Spin Off: Classic Cars

[TXAggieTech]

Recently we were talking with a couple that is very involved with Model Ts. He owns a business restoring them, his dad has the same thing overseas. He business is named Model T. Her parents have something to do with them also, I think they might organize tours. The entire lives evolve around Model Ts. All the children on both sides have left the hospital in a Model T. Every wedding has been left in a Model T.

So, they are trying to have a baby and are looking into making the car compatible with a car seat. Companies sell after market seat belts. Does anyone have any experience with anything related? Would they need to put plates in before bolting the seat belts in?

Of course they aren't daily drivers. They trailer them into events and then ride in large groups for tours. Top speeds are reminiscence of the 1920s.

They also aren't going to stop when the baby is born. They aren't going to find another hobby to do with the baby. Any ideas on how to make this as safe as possible?

[Maedze]

http://www.jcwhitney.com/Lap-Shoulder/GP_2006838_N_111+200732938+600011275_10114.jcw

A quick google brought this up. THere were also options for lap only belts. It seems like the retractor and the buckle would have to be bolted down to a rigid part of the vehicle. I'm sure a competent mechanic could point him in the right direction....

[TXAggieTech]

Right, you can buy them but the frame does not have any points that are meant to have seat belts bolted to them.

I know for installing a special needs seats someone had to put plates in to make the area stronger, then put bolts into those plates.

He is a competent mechanic that realizes that what he is doing needs a bit more to make it a tad safer, while it will just rigged no matter what he does.

[ctbcleveland]

I have asked some similar questions to Beeman before - I suggest you PM him in case he knows something about this vehicle.

From what I recall, Lapbelts are easier to handle because they can be bolted to the frame. Shoulder belts are difficult because the cars do not have posts that can support them.

[Jeanum]

My Model T experience is limited to riding around in them at Greenfield Village and those weren't Model Ts retrofitted with seatbelts (yes, me the car safety geek has ridden unbelted in Model Ts at low speeds on a closed village road. I turned down riding shotgun and rode in the back seat, FWIW. :p) I don't see how one could retrofit a lap-shoulder belt because Model Ts are essentially open sided cars without substantial side pillars for anchoring a shoulder belt, nor likely to have a super secure place to anchor a shoulder belt in the ceiling on the hardtop models. As for a lap-only belt retrofit, I have no idea if there would be an appropriate place to shore up the floor pan in some way to anchor a seatbelt there, and someone more familiar with restoring/repairing Ts would truly need to be consulted. :twocents: