Child Car Seats

[ccracin]

So here is the deal, aside from the truck project for my Dad I have 69 Camaro that we restored about 20 years ago. I try to get out and enjoy it when I can. It was put back to pretty much stock. This brings me to my point. I have twin 4 year old daughters that must be in car seats. With the Camaro only having lap belts in the back seat, what am I to do? I know we could enjoy the car more as a family, but I'm stuck as to what to do. I was thinking of calling the State Police to ask their advice. I want the kids to be safe, but I would also like to involve them in what I love to do. I would hate to have to wait 4 more years to let them ride in the car. Most booster and car seats either use the latch system or require a lap and shoulder belt. Any advice? Thanks all.

[2Bad4Ya]

I am glad you brought this up, I have a 1.5yr old daughter that I will want to take with me on cruises etc... so I will have to build in some seat attachements myself during the build. Thanx for bringing the topic up. You can forget using a booster seat bewcause no shoulder harness, but you could continue to use a harness seat system.

Lap belts will secure the base of the car seat just as safely as those with shoulder harness'. You could also modify the rear deck to handle the strap that runs vertical on the car seats. Since they attach with small clips, drill a hole in the deck and attach a eyehole bolt, or some similar method. This way the seats are secured horizontally at the base, and the upper part of the car seat is secured to the rear deck and will not move forward at the top.

This will provide basicly the same secure mounting points as todays modern cars.

Also you could add your own latches to the lower seat just like the upper part. Remove the lower seat cushion, drill 4 holes that are spread out in the area just under the upper seat cushion. Then mount some eye hole bolts to the floor pan to simulate the little hooks found in the seat cracks of todays cars. Granted you would want strong bolts, washers, nuts, etc... since this new hardware is for safety.

[ZVT]

I dont know if they do it in your state but the fireman here in FL go through a course for child car seats installation etc.. and are up to date with the laws and requirements etc.I have a 9 month old and had all my cars taken to the fire station where they installed it and answered any concerns we had about mounting etc... we had them install a car seat in a 76 firebird using just the lap belt and they said it would be fine.Dont know about Camaro's though but it may be a good idea to call and ask them

[ccracin]

I am glad you brought this up, I have a 1.5yr old daughter that I will want to take with me on cruises etc... so I will have to build in some seat attachements myself during the build. Thanx for bringing the topic up. You can forget using a booster seat bewcause no shoulder harness, but you could continue to use a harness seat system.

Lap belts will secure the base of the car seat just as safely as those with shoulder harness'. You could also modify the rear deck to handle the strap that runs vertical on the car seats. Since they attach with small clips, drill a hole in the deck and attach a eyehole bolt, or some similar method. This way the seats are secured horizontally at the base, and the upper part of the car seat is secured to the rear deck and will not move forward at the top.

This will provide basicly the same secure mounting points as todays modern cars.

Also you could add your own latches to the lower seat just like the upper part. Remove the lower seat cushion, drill 4 holes that are spread out in the area just under the upper seat cushion. Then mount some eye hole bolts to the floor pan to simulate the little hooks found in the seat cracks of todays cars. Granted you would want strong bolts, washers, nuts, etc... since this new hardware is for safety.




Thanks for the reply. I have a couple issues. One, the car is complete not build and is all origianal. In fact it has the origianal interior in it. I don't particularly want to fab things to make it work. The second is that my girls are getting ready to transition into booster seats that do not have straps to hold the seat in. The car belt is the only retaining mechanism. In that case they say the car belt must be a lap and shoulder belt. Does anyone know if there is a seat that is retained by a factory lap belt only and has a built in harness for the child? Thanks.

[ccracin]

I dont know if they do it in your state but the fireman here in FL go through a course for child car seats installation etc.. and are up to date with the laws and requirements etc.I have a 9 month old and had all my cars taken to the fire station where they installed it and answered any concerns we had about mounting etc... we had them install a car seat in a 76 firebird using just the lap belt and they said it would be fine.Dont know about Camaro's though but it may be a good idea to call and ask them

Great advice, I'll stop and see them. I can see how the girls current seats could work with the lap belt, but when you get past 40# they have to move to a booster. Any booster I have found does not have it's own harness and rely on the lap and shoulder belt to hold the child and seat. Thanks again.

[mdprovee]

My two boys are still in car seats. I am using the lap belt, and I used a 2000 Honda Civic "hooks" (my daily driver, they have a nice cover over the hook), and am mounting them to the package tray. That will hold the back of the car seat down.

I have done a little reasearch, and found out if no shoulder strap, then the child stays in a car seat until 80 pounds. Seems kind of big for a car seat, so I am trying to figure out another approach. Next step is to see how to mount shoulder straps for them in the back

[2Bad4Ya]

Mike nailed it on the head. Short of fabbing up something for your car you will always have to use a car seat and never a booster seat.

[ccracin]

That would be fine. What car seats are rated to 80# and can mount this way? I havn't found one so far, but I just started looking. Thanks for all the help.

