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It is my understanding that the federal law mandating the
installation of seat belts as OEM equipment included a provision that all cars
built previous to the enactment of that law were not required to have to install
them. In other words, not having belts in the older cars was
"grandfathered". I am not aware that any of the 50 states made their own
law demanding installation into any older car. I'm thinking the federal
law was enacted around 1968. Those introductory belts included a cable
linking the floor bolts together for additional strength
MoPar first offered seat belt kits as a dealer
installed option during the 1955 model year. I have the original
"accessory introduction" service bulletin regarding this.
Whether your floor is strong enough to hold a
seat belt with just a big round washer is going to depend entirely on the
deterioration of that floor panel over the last five decades. Most
northeastern floors probably need further reinforcement. I like to use a
piece of angle iron bolt-to-bolt if possible.
I don't think there is any doubt, particularly in a
Chrysler product that the door pillar of a sedan or post coupe is adequate
in itself for mounting a shoulder belt. Even a 2 or 4 door hardtop's
half pillar is fully adequate unless you are driving a restored rust
bucket. Whether or not the attachment you make is going to hold up is up
to you or the shop you have install them.
Wayne
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