[ZTGTO]

Has anyone put a child's car seat in the back of a 79 TA? If so what brand etc. It be a forward facing style. Thanks, Zack Thornton

[Young Pontiac Guy]

Only use a booster now as the boys are 5 and 7.

Couldnt you simply belt it down like normal? I used to in my 87 Bird.

[Chief Wanabee]

The forward facing baby seats are designed for use of the factory three point belt if there's no LATCH system in the vehicle.

Since a 79 TA wouldn't have three point belts in the back, you have at least two choices: put the baby seat in the back and secure it using the two point belt, or up front in the passenger seat. You might want to ask about legalities in your area. In my area, the police are extremely vigilant about properly securing a baby seat and will fine you if it's not done correctly.

[Tim642957]

When my son was small I could only get his baby seat in the front seat. There simply wasn't enough room to get in the back seat for my satisfaction.

Ditto on checking on the legalities of this. Seems like NC was fine as long as the air bag was off or the vehicle was not equipped with air bags.

['ol Pinion head]

Zack, I thought the whole back set of a 2nd Gen T/A was a "child seat"

[Tim642957]

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

Zack, I thought the whole back set of a 2nd Gen T/A was a "child seat"

I've heard it called "GM's contribution to birth control".

[gto4door]

Been many years, but I want to say the brand seat was Graco. However, child car seats are much bigger (and probably safer) today. So don't know if a modern seat will fit very well in the back seat area on a second gen F-body. If you do find a compatible seat, you might want to install a restraint anchor into the rear package tray shelf so that you can use the 3pt restraint (tether strap). The rear package shelf was not originally designed to have an anchor for safety child car seat purposes, but better than nothing.

Below is an achor kit for sale on eBay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Child-Re...item43beaa7902
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Child-Re...item43beaa7902

[pontiac1981]

A car seat won't tighten down in a second gen using the rear seat belts, i had to pull the rear seat out on one side and drilled new bolt holes for a second set of belts in a different location. and tucked them away and out of sight when they weren't in use. The rear seat in a second gen wasn't put in to be functional anyway, it was only put there for the insurance. and GM didn't want a second two seater car to compete with the Vet.

[miko]

Legally, you can't put a childs seat in, just a booster seat. I checked with my local PD last year and the law in Ma is that the seat has to be installed as intended. Since most seats need to go through the shoulder belt, you aren't supposed to use it.

[jonathonar89]

Took my friends kid (2 years old) for a ride to the store a few weeks ago. Not sure about what seat he has or laws regarding the matter...although it can be done.

[Philo]

My granddaughter is seven years old, and uses a booster, but I put her in the front of my '79 TA because it has the shoulder belt. It just seems safer to me. I also turn off the air bag in my truck (standard cab) and use the booster seat and shoulder belt there. I don't have the name, but I got it at Walmart and it has flames on it - that could help you find it

[jonmachota78]

I drilled a hole in the package tray and added an anchor point.

[77HANDMEDOWN]

It has always been my understanding that the 3rd anchor point was just to supplement the lowers because people were not getting car seats tight enough. Could be wrong though.

In the t/a I always pull the seat belt all the way out until it retracts with the ratcheting sound and can not be pulled out with out letting it go all the way back in. Once it is buckled I use my elbows or hands and press the car seat as hard as I can to let the belt retract as much as possible. The whole seat is pretty solid when I am done.

Side note the rear seat belts of my car have always stayed buckled and never just laid there since I was a little kid. My dad used to get on my sister and I if we started jacking with them to much. Different times for sure. My dad and I laughed at that a couple times recently taking my boys for a ride and getting the seats installed.

[angelo]

Modern baby/child seats mount to metal brackets hidden within the seats between the seat bottom and seat backs. Its some sort of latch standard, every car since about 2004 has them in most back seats. I measured the rear seats in my daily driver, this distance would fit 2nd gen seats. I've thought about making a bracket that would mount using the existing bolt holding the upper back seat to the rear body, with braces in either end that wrap under the seat cousin frames, then add "U" brackets like modern cars have to mount the seat latches to. When the kids are older I can just take this bracket out without leaving any holes in the car. Unfortunately I've been restoring my bird for over 3 years now, by the time I get her on the road next year my youngest will be 3 years old and I'll only need to do this for his seat.

The new child/infant seats we bought in the past 5 years only use the two mounting latches mentioned . the mounting point that is above and behind the seat is I believe for older infant car seats. The britax brand seat the recent prince of England has is the same infant seat I used for my children, it only uses those two lower mounting points. That seat will not fit regardless since it is rear facing. Forward facing seats are for children 1yr +. Forward facing seats will fit, and the good ones have 4 point harnesses.

The reality is you don't want to transport your children in a car this old when you don't have to. When you do, make it as safe as possible and remember its an old car. These old cars don't have the impact zones and reinforcements in the body like modern cars do.

I was born in 1976, we didn't have car seats like we do now, I rode in my moms lap or in a booster seat designed to allow me to see out of the car, i recall it didn't really work all that well with lap belts. Most folks didn't wear seat belts until it was a law 10 years later. Don't mean to make this sound scary, but thank god cars are safer now.

I can share my sketches if anyone wants to see what I have planned, if I didn't scare you completely from driving your bird with your children.