Factory seat belt receptacles when mounting racing seats?

175K911 · 04-14-2008, 07:33 AM

This question is in response to a request from my soon-to-be 6 year old. Her birthday is in two weeks and she wants a ride in "Daddy's race car" for her birthday. OK, so it's a street registered track car but to her it's a race car.

My problem- Sparco Evo seats, no rear seats, and a DasSport roll bar. Illinois law says it's OK to put a child in a booster seat up front if 2 conditions are met- no rear seats, and no front air bags. Not ideal but good on both counts. So here's my options:
1- Say I can't do it (won't be a popular answer)
2- Put the stock seat back in the passenger side. Problem is that the seat back is broken and won't stay in the upright position (bought the car that way.) And I don't know enough about the seats to fix it nor want to invest in fixing it.
3- Buy or fabricate a mount of some sort to attach the factory seat belt receptacle to the car. But my 86 has the receptacles attached to the seat, not the tunnel. Looks like Brey Krause has a part to do this, but have never seen it in action.

Waht does the Pelican brain trust suggest?

85eurocarrera · 85eurocarrera's Garage

Moving 3.2 Carrera inboard seat belt receptacles from seat to tunnel or floor

This should help you out. I just got done doing this mod. Sorry no pics but it looks just like the one out of square tubing bolted through tunnel with a big hardened washer. It takes a little time to do and both my seats were out. Disconnected shift coupler as well so shift rod could be moved out of the way a bit.

Joe

175K911 · 04-14-2008, 11:22 AM

Good thread, thanks.

SCOTITUDE · 06:49 PM

Do you have harnesses in the passenger seat? Strap her in the harnesses, give her your helmet for the "full effect" and take her around the block a few times. Slowly of course, maybe a couple of blips to make it loud. I bet you become the best dad ever!!! I gave rides in the "race car" for my daughters birthday. harnesses, helmet and gloves. no speed, plenty of blips, maybe a stab of the brakes and it was a huge success. looked like a bus stop in front of the house with all the kids waiting their turn. I was the best dad that day!!!

175K911 · 04-14-2008, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCOTITUDE

Do you have harnesses in the passenger seat? Strap her in the harnesses, give her your helmet for the "full effect" and take her around the block a few times. Slowly of course, maybe a couple of blips to make it loud. I bet you become the best dad ever!!! I gave rides in the "race car" for my daughters birthday. harnesses, helmet and gloves. no speed, plenty of blips, maybe a stab of the brakes and it was a huge success. looked like a bus stop in front of the house with all the kids waiting their turn. I was the best dad that day!!!

Interesting thought. But I was thinking of picking her up at school on her birthday and there's no way the teacher who'll be monitoring the pickups will let me get away with that. They're crazy strict... but that's not a bad thing considering what some people try to pull with their kids these days.

rfloz · 04-15-2008, 08:32 AM

If the stock driver's seat is good, it should fit on the passenger side.

175K911 · 04-15-2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfloz

If the stock driver's seat is good, it should fit on the passenger side.

I hadn't thought about that. But the receptacle will be on the wrong side then, won't it? Guess I should take a look tonight. Thanks for the thought

rfloz · 04-15-2008, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 175K911

I hadn't thought about that. But the receptacle will be on the wrong side then, won't it? Guess I should take a look tonight. Thanks for the thought

Forgot you had the in-seat receptacles. Maybe you can use some of the driver side seat pieces to reconstruct the passenger side.

It's worth the hassle - my daughter loves it when I pick her up at school in the "race" car.

euro911sc · euro911sc's Garage

Both my kids are in boosters w/ backs. They look just like my Sparco Pro 2000's. IMHO, the kid is just as safe in my race bucket w/ 5 point & chest strap then they are in a 3 point and booster seat. In fact, when I sat my 6 year old in the bucket it wrapped around more than his own seat in the minivan... he wasn't going anywhere fast. I had a 1" high density foam cusion to boost him higher out of the seat as well.

Personally, I took more time to make sure my kid was safe in my bucket than half the people I see driving around town these days... I see more un-strapped kids floating around cars its a crime... actually it is, but it is never enforced

Except by my wife who yells out the window continuousy

She's on a crusade to impart some bit of intelligence to the ignorant I guess...

Best regards,

Michael

jester911 · jester911's Garage

The seat belt attachment is mounted to the seat rails. Just swap out the seat rails from drivers side to passenger side and this will put it on the appropriate side of the seat. Should be easy enough.

don911 · don911's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by jester911

The seat belt attachment is mounted to the seat rails. Just swap out the seat rails from drivers side to passenger side and this will put it on the appropriate side of the seat. Should be easy enough.

That's only true for non power seats. Power seats the receptor bracket is welded to the rail.

If you have non power seats or just one non power you can remove the receptor bracket and mount it on your race seat. I'd mount between the floor and the side mount.

175K911 · 04-15-2008, 11:56 AM

I've got the power seats both sides, and I'm pretty sure the bracket is welded to the seat frame.

I contemplated what euro911sc suggested, but here in IL it's illegal for a child 8 and younger to not be in a booster seat. And of course I want the safest possible setup for her. I've been through several IL police seat belt and car seat checks and have always gotten the thumbs up from police for having her Recaro booster properly fit into the car. And I too can't believe how people take no care to properly restrain their kids in a car. I don't get it. It only takes a minute to do it right. Even yelled at my inlaws who took her to dinner in their car and just belted her onto the back seat without the booster; they said they were just going a couple of miles what's the big deal. OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.

Seems like the best thing to do might be to scavenge parts from the OE drivers seat to rebuild the power passenger seat back. Then just bolt it in.