W116.org

left and right hand late versions are different part numbers - the late style are bolted to the seat frame and then onto a sliding rail that bolts to the transmission tunnel. The early style are on a cable that bolts straight to the floor.

No use having new leather, rechromed headrest posts, new plastic covers and handles with crappy old sun dammaged seat belt fastners. They are a bit rich at $520 for the pair but money well spent. I'll probably end up getting the retractable belts too, they look original - unacceptable.  Pictures soon enough.

Sounds good.
I would imagine that the majority of belt retractors are not functioning as they should after about 30yrs of service. On both of my cars, they are extremely sluggish in operation.

Tim

you are an absolute demon...do you know how many starving children in africa you could have fed with those seatblet thingies!!

On my 450 I purchased a new set of local seatbelts with clasp on a long wire that bolts to the original point on the floor.

I did it for safety as I wanted seat belts that actually worked not 30 year old ones with frayed webbing and sluggish reels and they were very inexpensive. I have kept the originals in case I ever decide to restore them.

My 6.9 has quite adequate original belts but I would feel happier replacing them so will be interested in your costings.

Old belts can be re-built locally with new webbing and reels and I would rather explore this before lashing out too much.

Bill

Lets not get too excited - I discovered something devistating, I dont beleive the correct, australian standard fasteners are available anymore! Unacceptable! 

Whats even more concerning is the amount of versions of seatbelts and fasteners there are for the 116 - i think this is going to be a nightmare.

What i originally paid & ordered has turned out to be the wrong version, and i changed the order the same day to the correct part number items, but it looks like these are no longer available. I expect a phone call on monday confirming this...

Can anyone with an Australian, late 116 with the Australian approved seat belt anchorage plate, show me what their fasteners looks like, and the buckles on the belt??

Would be greatly appreciated.

Don't even know if whats installed in my car is original or not. the stamped on part numbers don't exist anywhere, possibly superseded.

I have come across three versions so far. The very early type similar to what's in 108's, the type I have in my 6.9 and the late type that was used well into the 1980's. Only the late type is attached to the front seat frame and then through the sliding rail to the transmission tunnel. All the early types fasten directly to the tunnel and bypass the seat frame altogether.

1. Early type... all metal construction with dyed-anodised mascot on button, anchors directly to floor.
2. Intermediate type... Compact plastic/wide metal buckle type, anchors directly to floor as in my 6.9.
3. Late type as in my 450 and Nathan's Mohican and Goldy, on sliding rail with coloured button on narrow side.
I actually have a mixture of both in my 6.9:


Tim

Ok,

So i have the correct, late style fasteners installed. With the side orange button, and directly mounted to the chair and sliding rail.

My drivers one has an odd part number of 123 860 34 69 which isnt showing up anywhere. In the EPC, the ones that look like these come up with part numbers that are no longer available anyway.

No news is apparently good news.

I asked for the original now, no longer available fasteners that had the buttons on the side, but was supplied with the now equivilent, drop in replacement... As seen on the right..

They are a more snug fit, sit flush on top of the hinge cover, and sit flush in line with the top edge of the seat base - ie, wont shove up your a$$ when your sliding over to make a move on the company secretary.






Loveley

Oh, and there was a significant saving - these were only 510.40 for the pair, rather than 520. Yay!

Looks good and I like the fact that the button is on the top rather than on the side.

What is the consealed text on the slipmat?

Tim

the passenger seide seat had one of these fasteners installed by the previous owner, but the orange button part has started decomposing obviously from sunlight, as its lost its colour and gone flakey.

Ummm, it wasnt intentionally consealed, it was the only surface i could find rapidly that wasnt covered in empty beer bottles or ashtrays. 
For the record its "Resident Dj, HM prisons, Brixton"

I'd vote for the unique side-release original belt mechanisms - one thought - many USA cars have brand-new condition belt buckles as our seatbelts did not come into common use until the late 1990s.

Also, the driver's side retractor would be a like-new passenger belt retractor assembly.

Remember - active and passive safety was the hallmark of this series of S-Class, and any changes might be less than desireable to these systems.

I'm planning to replace Max's driver's belt system with a passenger side system from Aussieland, if anyone knows of a like-new belt (my webbing is worn) I'd like to get the belt/retractor assembly.

There should be no shortage of belt retractors in AU - just make sure you post a picture of your buckle style as there is an alarming amount of different versions.

An interesting note is that SOME USA spec fasteners are unique in that they have the "fastened seatbelt" switch incorperated into the fastener with cable harness. I dont know that the fasten seatbelts warning was legally required anywhere else on earth..

Having said that, I do remember on old volvo's of the same era in australia being fitted with the same system, but they also had a pressure switch incorperated into the seat base to detect if someone was sitting in it. When this failed or become unhooked youd have to fasten the passenger seat belt even when no one was in it, to stop the "fasten seat belts" light flashing at you constantly.

Ah yes, the "fasten seatbelts" indicator. They were clearly designed to annoy you so much that you either fasten your seatbelt or remove the relay. I was relieved to discover that W116's sold on the Australian market did not have this feature. The same cannot be said for later models, though.

Having said this, I do fasten my seatbelt when it's required.

Tim