Elan Plus2 rear seat belts

[JeffP]

Does anyone know when (year or number) that rear seat belts were fitted in an Elan Plus2?

[stugilmour]

Jeff, sure someone with an early car can confirm, but I thought they were always installed. I don’t see any mention of rear seat belts being added in the Robinshaw & Ross Plus 2 Production Milestones listing, so assuming they were always there.

I certainly recall folks retrofitting lap belts in the early sixties, but that was often front only as you describe. I did see an online reference that rear belts were not required until the ‘70’s. Seat belt use regulations were much later in the ‘70’s.

Interesting question. Maybe Lotus was ahead of the curve?

If you need to source rear belt mounts and high strength bolts I think Spyder stock them. They are definitely prone to severe corrosion along with the rocker rails.

HTH

Stu in Calgary

[andyelan]

Hi There

For the UK at least, I didn't think rear seat belts were ever fitted to the Plus 2 as standard, I don't think there were even any mounting points. In the UK, although the law required front seat belts to be fitted to cars from 1965, the fitting of rear belts wasn't compulsory until 1987.

Regards
Andy

[TonyA]

My 1971 S130/4 was a one owner car, and original, moreover I recently removed the rear padded side panels (and in the process the rear seats and parcel shelf) which expose the seat belt mountings: nothing there for rear seatbelts.

You might ask why I took the rear interior apart: to trace a dangling wire in the boot, which turned out to be the live feed to the boot light and belongs in a bullet connector behind the rear pillar..! The joys of lucas bullet connectors..!

TonyA

[mbell]

I believe the mounts where a standard factory fit, at least by the time if the s130. I suspect rear belts werent ever fitted by lotus but we're a dealer fit item but nothing too back that up.

As mentioned by Stu the outer plates are in the wheel arches where they are very exposed and rot. I wouldn't fit rear belts with out replacing them.

[h20hamelan]

My 68 does not have them. Likely a leftover Federal USA car.
Mounts present, no holes drilled.

[rgh0]

Yes I don't believe that fitting of rear belts was ever standard but in some countries depending on when compulsory seat belt fitting came in, they may have been fitted. Here in Victoria wearing of fitted seat belts became compulsory in 1970 (first place in the world) but fitting of seat belts to every seat on a new car did not become compulsory until later.

Rear mounting points appear to have been included by Lotus in around 1971 with the S130 cars though i am sure like all things Lotus this changeover probably was hit and miss for some time as body shells were used up. My 1973 Plus 2 has them.

cheers
Rohan

[The Veg]

My federal '70 has them and the original owner took delivery at the factory, so they were not dealer-installed. Doesn't answer the question for UK cars but it's another data-point.

[alan.barker]

My 1973 +2S130/4 had the anchor points but no belts fitted.
Alan

[Hawksfield]

Hi
My 1973 s130 did not have them and my present 1971 S130 also does not have them.

[Craig Elliott]

My old '73 (May) S130/5 had the anchor points but no belts (I had to replace the outer ones as they were rotten when I fitted rear lap belts. Think my current one (July '73) has them too. So I guess they may have started fitting them in Spring '73...?

[Lotus 50]

I have an early Plus 2, 50.0887. Non-federal car with no provision for rear seatbelts.

[wotsisname]

My 1968 +2 did not have them fitted from the factory. I purchased the car in 1986 and there were no mounting points for rear seat belts. I believe they were a dealer option as I bought a complete kit some time in the late 80s or early 90's from Paul Matty. He had a big box full of them.. mounting plates, belts, fitting kit... I wish I'd bought a load as they were the kangol type, exactly as in the parts manual, complete with 1967 sewn on labels.. . I have since fitted them. they are lap belts only, but very suitable for securing a small dog. Spyder used to do a kit to fit diagonal or harness type belts, eg for children. Let me know if you need any photos of the fitment

[GLB]

my Dec 70 build federal car, 0085N had belts in the rear Gary