Sky blue 64c - Finished and on the Road

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Dave Whittick
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#16 Post by Dave Whittick »

Slowly but surely.....
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Dave Whittick
356 Fan
Posts: 376
Joined: Wed May 10, 2017 4:14 pm

Re: Sky blue 64c

#17 Post by Dave Whittick »

Tony at Heritage is building my 356C interior in leather. I stopped in to his shop in Palm Springs to check on the progress last week. Beautiful work. I'm very pleased so far. It will look even better after a final steaming.

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Brett Berry
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Location: Woodside, CA

Re: Sky blue 64c

#18 Post by Brett Berry »

That leather interior is stunning! So rich looking. Very nice.
Woodside, CA
1964 356C Coupe

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Lockie McKinnon
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#19 Post by Lockie McKinnon »

please tell me more about the very cool seat belts
Lockie

Dave Whittick
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#20 Post by Dave Whittick »

Lockie McKinnon wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 1:00 am please tell me more about the very cool seat belts
Super nice guy and fast turn around. https://vintageseatbelts.com/

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David Jones
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#21 Post by David Jones »

Be very careful when using plain old lap belts. They may be more of a liability in an accident than not having belts. Your head and chest can still come in contact with the steering wheel and windshield. Lap and shoulder belts are way more effective and safe. The type of belt shown is excellent and the best protection you can get as long as it comes with the two over the shoulder restraints as well. Problem then is restricted movement to access anything further away than your hand can reach without moving your upper body.
If I had known I would live this long I would have pushed the envelope a little harder.
Cymru am byth
David Jones #9715

Dave Whittick
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#22 Post by Dave Whittick »

David Jones wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:18 am Be very careful when using plain old lap belts. They may be more of a liability in an accident than not having belts. Your head and chest can still come in contact with the steering wheel and windshield. Lap and shoulder belts are way more effective and safe. The type of belt shown is excellent and the best protection you can get as long as it comes with the two over the shoulder restraints as well. Problem then is restricted movement to access anything further away than your hand can reach without moving your upper body.
I think that all goes without saying. Safety standards have improved ten fold since our cars were built.

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Doug McDonnell
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#23 Post by Doug McDonnell »

I have yet to see any study of forces our old cars can withstand at the 3rd mounting point for a 3 point belt. And would love it if someone can provide verified forces that the factory seatbelt mounting points can withstand for 2 point belts in my 65C. Force at shoulder harness mount is over 1000lbf at 30 mph! So I assume I am driving an unsafe car by current standards. The physics of crash forces on seatbelt mounts is well known now but wasn't available when our cars were built. 3 point belts were available for T6 cars but mounting point for 3rd belt was too low.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

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David Jones
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#24 Post by David Jones »

I agree with what you say Doug but the reality is that even with a shoulder mounting point that may be compromised it is still going to slow the velocity that your head hits the windshield, and it holds you steadier in those violent maneuvers when avoiding some of the clowns on the road. When I avoided the deer two years ago and hit the driveway culvert at 50 mph the seat belt kept me in the seat and allowed me to keep control of the car. In retrospect if I had been driving a car with airbags I would have lost control of the car completely and could have ended up in the river a little further on and 50 ft below.
Our cars are unsafe by modern standards and would have no chance of passing any of the modern crash tests but virtually everything is safer now though guns are no safer now than they were in 1964 and nobody worries about that. Better wear a flak jacket when driving as well.
If I had known I would live this long I would have pushed the envelope a little harder.
Cymru am byth
David Jones #9715

Dave Whittick
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#25 Post by Dave Whittick »

I own 7 vintage cars and 2 vintage motorcycles and I'm well aware that they're all unsafe compared to the incredibly engineered modern vehicles. Not just the belts but the simple improvements like collapsible steering columns, dual circuit brakes, shock absorbing/padded dashes, knock off interior mirrors, three point belts, etc which were all introduced after my cars were built let alone airbags, crumple zones, blind spot detection, and everything else that's commonly found today. Hell, I own a VW bus where my knees are 6" from the sheet metal on the nose. I AM the crumple zone :) Top it all off with bias ply tires on many of my vehicles and I own a fleet of rolling death traps.

You'd never drive these beautiful old cars if you over think the safety aspect. I do my very best to make them as safe as I can for the era of the car.

Dave Whittick
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#26 Post by Dave Whittick »

David Jones wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 11:31 am I agree with what you say Doug but the reality is that even with a shoulder mounting point that may be compromised it is still going to slow the velocity that your head hits the windshield, and it holds you steadier in those violent maneuvers when avoiding some of the clowns on the road. When I avoided the deer two years ago and hit the driveway culvert at 50 mph the seat belt kept me in the seat and allowed me to keep control of the car. In retrospect if I had been driving a car with airbags I would have lost control of the car completely and could have ended up in the river a little further on and 50 ft below.
Our cars are unsafe by modern standards and would have no chance of passing any of the modern crash tests but virtually everything is safer now though guns are no safer now than they were in 1964 and nobody worries about that. Better wear a flak jacket when driving as well.
Glad to hear you came out of your accident relatively unharmed and I respect your advice.

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Doug McDonnell
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#27 Post by Doug McDonnell »

Air bag wouldn't have bothered you David. You would only know it went off by seeing the large condom after you stopped. I always recommended "Hit the animal" in my 32 years as an ER Dr. Very rare to see serious injury from an animal compered to the tree/culvert etc that you hit when you swerve.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

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Lockie McKinnon
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#28 Post by Lockie McKinnon »

Dave Whittick wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 9:59 am
Lockie McKinnon wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 1:00 am please tell me more about the very cool seat belts
Super nice guy and fast turn around. https://vintageseatbelts.com/
I love them,
Would they be correct for a 64 C?
Lockie

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Doug McDonnell
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#29 Post by Doug McDonnell »

2 points work in a C
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1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

Dave Whittick
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Re: Sky blue 64c

#30 Post by Dave Whittick »

Lockie McKinnon wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 12:14 pm
Dave Whittick wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 9:59 am
Lockie McKinnon wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 1:00 am please tell me more about the very cool seat belts
Super nice guy and fast turn around. https://vintageseatbelts.com/
I love them,
Would they be correct for a 64 C?
Not correct. Dealer installed would have been airplane buckles and not latch style.

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