Backseat belt options - kids

[JavaBrewer]

Hello everyone,

A new member and first time Porsche owner here with a question about seat belt options for the 911 rear seats. Both here and Rennlist have many threads on baby/booster seats for the 911 back seats however I am trying to address another issue. My son is 5 and fits just fine in the back seat where my daughter who is 3 needs a forward facing child seat. The problem is the lap belts that come with a 86 Carrera...they just will not work for either of them. Now I noticed a picture of an 89 Carrera that had the shoulder/lap belt combination (like the front seats) that would be much better.

Is anyone familiar with seat belt options for the rear seats on the 80's 911? Is this something that I can buy off the shelf? Are the mounting points there? Heck I'm even considering going to a speed shop and have a 5pt harness installed if necessary. My kids love riding in Dad's new ride but their time is limited to trips around the block until I get them securely fastened.

I know this is a tired thread but I have not been able to dig up anything along this route on either site.

Thanks very much,
David

[89911]

As an owner of an 89 coupe and a father of 3, I might be qualified to answer this. The rear seats, even though they are the safest place in a 911 for kids, (which isn't saying much), don't work well with a rear facing seat because of the seatwells dimensions. They are too small and curved to fit the base. The only option you have it to put a rear facing seat in the front and use an "H" adapter to snug the lap belts to remain tight. I know the front seat is not the safest place, but there are no airbags to deal with in your car. The same goes with a forward facing seat as the rear seats are too small to accomodate the base. They rears do fit most children past 5 (and physically challanged adults) adequately with the supplied restraints.

[DByers]

Dave, Another problem you might have is the new laws for children and booster seats. Even though your boy is 5 he may still need to be in a booster with a proper restraint. We have the same problem with our children ( almost 5 & 2 ). Check the new laws on this. I beleive AAA or your insurance agent can give you all the details. Goold luck.

[steve911]

Dave-
DByers is correct; in CA the laws changed effective 1/1/02 such that it is now 6 years/60 pounds. (My understanding too, is that even if a child reaches 6 years old, they must still use a booster until they are 60 pounds.)

That said, Porsche installed 3-point rear belts in the late 80s. I believe that some US cars have the reinforced mounting points though the car may only have lap belts. (I think 3 point belts became standard in 1989.)

I looked into doing this for my '85 - unfortunately it does not have the reinforced mounts; they are in later cars though I don't know if it was 86 or 87. My 6 year rides in the front in a booster - I had to search around to get one that would fit the narrow confines of the front seats.

I actually have some emails from a guy who did this - send me a PM and I can send them along, with some pictures he sent. Depending upon what you find, you may have to have some additional welding done and/or replace the rear deck with a newer one that has the built in belt retractors.

Bottom line is that it is doable, though not exactly easy and not cheap. When I need to transport more than one child, we opt for another car.