Morris Minor Owners Club

Sophie (1961) didn't have seat belts when she left the factory and there are no threaded holes in the sill step. Also the boxing panels have been replaced with home made ones without holes. so I can't get to the back of the step.

What I need to know is can I fix inertia real belts to the floor with a strenghtening plate?

I have just looked at this pic on ESM's site - I guess that is what the L bracket is for! Has anyone fitted a set recently to advise me?

Over the years I've seen a good many cars with belts fitted in exactly the way you suggest, and they've all got MOTs, so I guess that it must be OK. ESM also sell reinforcing plates with the correct size nut already welded in place. The plate can then be welded under the floor. Everything should be fitted as close to the sill as possible (but remember to leave room to bolt the reel to the bracket!).

The instructions with the belt will probably tell you use the right angle bracket to mount the buckle to the floor. I never do that as it gets in the way of rear passengers' feet. Instead the buckle can bolted straight to the tunnel, again with a reinforcing plate. Also, the manufacturer still sells long (600mm ?) buckles with these belts, but a shorter 1 foot (300mm) buckle gives a better position from the tunnel and allows it to be mounted forward of the hole for the handbrake cable. You could ask ESM about the shorter buckle, which is definitely available.

On a 1961 car the other thing you will probably need is an upper mounting, just below the side window and aft of the B-post. Sorry, I have no experience of fitting these on a saloon - but others I'm sure will be able to advise.

Hi Roger,
The sill mounting can be done without access through the boxing plate.
Basically - weld the nut to some plate. Make a hole in the sill inner step just big enough for the nut. Fit the nut into the hole and weld around the plate.
The first time I saw this done was by Pete Morris (Morris Services) and he made an excellent job of it to install an inertia belt (for my niece's child seat). I've copied the method since then a few times and it's always come out well.

It's worthwhile to leave a bolt in the nut whilst welding to avoid weld spatter from damaging the threads in the nut.