(Note: If things change, this blog entry will be updated.)
Having decided to take the roof off this summer, it became necessary to install a seat belt bar so that the seat belts would continue to go over the shoulders correctly. At the beginning of July one was ordered, by Exmoor Trim. This one here:
https://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/soft-top-front-seat-belt-bar.html
The seat belt bar arrived quickly, but very soon turned into a serious disappointment (and as of writing continues to be). If this was supposed to fit on a Series 2, then someone had never seen one, or at the very least not used a jig. And this for over $400 CDN.
In a nutshell, here are the problems:
1) Assuming the holes at the end of the diagonals at rear are somewhat accurately located, then the end plates at the forward end are too long, and overlap the raised holes for the hood sticks.
In the photo below, almost 1/4 of an inch of the forward edge of the plate has been ground off, but it still overlaps the welding. To grind off more would, I believe, leave the holes too near the edge. (In the photos below, I've replaced the bolts and washers with my own)
2) The holes in the end plates are huge (and apparently made with a dull drill bit, given that they're not round). The whole head of the supplied bolts can go through. This may have been done on purpose to give some "wiggle room", but this means that washers will have to take the full brunt of holding the bar down.
3) The end plates aren't parallel. The one on the right-hand side is twisted. Not a big deal, perhaps, but how much effort would it have taken to make it exactly parallel?
4) The end plate on the left is "u" shaped, i.e. it doesn't lie flat on the capping. The forward end goes up by about 1/8 inch. (I managed to bend it down, but then the end plate became S shaped, as the tube end/weld isn't parallel to the capping.)
5) The diagonal bars end up 1" away from the inner capping surface, on both sides.
The end holes in the diagonal bar also end up significantly out of alignment with the existing slots in the capping, the holes being too far rearwards for the existing slots to accommodate them, which means that using a bracing plate inside the capping becomes problematic.
7) Paint was applied over dirt or rust, as can be seen in the photos above. A light scratching with a fingernail on the effected areas and the paint came off easily.
The whole thing can be forced roughly into place (used "C" clamps to experiment), but under tremendous pressure - but THEN the cross bar bows alarmingly rearwards and now doesn't meet up in the middle. If that can somehow be pushed forwards to (perhaps) meet up, then something is going to break. I've tried to bend things slightly but these tubes are strong and while they will flex they don't give (under the pressure I can exert).
3 Brothers was contacted, with the above info, and they indicated they had forwarded this to Exmoor Trim. A month after this, no further word from Exmoor Trim.
The next step was to contact BGM Metalworks. They did a great job welding the door frames. I took the Land Rover over to them, and they indicated that they could fix the bar (for about $200) and even kindly gave me some metal stock with which to fabricate new base plates to be used. The plates were made, and I called them up (on a Thursday), was told that they would get back to me to set up an appointment either the next day or Monday "at the latest." That was also a month ago. I called back a week afterwards just to make sure things hadn't accidentally slipped under the radar, so to speak, was told they would call back, and still nothing. They may be busy, but it would certainly help to contact a customer to say so.
One of the new base plates:
That's where things are as of the date of posting this. This entry will be updated as soon as there are further developments.
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The seat belt bar is now sufficiently but very temporarily attached, enough to be used, although I think it's safest to use it on slow roads only. Assuming the problems are fixed then further drives with the top off will be very enjoyable.
