I just noticed that your car has the same lap belts as mine. Any legible writing on them? Any progress pics?

Jon, is this what you're wanting?

Got this much from the passenger side buckle assembly...

American Safety
Commercial Product
Fresno, CA

http://www.specialservicemustang.net...ight=seat+belt

The company is no longer in business as best we can tell. My car is missing the passenger CHP lap belt, but has the buckle. Driver side is complete.

Greg

I completely missed that thread. Yes, those are the belts. Mine is missing the pass side belt as well.

While going through the thread, I saw my car. What the? Wait that's Jims! Nice to see the for sale sign came off.

In case anyone is still wondering about these "eye bolts" I didn't have them in the '82 or '84 CHP Mustangs I drove. And i never heard about them in any other CHP patrol car either, and that includes 1978 (440) Dodge Monaco, Plymouth Satellite, 1980s Dodge Diplomat, and Chevy Caprice.

We simply transported prisoners using the seat belt "wrist wrap" technique. Handcuffed, the prisoner is seated, then you have them turn their body slightly to the left and you pull their arms toward you. Then run the seatbelt metal clasp and belt around their wrists/arms, then across their body, and buckle it. Works great. We did this in any of the patrol vehicles that did not have cages in the back (some areas had them,, others did not).

In extreme cases, you may have to tie a prisoner's ankles together (hobble) before seating them in the veh. I never had to do this while operating Mustangs. If I even thought I was going to have issues with a prisoner, I would just tell them before putting them in the veh. that I was going to treat them exactly as they acted. If they acted like a civilized human, they would be treated accordingly, and 98% of the time it worked. I've already discussed the paper shopping bag technique (over the head) in another thread for spitters. I never had any problems with prisoners in Mustangs.

They are in the R/R passenger area floorboard area, if not through the floorboard, on the mustangs, they are through the rear seat wall at the floorboard. ( Fender well area. )

The RED restraint strap clipped to the eye bolt, I used it several times in Stockton. I can not remember the year, but they started putting them in the cars when they introduced the restraint strap. There was also a BLUE restraint strap that laid on the floorboard, usually R/R.
It was used for hog tying, leg restraint etc. It worked well also. It was not clipped to the eye bolt.

The earlier cars did not have this. I came on 1-83, seems it was the later 80's they started the eye bolt and straps. I can not remember the exact year. I know all of the mustangs had this once they started using them.

That is one thing they sometimes forgot to remove, if they did remove it, the hole is usually easy to find. A good look under the car floorboard, or R/R inside fender well I believe.

The red strap clipped to the eye bolt, then went in between the R/Front seat cushion and backrest. It was then clipped to the chain on the handcuffs. Tightened at the floorboard and kept the prisoner's hands and cuffs tight up against the seat back rest.
Worked good for a combative prisoner.

On the paper bag...... I never used that method wish I would have lol but I do know that there is never any noticeable evidence when using the back of ones fingers on someone's face in the R/F seat.

This usually worked real well for spitters or mouthy individuals :)

My 1988 still had the anchor bolt in the car. The straps:

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,wtbfsfsdk...C037561-vi.jpg

I know I have a photo of the installed bolt somewhere...

I started in August of 1979, and left CHP in December of 1984, so they must have begun using the restraint strap and eye bolts some time after that.

When I first hit the road we didn't have portable radios. The outside speaker was usually on when you were out of the car working something. We also used to roll down the passenger window and drape the Mic onto the outside of the door. I'm trying to remember when the portable radios came out; early 80s I think maybe '81?

Found it:

http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rttdgkwsf...5/5305p-vi.jpg

That's an interesting setup.

0204 Update
 

0204 recently found a new home here with me in Atlanta. Thanks again, Steve. She's rough but I'm so excited to be able to give this one a new lease on life.