[redfire69]

Going through the same problem. Some car seats work with lapbelts (Britax, etc). But boosters do not (not that I have found anyway)...

[mdprovee]

That would be fine. What car seats are rated to 80# and can mount this way? I havn't found one so far, but I just started looking. Thanks for all the help.

Here is a example from Babies R Us

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3092071

[Payton King]

from summit. Pull the seat back and drill through the frame and use big washers and grade 8 bolts to attach the shoulder harness. Lap portion in the stock location.

[2Bad4Ya]

from summit. Pull the seat back and drill through the frame and use big washers and grade 8 bolts to attach the shoulder harness. Lap portion in the stock location.

I wonder if the use of a 4 point harness system would negate the requirement for a car seat? I mean it is functioning exactly as a car seat does with the harness is it not?

[ccracin]

Here is a example from Babies R Us

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3092071


That looks like a great seat. I better start saving my pennies. I have twins. I would be into $600. Don't get me wrong, my kids are worth anything for their safety. I'm glad I started looking into this before I absolutely had to. Thanks for all the help Mike and everyone else. Anybody else have ideas?

[ccracin]

from summit. Pull the seat back and drill through the frame and use big washers and grade 8 bolts to attach the shoulder harness. Lap portion in the stock location.


I'm not afraid of designing and putting something together myself, but this is a touchy area I think. When it comes to the law, they may not interperate not having an actual "Approved" car seat. It gets a bit overwhelming. Not to say it was right, but I remeber jumping from the front seat to the back seat and playing with my toys when I was a kid. I think we all did. For a short cruise in a classic car I think my girls being lap belted in the back seat would be perfectly safe. I bet I would get a ticket if a cop saw me. I don't know! Thanks for the help.

[ccracin]

I just found this. It looks like it answers my questions. At least in PA. Look under exceptions.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/ccracin/SeatInfo_Page_1.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/ccracin/SeatInfo_Page_2.jpg

[skatinjay27]

when i take my daughter with me on cruises in the 70 i just use the lap belt to secure the seat and it in there tight! grated shes only 1.5 so she still uses the integrated 5-point harness in the seat... but as far as seat goes this is perfect for us car nuts and it beats all in the saftey test due to thier side impact protection...lil pricey but when it comes to your baby its worth it.
when i got it 1/2 a year ago thier had more colors to chose from though, i got the charcoal one, its real sturdy and super high quality i reccomend it to everyone even non car nuts.lol but my girl looks super comfy in it.
http://www.recaro.com/index.php?id=3324&region=3&L=2

[JayR]

Nice seat, Jay! Simpson also makes them for a full race look and there are lots of other options up to 80# so don't skimp or try to fab something yourself.

It might keep them from going through the windshield which only takes one jackass on a cell phone at a stop light to send a 45# 4 year old flying but if you don't attach the harnesses in just the right place or allow adjustment as they grow, who's to say there won't be internal damage of all kinds? Don't skimp on this and just throw down the $$ for seats that will hold an 80 pounder. There's lots to offer on the market if you shop around and to compensate for being in the "baby seat" when they're used to boosters, just call it their racing seats!

[ccracin]

Nice seat, Jay! Simpson also makes them for a full race look and there are lots of other options up to 80# so don't skimp or try to fab something yourself.

It might keep them from going through the windshield which only takes one jackass on a cell phone at a stop light to send a 45# 4 year old flying but if you don't attach the harnesses in just the right place or allow adjustment as they grow, who's to say there won't be internal damage of all kinds? Don't skimp on this and just throw down the $$ for seats that will hold an 80 pounder. There's lots to offer on the market if you shop around and to compensate for being in the "baby seat" when they're used to boosters, just call it their racing seats!

I agree with you guys. The kids safety is no place to skimp. I am happy that I found what the law actually is in PA. So often you think you are doing the right thing and oops, the police say not. I am going to look more into the seats. I'm glad there is a solution, now I just have to choose one. Thanks.

[nvawgn]

when i take my daughter with me on cruises in the 70 i just use the lap belt to secure the seat and it in there tight! grated shes only 1.5 so she still uses the integrated 5-point harness in the seat... but as far as seat goes this is perfect for us car nuts and it beats all in the saftey test due to thier side impact protection...lil pricey but when it comes to your baby its worth it.
when i got it 1/2 a year ago thier had more colors to chose from though, i got the charcoal one, its real sturdy and super high quality i reccomend it to everyone even non car nuts.lol but my girl looks super comfy in it.
http://www.recaro.com/index.php?id=3324&region=3&L=2


same seat we use, the way the seat hooks in it looks like it would be easy to fab some "U" bolts to secure the seat, i'm planning on putting some in very soon, here is our son in our mercedes....

[nvawgn]

oh by the way we did a road trip from santa barbara california to mt hood oregon and he nver ever fell forward in his car seat, ever. he loves his seat, we have had 3 differnt seat before this one and hands down he loves it, he is 4 and a half now and weighs about 45 lbs. and it has more growing room