Child Car Seat Questions

[EastEnder]

I'm a long time reader/ looker, first time poster.

I wanted experiences most people have with child car seats in the back of their pro-touring cars/ hot rods. My wife and I are new parents (9month old) and looking to have a 2nd child, and I am not sure if its worth it or safe to put them in the back seat of a 2 door. We have thought about 78-87 G bodys, 73-77 A bodies and 66-72 a bodies as a pro-touring project car. Any experiences with these cars also carrying kids in car seats? Any suggestions for a good budget pro-tourer to also haul kids?


Thanks for the help.

[tflyboy77]

We haul our two kids (2and4) to all sorts of events in or 2nd gen Trans Am. The backwards facing seats are a bit tight but after they turn around it's not bad at all.

[Todd in Vancouver]

Anything is possible and I've taken my kids in all my cars when they were young. There really is no limits on what you can do and you'll see from some of the projects on this site that anything is possible. Enjoy the family time with your hobby and your kids will grow up appreciating all the fun you've had while you were doing what you love to do.

[shmoov69]

We have been on many power tours with kids in the wagon. Been lots of places in the Camaro with one and two kiddos. Heck, brought both of them home from the hospital in it! Just for principle. Buckle em up tight and it'll be alright!

Not trying to be a smart ass, but I'm pretty sure we all made it growing up, and most of us didn't even have a "car seat", other than the armrest next to pops!!

[EastEnder]

We'd love to have another f body (had a 2000 z28 w/ 6spd) but thought the rear facing seats would be a bit tight.

But you all made good points- just be safe!

[LS1-IROC]

I don't think you can do rear facing in the back of an F-body (3rd or 4th gen) I tried to fit my sons in rear facing in the IROC and it was a no go. Now that he is front facing it fits but still tight.

[alocker]

Rear facing seats are tight in almost any car unless you have a big SUV. Buckets should help if you put the seat in the middle. Either way, anything intermediate or smaller will be tight with a family.

[Barrrf]

I had 2 recaro car seats in the back of my Chevelle (forward facing). Plenty of leg room in the back for the kiddos.

I will say this though. There isnt anything between the outside panel of the car and the inside panel of the car as far as reinforcing steel goes. Unless the window is rolled down. Seems not real safe to me.

[shmoov69]

In the 69, the only rear facing seat that would fit was the one that the hospital gave us, any of the "convertible" baby seats were way too big to fit. The passenger front seat had to be all the way forward and it still hit the back of the seat.... But fit!!

[Nicks67GTO]

Lets be honest. These vintage cars are death traps compared to modern cars, even for adults. Did you ever see the head on crash test between a 2009 malibu and a 1959 impala 4 door? It was staggering how badly the 59' was mangled compared to the 09'.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_ptUrQOMPs

Sticking your kid in one is never a "safe" move per se but I know my 3 year old daughter loves to ride with me in the back seat of the GTO so I just kind of roll with it and pay very close attention to what im doing. Especially with her and the wife in there, ill always error on the side of caution.