1968 Shoulder belts?

[stang1986GT]

Hey guys...I'm over here from the 5.0 forum. I'm about to pick up a '68 coupe, 6 cylinder, etc. I have plans to put a 289 in it at some point, etc. However, I want to be able to let my 2 1/2 year old boy ride in it safely as well. I know there are kits out there to add shoulder belts to the front seats. Has anyone ever added shoulder belts to the rear seats? If so, how?

Thanks!

 

[Crs]

My 68 came standard with lap and shoulder belts in the front................lap only in the rear. Go to a firehouse, they should be able to direct you a facility that modifies classics for child safety.

 

[zookeeper]

Most child safety seats have the shoulder/lap/crotch straps in them and fasten with only a lap belt to the car, so you're probably OK there. The problem I had was that due to the hump in the early Mustang rear seat, the child seat wouldn't fit easily. so I put a folded up bath towel under the child seat first, then put my knee in the seat and tightened the car's lap belt. I know that shoulder harnesses are safer, but lots of late model cars have lap belts only in the rear. Unless you can find a good mounting point in the roof, you're going to have to rely on shoulder belts in safety and booster seats.

 

[stang1986GT]

Most child safety seats have the shoulder/lap/crotch straps in them and fasten with only a lap belt to the car, so you're probably OK there. The problem I had was that due to the hump in the early Mustang rear seat, the child seat wouldn't fit easily. so I put a folded up bath towel under the child seat first, then put my knee in the seat and tightened the car's lap belt. I know that shoulder harnesses are safer, but lots of late model cars have lap belts only in the rear. Unless you can find a good mounting point in the roof, you're going to have to rely on shoulder belts in safety and booster seats.

The problem is, after 40 lbs, kids have to sit in a booster seat and they don't have the harnesses built in...they simply rely on the car's lap and shoulder belt. Unless they make a booster seat that kids can use from 40 lbs. up...

 

[zookeeper]

I know what you mean, but when my 5 year old ( 6 next month) rides in the rear seat of my Mazda extra cab, my '88GT Mustang or the rear/center seat of our Suburban, he has only a lap belt. Is it the best protection? No, but I use caution and make sure he's securely belted in with what the car has.

 

[stang1986GT]

I know what you mean, but when my 5 year old ( 6 next month) rides in the rear seat of my Mazda extra cab, my '88GT Mustang or the rear/center seat of our Suburban, he has only a lap belt. Is it the best protection? No, but I use caution and make sure he's securely belted in with what the car has.

Oh, I see what you mean. So you use a booster seat, but only with the lap belt. I got ya.

 

[zookeeper]

If you've never used the booster seats it's tough to visualize how they work. Booster seats have no belts themselves. They sit on the car's seat and use the restraint the car is equipped with, whether it's a lap belt or three point. I know it sounds like denial, but if you were to get in a frontal crash, the rear seat passenger usually stands a much better chance of walking away unhurt. The rear of the front seats has nothing but padding, whereas a front seat passenger has to contend with the dash, shifter, steering wheel, windshield and windsheild posts, all of which can be fatal in an early Mustang. I know your son is just as important to you as my son is to me, and I would never put mine in any danger, but then again there are no absolutes in life, especially when it comes to cars.

 

[stang1986GT]

If you've never used the booster seats it's tough to visualize how they work. Booster seats have no belts themselves. They sit on the car's seat and use the restraint the car is equipped with, whether it's a lap belt or three point. I know it sounds like denial, but if you were to get in a frontal crash, the rear seat passenger usually stands a much better chance of walking away unhurt. The rear of the front seats has nothing but padding, whereas a front seat passenger has to contend with the dash, shifter, steering wheel, windshield and windsheild posts, all of which can be fatal in an early Mustang. I know your son is just as important to you as my son is to me, and I would never put mine in any danger, but then again there are no absolutes in life, especially when it comes to cars.

