[Jack jr]

G'day, did any Suzuki sierra come stock with front lap belts instead of 3 point belts.
Cheers Jack jr.

[Gwagensteve]

No.

[303zuke]

Yes. Type 1 SJ40, soft top only. 1981-82. Not legal in any later Sierra.

[Jack jr]

Ok thanks, did they have a targa bar?
thanks for the help

[303zuke]

Yes, they did.

Lap/sash belt set part number is 84901-80010-382.

But again, just because an earlier model did have it under the rules and approvals that existed at the time does not make it in any way legal (or a precedent) for later models.

[barbender]

I'd check AU standards for that year, I am pretty sure (but happy to be corrected) 3 point belts were mandatory from sometime in the 70's and would have been required in Australia notwithstanding what the parts manual shows, the manual may only be applicable overseas. It's an easy check to do.

[Eddy]

barbender wrote:

3 point belts were mandatory from sometime in the 70's

'84 I think, in commercial vehicles, 70s in passenger vehicles

[303zuke]

Yeah, they were definitely available in the first Sierras. All were complied as 2 seat commercial vehicles. Hardtops also had the available of dealer installed (ie Australian parts) rear seat and seat belts. Hardtops had 3 point front belts already.

[Gwagensteve]

303, my experience with new sierras doesn't stretch back to 1981, but I've never seen lap belts in a Sierra. I've seen numerous commercial 1.0 sierras and have never encountered them.

I've been unable to find any proof (like a review or spec sheet) either way, but by my logic, if any Sierra was going to have lap only belts, it would be the ute, as it was the most stripped out commercial model. As you're aware, they have lap/sash fixed belts.

I am aware that Sierras sold elsewhere without a targa bar were sold with lap belts only, and your parts listing verifies this, but it isn't confirmation sierras were delivered in Australia with lap belts only, and all Australian sierras were delivered with a targa bar so therefore had provision for a lap/sash belt

Is anyone aware of a similar vintage commercial with lap front belts only? I can't think of any.

[alien]

Nor why you'd want to run just a lap belt. Joe's face is testament to the hardness of a suzuki dash in a crash =)

[Jack jr]

the only reason for it is i like the look of a sierra with nothing higher then the steering wheel, I've been running around locally like that but haven't been game enough to go out on the main road.
might be time to get an lj50.

[alien]

You might want to check local laws too, because you will probably find that taking the targa bar off is illegal. Generally the rules state that if the car came with it, it has to stay on. So you can fold the windscreen down, but you can't remove it. You can have half doors (holden drover came with those) but you can't have no doors. etc.

Have you considered a motorbike? lol

[Jack jr]

thanks for all your help, I might stick the roll bar and 3 point belts back in the sierra and start looking for an lj50 to add to the collection.
cheers Jack.

[303zuke]

Gwagensteve wrote:

303, my experience with new sierras doesn't stretch back to 1981, but I've never seen lap belts in a Sierra.

My experience of new Sierras doesn't date back to 1981, either, but my experience of buying 2nd hand Suzukis started in 1985. This was when 2nd hand 1.0 litre Sierras really flooded the market as the 1.3's were the new "thing".

I can assure you that Soft-top Type 1 Sierras in the NSW (Ateco-imported) market very much did have lap belts. Just because you have never seen one is hardly conclusive proof.

[Gwagensteve]

I never suggested my experience was conclusive proof, only that I couldn't confirm it any other way and have never seen one, as all the type 1 and 2 soft top 1.0's I've seen have three point fixed belts.

It's possible it was an Ateco thing (?)