I want to spruce my GP's interior with red seat belts as I think it would really make the inside more interesting. I don't want to give up the connivence of the auto retract and I don't want to get crazy with a 4 or 6pt schroth track setup either.

So far this is the only system I've been able to find but am not sure if it will be a direct replacement in our GPs (with little or minor modification). Does anyone know if this will work or has done this before?

 

In the description it says its intended to be a direct replacement... so im sure it will work just remember to torque the hell out of those bolts and have a breaker bar ready for getting the stock pieces out.

 

Well, my concern is its a direct replacement for the original Mini Cooper, not the BMW version Mini Coopers.

 

exactly. So no, not going to work.

Our seat belt retractor has a pyrotechnic cylinder that fires off to retract the belt in event of a collision. Top that off with the electrical connector theres esentially no way to get this old fashioned part to fit in our new fashioned minis without warning lights, airbag faults.

A better option that I've been considering is buying used seat belt from an actual Gen 1 mini on ebay (used) if you can find some. Figure out how to get the belt off and buy replacement belt.

There are companies that make replacement belts. You buy the belt as a certain length then take to a certified automotive upholstery shop that can sew together the ends of the belt strap as these require a specific way to stitch them together to meet crash safety standards.


That, or buy BMW sport red seat belts. There's a possibility you could retrofit those into our MINI's however...they say BMW on the red belt so that'd be pretty trashy IMO.

 

The other option was to buy the belts off of the GP2.

And there is nothing trashy about BMW wording on the belt. They're the parent company! LOL. One of the biggest selling points of my ownership of 2 Minis is they are designed and built by BMW!

 

Oh dont get me wrong Im a fan of bmw, but bmw lettering on a Mini isnt my cup of tea. My guess is that parts for gp2 will be restricted to gp owners only, just like the first gp was.

 

Well hopefully someone will lets borrow their vin. I have a few connections st the stealer.

 

But you want to install it on a GP1? R53 and R56 seat belts have different part numbers according to RealOEM, and it isn't clear whether they can be directly swapped.

 

But you own a GP why do you need to borrow a Vin?

 

The ballstics are in the retractor for 2011 ( incl the GPII) and up not the buckle anymore.....