3 car seat dilema

I lost my 89 Grand Marquis to a Dodge Caravan that had an "Emergency Systems Computer" failure. He had no brakes, just abs. No airbags either. Normal brakes, with good tires, are all you really need. The key being good tires and a reasonable amount of caution. When it comes to the kids, that is why I had suggested the big 70s G.M.s. Decent brakes, easily upgradable, and that all important load floor behind the rear seat. With a rear facing seat in use, the only storage for gear is the roof, and that isn't so much fun, either. I'm not sure what all other cars had a front facing 3rd row seat, but that seems like a good answer. Plus, the 70s cars had door intrusion reinforcement and crumple zones. Only thing is, the rear facing seat is IN the rear crumple zone. Not so great.

 

Only thing is, the rear facing seat is IN the rear crumple zone. Not so great.
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That's the part that would scare me nowdays. So many rear end bad wrecks. We never had the third seat, even in our Gran Torino wagon.
However the kids used to love to ride in the small storage area of our old Beetle. Gosh life was simple in Mayberry!

 

I will agree with some of the comments here, but also have to add a few of my own. It's true that the newer cars are safer than older ones, even if you do make upgrades. It's just better engineering. But you also have to make decisions based on your exact circumstances. I've had classic cars for daily drivers since my kids were born and they are now 5,5, and 6, so safety is still important to me. I've upgraded brakes, seat belts, etc but the most important factor is where I live and drive. The wife has an '02 Sequoia that we use for long distance commutes and most highway driving. I haul the kids around town, to and from school, to the store, etc. 90% of the time I'm at 45 mph and below and can't remember having them in my car on the interstate. Plus I think I'm twice as careful as most other drivers because I know my car has limitations. I drive slower, leave more room to stop, and am basically always on edge. It doesn't mean something can't happen, but I'm not going to drive around in a tank either. (Mainly because I don't think they will let me...)

But seriously, evaluate your situation and what you want and figure out how to make it work. My 70 Vista cruiser was a great car and could easily fit three car seats across the middle row. It's actually easier when all you need are lap belts to secure the car seats. Right now I'm in the process of fitting my '58 with five point harnesses for the kids as they have outgrown the forward facing seats and I don't care for the 'boosters'.

 

You can put in new belts easy. Sounds like you've got a good grasp on safety upgrades already.

Frankly, our folks grew up riding in cars from the 50's and 60's and lived, and I see no issue with them now. However, seatbelts and new brakes and the like are a good idea.

 

i guess the van is winning out. I was hoping there was some easy mods that i could do for less than $10K to make it safe but in the end it's never as safe as newer models. I've heard where people take classic car bodies and actually drop them on late model cars. So the entire inside is a lexus but the outside is a 57 chevy. But i guess that's really expensive

 

When we needed three seats and the wife was looking at the dreaded mini-van, I ended up talking her into a Toyota Sequoia. Three rows of seats and it's built on the larger truck frame. No, it's not quite as versatile as a minivan, but it works for us.

Everything is a trade off. If you want the safety, convenience, comfort and versatility of a new mini-van...that's what you're going to end up with.

 

Also, there's another factor to consider when evaluating old cars and their roadworthiness or suitability - traffic density and vehicle types. When the wagons produced in the 60's and 70's were out on the roads, they were up against similarly performing vehicles (brakes, performance, etc.). They were driving these vehicles in traffic density that is 3x less than what it is now (conservatively, studies measure different factors).

So, when I'm out there driving in my wagon (which I did today, to work and back - 40 miles), I'm up against vehicles that nearly all have ABS, fuel injection, going 60 mph in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I keep a safe distance and a watchful eye for the person who's going to jump into my little bubble and slam on their brakes when the traffic slows again.

I spent most of my youth in the 60's in a station wagon, in the "back back", and lived to tell, but that doesn't mean that I would want to do that these days, in these driving conditions, up against nearly 3-ton SUVs flying and dodging through traffic.

 

Do you have a thread for this? I'd like to check out the process. :2_thumbs_up_-_anima

 

I drive my 78 daily, anything up to 200 miles a day, in city traffic and on the freeways. I'll take my 2 tonne tank any day. In terms of braking performance, no I don't have ABS, but there is also no computer deciding IF I can have any brakes at all. Nor is there a computer saying that my throttle lags when I take my foot off the gas. It is a trade off that I am happy to make, and I never have any problems dealing with traffic. One big advantage to this old car is size. There is a LOT of her to go through before they get to me or my dogs. Having seen how these old Fords perform in fairly serious crashes, I'll stick with them. They work very well indeed at offering crash protection.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by teej
Right now I'm in the process of fitting my '58 with five point harnesses for the kids as they have outgrown the forward facing seats and I don't care for the 'boosters'.

Do you have a thread for this? I'd like to check out the process. :2_thumbs_up_-_anima\


I haven't actually put together anything, but it's really pretty simple. I had installed lap belts in the 2nd row of seats to hold the car seats already, so I'm using those mounts. The outer floor area had some reinforced plates but no holes through the sheet metal. I don't know if it was for a different seat configuration or what, but I used those mounting spots. On the inner ones I've used the mounting kits from Wescoperformance. It's actually a 4 point harness as the shoulder straps form a "Y" shape and mount at one spot on the floor behind the seats. I know the recommended mounting position is horizontal or slightly above the shoulders, but since my kids are shorter than the seat I can get away with this for a while (2 years?) till I can get a roll bar (or other bracing/attach points) installed. Maybe I'll snap some pictures if I think about it.

 

X2 on the Surburban - Only looses to a Semi!!!!
Go to a junkyard and see what comes out on top - take pictures to the wife!
Drive/rent one for a couple of days, and it'll be all you want.

 

if my main thoughts were safety i would look at a mid 90's gm wagon ,has all the safety you want but for cool i stick with the 59. while i relize their are safer cars then my 59 i also believe when it is your time it is your time. had a close friend of mine leave our mustang club meeting and split his car in half right behind the drivers seat when he hit a pole. he walked away without a scratch .two weeks later a heartattack and he was gone .
R.I.P LEE