Child seating options

[crazyfox]

I have a 1986 gt convertible. Presently I am using a child seat in the back seat with a built in harness. It is secured to the back seat with the factory lap belt with a factory belt extender. My son is 7 1/2 years old around 45 inches tall and about 50 pounds. He will soon be heavier than the recommendation from the car seat manufacturer. I am thinking about having him ride in the front passenger seat using the factory 3 point seat belt. He seems to fit just fine when fastened in the front. As there are no shoulder harness in the rear and I don't see any options to add them I see no other choice. I know they don't want kids in the front because of airbag issues but we don't have that to worry about. I've been told that the rear shoulder harness setup from a 93 won't work in our cars. I really need to figure this out as its important to me for my son to enjoy riding in the car (he already does). I don't want to have to sell it due to this.
Thoughts? Ideas?
Picture is of my current child seat in the back of the stang.

[qikgts]

When my daughter outgrew the child seat I felt it was ok for her to continue to ride in the back seat of my '85 even with the lap only seat belt. I did have some anxiety at first but she fit good back there and her feet touched the floor as long as she was sitting up straight, which I made sure she did.

She graduated to the front when the shoulder belt fit correctly, going across her chest. I didn't want there to be a chance for it to get up under her chin and I had to move the seat a little bit forward to accommodate that. My car is a hatch so it may be a little different than your scenario.

[brianj]

Front seat, with a booster, should be ok as long as the shoulder belt fits correctly, as said. I'd rather have them in front with a 3 pt belt than in back with a lap belt.

[Mustang-junky]

My son sits up front. Used a booster with the factory belt until he was tall enough to use just the factory belt. He loves it, the only car we have that he can ride up front. My daughter is 5 and still in a regular car seat. I hook the seats "latch belts" onto where the middle seat belts bolt to the floor. I can then tighten down the seat real good.

Jess

[Haystack]

I went to a highway patrol car seat saftey thingy, where you can ask questions and they even show you how to properly pick out and install a car seat.

In my state, booster seats are required until the age of 12 years old, or a height/weight of 4'8 and 80lbs.

Since I have no car seat anchor points, the told me a booster seat was preferable with a 3 point seat belt. Sincle only the two front seats have these, they said to let the kid sit up front. If another adult is present, they can occupy the front seat, as long as all three point belts are used.

Basically, they told me there is nothing wrong with having a kid up front, and I have two, ages 5 1/2 and 8. They are 40" and 48" tall. Ive been pulled over before for a seat belt check. When I explained the booster requires a 3 point belt and the rear are lap belts, they just let me go on my way with no ticket. I get pulled over alot, dunno why. I drive the speed limit and set the cruise. One cop told me older cars almost always have something wrong and are usually "paydirt".

I honestly beleive the back seat is the safest place, but the kids love to sit up front and are able to open the door and get in and out on their own. Just make sure they buckle up and know not to open the door when the car is moving and are careful not to dibg doors in parking lots and you should be all set.

[xctasy]

I grew up in the back seat of a 145 hp 3 liter V8 Convertable...my Uncles Triumph Stag V8 Targa top. From when I was 4 Y/O untill 13, he uses to blast up and down both islandas from Auckland to Alexandra, and take me sister and I out for a blast everwhere betweePoolburn and Queenstown.


In the 81 Stang, my kids were really happy even at 15 and 21 years old...its got better space than many 80's cars like Datsun Maximas, 280ZX's, the much bigger F CARmaroBird, and more than the Buick Skylark, Chevy Monza, Capri II hatch and Mark I Escort I was used to when my Dads Cousins took us out for rides. I hated my Grandad when he traded his 1971 Valiant for a 1976 GSR Colt Galant Sigma....there was no space in the back, a Stag was a better place to be.

As my wife said, its acess thats the issue, although a hatch makes it at least a little easier. Seat rake adjustment on my 81 helped a lot to offset any other issues.


At least kid will grow up tall and grew up right
With them V-Eight sounds of proper Four Eyed Ride...

Yeah...

[crazyfox]

Can you send a pic of the kind of booster seat you used? Is it like the one in my initial post? Mine seems too bulky to be putting up front

[Haystack]

I used to have nice fancy ones, but my dad took them over (he drives around with them when I am working). The ones I got now are just the bottom part, like the booster seat from a movie theatre. Cost $15 a peice at walmart.

[Haystack]

Something like that. Those are rated for kids 4-10 years old and 30-100lbs. The important part is making sure the sholder belt fits properly. Once the childs head properly reaches the headrest, you basically no longer need a head rest. It crazy how fast my kids are growing up, but I cant wait to not have to haul around carseats. The boosters are small enough to go in the trunk too.

[86ragtop]

i use the 4 point seat belt option from wesco performance.Mounted the center anchor over the rear seat to the floor pan,used the original mounting points for sides,i believe.Its been awhile. works pretty well.