Young kids riding in a 911

[NV Stig]

My son just turned 4 and I'm playing with the idea of taking him to the Historics races at Laguna Seca this August. If I go, I'd like to take him in the old 911. Does anyone know the ruling regarding taking a kid under 50 pounds in an old car, is this even feasible this day and age? Can you play by grandfathered rules by cinching him into the passenger seat with the old school belts? A friend of mine has a 67 Tempest that doesn't have any seat belts in it and drove a 5 year old car in it, saying it was okay. I know you can't put a carseat in the driver side, that is bad...
I don't think the carseat would fit in the car anyways, but is there any rule about riding in a car made before the laws were?
Please don't think bad of me, I haven't driven him in the car yet. I'm just wanting my cake and eat it too...

[popowitz]

In California it is within the law to have an underaged kid ride in the front seat if the back seat cannot accommodate a car seat or has no seat belts. I have driven my 7 year old since he was 5 in the front seat of my '73 because there are no seat belts in the rear seats. I sit him in a booster and belt him in. The belt hits him across the chest so he's safe if I have to stop short. If the belt rides up on your son's neck I would recommend waiting until he's older.

[michel]

Gents no personal comment been made here, but make sure the little ones are EXTRA safe - you may be a safe driver but others less so.

Heresy perhaps but fit rear seat belts and use a proper seat and belts - you'll still look cool in the old Skool 911

I have a Childs 4 strap harness fitted in the rear for my now 7-8 year old. Prior to that I had fitted a car seat. My 2 year old will now go in the seat

[72targa]

Looking forward to pictures! Be safe and enjoy the trip!!

[Michael Meldrum]

Michel,

I've tried the official Porsche boosters (used in my 997) in the back of my 1972 911T, they fit but they only have lap belts which is not ideal.

I'm interested to find out more about what you used and how it worked out?

Gents no personal comment been made here, but make sure the little ones are EXTRA safe - you may be a safe driver but others less so.

Heresy perhaps but fit rear seat belts and use a proper seat and belts - you'll still look cool in the old Skool 911

I have a Childs 4 strap harness fitted in the rear for my now 7-8 year old. Prior to that I had fitted a car seat. My 2 year old will now go in the seat

[friggens]

+1 - I have been banned from kids in the 67 until I work this out!!! cheers -

Michel,

I've tried the official Porsche boosters (used in my 997) in the back of my 1972 911T, they fit but they only have lap belts which is not ideal.

I'm interested to find out more about what you used and how it worked out?

[michel]

I've got a 71

Made a 'harness bar' using the luggage bracket fixing points ( reinforced) on the parcel shelf and the lap bet anchoring the seat base. that way the seat could be tethered - then use the seats safety belts.

The kids safety harness uses the lap belt but again fixes to the bar - I need to further modify as I worry about submarining.

I had an engineer mate look at this - though am currently modifying it after further discussion.

I initially just had the seat tethered to the bracket. Worked but was concerned the alignment was slightly angled.

[NV Stig]

Thanks for the input. My kid is 3'4" and about 40 pounds, the shoulder harness is pretty low below the neck line. I just stuck him on the Scrambler at a local fair, he just met the height requirement, and he loved it. He went back for a second run. A good sign
He's a resilient and enthusiastic kid, but I'm curious about the legal stipulations. Thank you Popowitz for the info, I'm going to google for statutes to pursue. I know that a baby seat on the passenger side is full on illegal, and unsafe. California would probably give you life for it... He's probably better off in the seat with the no budge no give seatbelt anyways. He is one of the few that would fit in the back, but like Porsche's of the era, no seat belts. Does anyone have a photo of the rear seat belt patch? I don't have the shelf in the back of mine, it came with a headrest speaker looking thing, so I cant attach to the shelf. Sport Haus nearby said that headrest was an option back in the day that was seldom utilized...
Different era, my old man had me sit in the back of his truck like all the kids in our neighborhood. Spare tire made a nice seat...

[popowitz]

I just want to say for the record that I would never knowingly risk my child's safety. Here is the excerpt from the CHP website:


Are there exemptions?
Yes, there are a few. Your child may ride in the front seat if:
•Your vehicle has no rear seats.
•Rear seats are side-facing jump seats.
Child safety restraints must never be placed on side-facing vehicle seats.
•The child restraint system cannot be properly installed in the rear seat.
For example, your vehicle has lap belts only in the back seat, but there are lap and shoulder belts in the front seat. Your child is 5 and weighs 45 pounds and must ride in a booster seat. The booster seat must be used with a lap and shoulder belt; therefore your child may ride in the front seat.
•Children under age 12 occupy all rear seats.
•Medical reason (written by the pediatrician) requires that child not be restrained in the back seat. All children are safer in the back seat, ask another adult to ride with the child in the back.

And here is the link:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/chil...seat_faqs.html

[Kris Clewell]

as soon as my daughter is old enough to sit in the front seat (with booster) with the shoulder belt fitting properly, she'll be riding with me.

alternatively I could never take her anywhere ever. It's much safer for them never to leave the house and/or experience anything that sounds remotely dangerous.

Things were certainly different before we had the ability to choose for ourselves on these things. Not always the safest but somehow we all made it here?