of changes were made in 1979, primarily the engine went to 1995 CC's, and the name changed to Spider 2000. I believe the shoulder belts were added then. I could be wrong on that, however, the FI was introduced first on cars shipped for sale in California in 1980, and from 1981 on all Spiders were FI.
Ron

[Araknid]

Thanks for the info!
I think the shoulder belt is important in a convertible. (I always put a roll bar in the Spiders I owned.)

[TulsaSpider]

Hmmm my 78 has shoulder belts!

[So Cal Mark]

shoulder belts were definitely pre-79. You can look up when federal standards were incorporated

[mbouse]

'74 was a two point system.
'77 was a three point system.
hmm, that leaves '75 or '76.

Carburetion existed on many early 1980 spiders, but "sometime" in the model year that ceased for all production...not just CA cars, though i will give you that all '80 CA cars were FI.

[pope]

Mike is right that all 1980's were carbbed Spiders except the California Spiders which were F.I.

My guess when the shoulder harness came about would be 1975! That was the year of the bumper switch to double bar 5-MPH style.

[Ernie]

I've got two '75 Spiders, lap belts only. My early '78 has shoulder belts. At least one '77 already reported in with shoulder belts.

So, we need to hear from some '76'ers to know for sure.

Ernie

[73Spider]

My 73 has lap belts only (thinking about putting shoulder belts). Mark is correct... 74 is the first year of shoulder belts.

[ventura ace]

No shoulder belts on my '76. I can't vouch that it is original, but I haven't found anything else incorrect for the '76 year on this car.

Alvon

[perthling]

Also added were larger front and rear side running lights and blinkers

Not quite true - my '74 (ex-CA car) has the same size rectangular front and rear sidelights as later years. The switch from the Euro style round side repeaters to the US style rectangular units was made before 1975 for vehicles destined for the US. I suspect it was around late '72.

Mind you, that might have been only for CA cars, but I doubt they would have run two different external arrangement on the body itself (unlike more easily changeable items like bumpers, where the CA/MD specification cars were different in '74).

[pope]

Your right, they just lost the long rectangular blinkers under the headlights. In 79 they went with the flush mounted side blinkers compared to the inset lenses that your has. Funny thing is that Pinninfarina still went with the small round indicators on their european cars in the 80's like they had on USA versions in late 60's.

[So Cal Mark]

in researching fed regs on belts, here is what I found. It's pretty interesting that convertibles were given 2 years longer than hardtops to comply
Standard No. 208 - Occupant Crash Protection This standard originally specified the type of occupant restraints (i.e., seat belts) required. It was amended to specify performance requirements for anthropomorphic test dummies seated in the front outboard seats of passenger cars and of certain multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses, including the active and passive restraint systems identified below. The purpose of the standard is to reduce the number of fatalities and the number and severity of injuries to occupants involved in frontal crashes. Generally, the requirements are as follows:
Passenger Cars (Effective 1-1-68)
Lap or lap and shoulder seat belt assemblies for each designated seating position. Except in convertibles, lap and shoulder seat belt assemblies are required in each front outboard seating position.
Passenger Cars (Effective 1-1-72), Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses - Options A and B only (Effective 1-1-72)
Passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles and trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg (10,000 lbs.) or less, and buses (driver's seat only) shall have:
A. A complete passive protection system, or
B. Lap belts, belts warning and meeting 48 km/h (30 mph) crash test requirements, or
C. Lap or lap and shoulder belts, seat belt warning; outboard seats shall have a single-point pushbutton release and emergency-locking or automatic-locking seat belt retractors.
Passenger Cars (Effective 1-1-73)
Requirements same as above except upper torso restraints shall have an emergency-locking retractor.
Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses (Effective 9-1-95)
The lap portion of each seat belt in a forward-facing seat or a seat that can be adjusted to forward-facing shall have a lap belt portion that is lockable.
Front, outboard designated seating positions for Passenger Cars and Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses as listed below with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 3,856 kg (8,500 lbs.) or less and Unloaded Vehicle Weight of 2,495 kg (5,500 lbs.) or less:
Passenger Cars (Effective 9-1-86), Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses (Effective 9-1-94)
Shall meet passive restraint phase-in requirements.
Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses (Effective 9-1-91)
Shall meet 48 km/h (30 mph) crash test requirements with seat belts fastened.
Passenger Cars (Effective 9-1-89), Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles and Trucks (Effective 9-1-97)
Shall meet passive restraint requirements.
Passenger Cars, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses (Effective 6-22-95 until 9-1-2000) Vehicles with no rear seats or rear seats too small to accommodate a rear-facing infant seat may be equipped with an air bag cut-off switch for the right front passenger air bag.
Passenger Cars (Effective 9-1-96), Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses (Effective 9-1-97)
Shall meet phase-in requiring air bags.
Passenger Cars (Effective 9-1-97), Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses (Effective 9-1-98)
Shall be equipped with air bags.
Passenger Cars, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses (Effective 2-25-97)
Shall be equipped with a warning label.
Passenger Cars, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses (Effective 3-19-97)
For the unbelted dummy test condition, manufacturers have the option to certify vehicles using the sled test specified in the standard versus the 48 km/h (30 mph) vehicle-into-barrier crash test.
All outboard designated seating positions:
Passenger Cars, except convertibles (Effective 12/11/89), Convertibles (Effective 9-1-91), Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles and Trucks with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 4,536 kg (10,000 lbs.) or less
(Effective 9-1-91)
Shall be equipped with integral lap and shoulder belts at every forward facing, outboard designated seating position.
Standard No. 209 - Seat Belt Assemblies - Passenger Cars, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks, and Buses (Effective 3-1-67) This standard specifies requirements for seat belt assemblies. The requirements apply to straps, webbing, or similar material, as well as to all necessary buckles and other fasteners and all hardware designed for installing the assembly in a motor vehicle, and to the installation, usage, and maintenance instructions for the assembly
and aircraft. Its purpose is to reduce the number of children killed or injured in motor vehicle crashes and in aircraft.

[So Cal Mark]

according to this article, the NHTSA required 3 pt belts in 1974

1974
GM becomes the first automaker to develop and offer air bags in production vehicles. Offers dual air-bag-equipped Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles and Buicks, hoping to sell 100,000 a year. Drops effort three years later after selling only 10,000 ***

Mercedes-Benz provides ELR on 3-point belts in midsize (300 Series) cars

Sweden requires ELR on belts in front seats

NHTSA requires 3-point belts (i.e., non-detachable shoulder straps) in front outboard positions

U.S. cars provide "vehicle-sensitive" ELRs in front outboard shoulder belts (lap belt portion has ALR)