Rear Seatbelts?

Bill Pottle · Post by **Bill Pottle** » Tue May 16, 2006 1:49 pm

Hey,

Has anyone set up the Spider's rear seat with seatbelts? If you have I'd love to hear if it's possible and how you did it. The kids are all lined up for a ride and insist that they can fit back there. Is it legal? To date I've not let kids ride in back because of the lack of seatbelts.

Thanks,
Billl

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Tue May 16, 2006 2:55 pm

My 71 has rear seat belts. I don't know what year models, but some came with the mounting holes under the seat.

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Tue May 16, 2006 3:13 pm

I haven't let my kids ride on the hood yet because there are no seatbelts on there. Can somebody help me install some?

Sounds silly doesn't it? Well, basically that's what you are asking. That's not a seat, don't put people there.

if your kids insist then tell them they can take turns: some in the trunk, some on the storage shelf (back seat). If they agree to that then you can say "you are all nuttier than I thought and ya might as well!"

OK, so here's the "in" for getting your kids in it. It's like having a pickup truck you can have kids in there, so don't be afraid to put a kid in the front seat. One passenger at a time is ok. Sometimes people will scoff at you when they see a small kid in the front seat, but you are legal and this is the safest place for any kid. Just like sitting on a truck seat next to you....

jacksplace · Post by **jacksplace** » Tue May 16, 2006 6:19 pm

Many years ago my daughter who at the time was under three rode in the "back seat" of my Triumph TR3. But that was in the '50s and we didn't have the information that we have today. Today, I would advise against having anyone ride in the "back seat" of my Fiat Spider and I have a roll bar and lap belts in mine. Maybe I'm over cautious?

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Tue May 16, 2006 7:53 pm

unless the kids are tiny, their head could contact the top frame since there aren't any headrests.

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Tue May 16, 2006 9:58 pm

part of the reason for the appeal of these vehicles is that only two can fit at one time.....therefore, the kids gotta stay behind. Oh shucks, time w/out the kids!?

If your kids are small enough to fit back there, they're too small for a Michigan legal car seat (which WON'T fit back there).

It looks like a seat - but it ain't!

FMO · Post by **FMO** » Wed May 17, 2006 10:32 am

Hi!

I have installed rear seat belts in my 74 spider. There are mounting holes behind the seat, just take the seat away -install the seatbelts-put the seat back-and VOILA .

Look at the picture at my homesite:
http://home.online.no/~ellholt/fiat124s ... =&pExPic=0;

Yes, there is not much place for kids, but I have no problems having my 8 years old twins back there. Well they haven`t either

fiater · Post by **fiater** » Wed May 17, 2006 9:53 pm

With the pass. seat pulled forward , I had three adults in my spider for a short trip. A car seat may also fit in the back with the pass seat pulled forward. Safety's a personal issue. How and where you drive has alot to do with it. I live in the country and if my kids were still kids, I wouldn't hesitate to have them ride in the back of my spider for country drives. On the other hand, I definately would not take them on a six lane hwy. during rush hour around Chicago. Let's face it, spiders aren't a very safe car no matter where you sit, weather they're safe enough for kids is up to you. I know people that won't drive anything smaler than a surburban! Other people ride motorcycles without a helmet. Who knows?

perthling · Post by **perthling** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:41 am

I'm with fiater. My 74 also has rear seatbelts - in Western Australia it had to because the car is classified as a 4-seater (go figure). Regarding the comments about legality, the earlier Spiders had a rear seat which could be used by legless midgets or by one person sitting crossways in the rear with their feet behind the passenger seat. For later Spiders where either the front seatbelts mounted on the rear shelf (through the rear 'seat') or where there was only a parcel shelf, then obvously sitting someone in there is very much at your own risk.

Back to the question - lift up the seat and the mounting points should be there. Whatever you do with them after that is up to you.

FMO · Post by **FMO** » Thu May 18, 2006 11:15 am

Hi again!

here is how I put a 3- point seat belts in front. It works very well

Now I have a baby seat in the passenger seat , and my wife behind it.

Sinve I am 6.5 , nobody can sit behind me, except a small kid.

Bill Pottle · Post by **Bill Pottle** » Thu May 18, 2006 11:22 am

Thanks for some very insightful responses... I agree the car it self isn't ever going to be safe when compared to_____? Pretty low on the safety scale but more safe than a motorcycle for sure! Many of us are in agreement that when we use good judgement it could be workable. I will check out to see if I have mounting bolt holes and go from there. I just feel for an in-town or short country drive it would be ok for any kids who are of the age to appreciate a ride and are willing to fit in the seat comfortably.

Danno, you better get ready for some disappointed faces when your young ones or nieces and nephews want a ride. I'd be curious what your thoughts are then.

Later,
Bill

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:55 pm

My kids love to ride in mine and I'm glad to share the fun with them. My little one rides in the back with her car seat strapped in while the bigger one rides in the passenger seat. I don't trust other drivers so I stay off the highway and busy roads. They were fighting over who gets the car when I die, so I had to buy another one!

ventura ace · Post by **ventura ace** » Thu May 18, 2006 3:36 pm

Three littlin's belted in place in the back seat, with 2 of them in child seats that were poplular in the 1980's. http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/124og ... 8.jpg.html They enjoyed many a ride when they were that small. I still have 2 seat belts back there, and yes, they still like getting back there with their friends at ages 18, 20, and 22.

Safe? I think so. Especially, as compared to what we had previously:
http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/124og ... 7.jpg.html
(the third child was still in the oven!)

All right . . . no, we really never took the bike out with more than one passenger! But, it makes for a good picture.

Here is a picture of the seat belt mountings under the rear seat.

alvon

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Thu May 18, 2006 5:44 pm

Hey Alvon, who's the young guy with all of the hair on the bike with your wife?

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Thu May 18, 2006 5:59 pm

It's not really a question about safety, it's a question about letting people ride somewhere where there aren't even seats.

all that aside. I've actually ridden back there and I had to sit sideways. Besides, when my seat is where I need it to be for driving it touches that rear storage shelf, so I don't know how you can get anyone back there to begin with!

there are about 500 posts about this on Mirafiori let me see if I can post some links or something:

http://archive.mirafiori.com/show.php?f ... 866#2_5866
http://archive.mirafiori.com/show.php?f ... 51#2_38451
http://archive.mirafiori.com/show.php?f ... 19#2_39819

hope you can find the info you need. sounds like a lot of people have done it and fairly cheaply and easily too.