Yea, my son uses a booster in our 05 with the car's shoulder belt, but in my 86 he has to use a car seat with the shoulder restraints/belts that are made in the carseat. It's large enough for him to do that, but only up to 40 lbs. After that he'll be forced to use the restraints that are available in the car.

Even though my son is only 2 1/2, he is into cars like no other I've seen. He screams with excitement when I tell him we're going to a car show. It's amazing that he recognizes Mustangs, Volkswagens and Trans Ams just by seeing them on the road.

The reason I'm asking about all this is I may trade the '86 for a '68 and I want him to be able to ride with me. I'm facing the same obsticle with the '86 anyway. He hates it if he doesn't get to go with Daddy. I love having him with me...he's my pride and joy.

Sorry for bragging!

 

[zookeeper]

No need to apologize! I bought my '68 fastback when my son was about a year old in '01. Before I started the rebuild in Nov '02, he rode in the car and loved it, and I loved having him in it. Now the car is very close to being done and he asks when it'll be ready to drive nearly every day. I can't wait for us to take the car to the drags (he loves the drags!) or to the annual open house at the local airport (he loves airplanes, too). I always let him in the garage when I'm working on the car and I try to involve him in every part of it that I can, I even let him shoot some primer on some of the brackets for the motor. Ever see a 5 year old use a spray gun? He may not be the next Chip Foose, but at least he knows he helped me build the car, right? I also painted my car white partly because of him. If the car were some candy hued, one off color, I'd be scared to death of him getting near the thing. But plain white is easy to touch up when (not if) he accidently scrapes it with a toy or opens the door into something. I for one refuse to own a car my kid can't come near.

 

[stang1986GT]

Actually, this looks like the solution I was looking for. Interesting.

http://www.andoauto.com/Mustang.htm

 

[reenmachine]

Yes, there are kits out there to retrofit 3-point belts:

http://www.karmustang.com/3point_shoulder_belts.php

That page covers the front seats, and I know they have kits for the rear seats as well.

 

[reenmachine]

No need to apologize! I bought my '68 fastback when my son was about a year old in '01. Before I started the rebuild in Nov '02, he rode in the car and loved it, and I loved having him in it. Now the car is very close to being done and he asks when it'll be ready to drive nearly every day. I can't wait for us to take the car to the drags (he loves the drags!) or to the annual open house at the local airport (he loves airplanes, too). I always let him in the garage when I'm working on the car and I try to involve him in every part of it that I can, I even let him shoot some primer on some of the brackets for the motor. Ever see a 5 year old use a spray gun? He may not be the next Chip Foose, but at least he knows he helped me build the car, right? I also painted my car white partly because of him. If the car were some candy hued, one off color, I'd be scared to death of him getting near the thing. But plain white is easy to touch up when (not if) he accidently scrapes it with a toy or opens the door into something. I for one refuse to own a car my kid can't come near.

Awesome attitude, and kudos for finding a way to let him help. I would have loved to watch him with the spray gun!

 

[stang1986GT]

Awesome attitude, and kudos for finding a way to let him help. I would have loved to watch him with the spray gun!

I agree...great way to involve him! My boy loves to be with me when I'm working on the car. My wife use to hand me tools, now she hands them to my boy and he hands them to me and think's it's the coolest thing.

I have a little girl on the way too, so even more help on the way!

View attachment 457248

 

[t_chelle16]

Here's a couple sites where people have put shoulder belts in the back. One is mounted to the wheel housing in the trunk and one is mounted to the package tray (with either, I'd definitely make sure to reinforce the mounting point really well).

http://jr.stangnet.com/front.htm#top
http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCatalog/Interior/sbc_installation.htm

-Chelle

 

[stang1986GT]

Here's a couple sites where people have put shoulder belts in the back. One is mounted to the wheel housing in the trunk and one is mounted to the package tray (with either, I'd definitely make sure to reinforce the mounting point really well).

http://jr.stangnet.com/front.htm#top
http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCatalog/Interior/sbc_installation.htm

-Chelle

Thanks a lot!