Josh,
Thanks for the informative entertaining how-to.
Jesse
DocWyte wrote:
>
> As I gazed around my house and enjoyed the beautiful
> weather, I decided to take my faithful companion,
> Molly the wonder dog (yellow lab) and work on Project
> GLI.
>
> Project GLI ('90 GLI 2l 16v) was cursed from the
> factory with the door mounted passive restraint seat
> belts. Months ago I'd pillaged several older jettas
> to get the needed parts to convert to "normal" 3 point
> seatbelts. They'd been sitting on my workbench every
> since.
>
> Step one: Drag all parts out from the basement
> workbench. Drop bag and watch in dismay as bolts and
> washers fall on gravel driveway. Molly the wonder dog
> spies a chipmunk and happily chases it. I start
> picking up parts.
>
> Step two: Bring all needed tools up from basement,
> including Bentley manual. You DO have a Bentley
> manual, right?
>
> Step three: Dry fit all parts, seeing how they fit
> together and making sure I have all the needed
> hardware. I can't stress this enough, if you can't
> figure out how things fit outside of the car, good
> luck once you're inside the car!! Also, do yourself a
> favor and get at least twice as many of the bolts as
> you really need. You'll understand later in this
> story why...
>
> Step four: Remove front seats. Email me if you don't
> know how... Molly the wonderdog promptly plunks
> herself down on the seats, getting doghair everywhere.
> Ugh...
>
> Step five: Remove black plastic trim around edge of
> carpet, be careful prying up the trim, the plastic
> tabs get very brittle with age. That'll reveal two
> phillips head screws that hold the lower B pillar trim
> on.
>
> Step six: Remove B pillar trim parts. Look at the
> top of the B pillar and see what kind of threaded
> holes you have up there. Some cars will only have one
> threaded hole to accept a 17mm bolt (for fixed point
> shoulder belt), others will have two threaded holes.
> This is to hold the adjustable shoulder portion of the
> "normal" belt system. Luckily I'd pillaged both from
> the junkyard, otherwise I'd have been SOL.
>
> Step seven: Evict Molly the wonderdog from front
> seats. She looks at you mournfully until she sees the
> squirrel on the other side of the yard, chase
> ensues... Remove old lapbelt etc from front seats and
> replace with "normal" belt anchor.
>
> Step Eight: Mount inertial reel onto tabs on car.
> Try to thread 17mm bolt into place by feel. Drop bolt
> down into recess of car. Spout out choice 4 letter
> words. Notice neighbor walking small children in
> street. Blame Molly the wonder dog. Get magnet on a
> stick and manage to fish bolt out and get it in place.
> Torque to 29 ft lbs. Mount up lower B pillar trim.
>
> Step Nine: Do the same on the passenger side of car.
> Once again drop 17mm bolt into recess of car. Spout
> more 4 letter words. Look guiltily around for small
> children. See none. Remember next door neighbor runs
> a day care center from her house. Blame Molly the
> wonder dog again. Try to fish bolt out with magnet on
> a stick. Can't find it, feel it etc. Get extra bolt
> from bag (see what I mean?) mount up reel. Realize
> car will have permenant rattle down there now.
> Sigh... Molly is now rolling around yard with all
> paws in the air...
>
> Step Ten: Mount up adjustable shoulder point. It
> uses two 6mm allen head bolts. Have I mentioned how
> much I hate allen head bolts? Struggle to mount upper
> B pillar trim. Have to do it three times before
> everything is right. Mount up upper and lower belt
> anchors, torque to 29 ft lbs. Passenger side goes
> more smoothly.
>
> Step Eleven: Reinstall seats, don't forget to hook up
> harness for power recaros if so equipped.
>
> Step Twelve: Time to remove old door mounted hookups.
> The drivers side has a ground interupt circuit that
> kept you from starting car without belt hooked up.
>
> Step Twelve a: Remove two 5mm allen head bolts from
> drivers side. Pull out seat belt hook up. Clip two
> brown wires and wire them together. Voila, gorund
> interupt circuit gone.
>
> Step Twelve b: Attempt to remove passenger side allen
> head bolts. Get the upper one out no sweat, lower one
> strips out. Can't pound in next larger size allen
> head socket. More choice 4 letter words. Molly gazes
> at me mournfully...
>
> Step Thirteen: Grab drill and drill out offending
> allen head bolt. Use prybar and pop off bracket.
> Smile triumphantly at Molly, who's more interested in
> licking, uh, certain anatomical areas... Turn away...
>
> Step Fourteen: Pull off brackets from front of B
> pillar. Three phillips head screws, welded into
> place. Have to use hammer to persuade them to come
> out. Replace with plugs found in junkyard.
>
> Step Fifteen: Say small prayer and attempt to start
> car. Vrooommmm!! Success! Molly the wonder dog wags
> her tail and barks in approval as she jumps into the
> back seat to go for a ride...
>
> Not too bad of a job, should only take 2 hours or so,
> taking your time. One wrench on the 5 wrench scale.
>
> Beer and a good dog increase chances of success...
>
> -josh
>
> =====
> Josh Wyte
> Momentum Motorsports
> 508-833-3024 After 5 pm EST
>
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