Rear seat belts.

zappi · Post by **zappi** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:10 pm

Hi guys. Does anybody know anything about rear seat belts for my spider. My kids are small enough that I would like to put one in back and the other up front. Basically so I can pick them up from school. Has anybody installed a 3 point seat belt in back?

Thanks.

Jon

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:58 pm

it might be near impossible to mount a 3 pt belt and have the angles right. I've only seen lap belts mounted in the rear. A race type harness might work okay though

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:27 pm

i've seen several folk install seat belts in the back for their small children or legless adult friends.

none have used a three point belt.

kmartin83 · Post by **kmartin83** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:19 am

One of my projects this winter is to install two seat belts for the back seat -- just lap belts. These would be for my 4-legged friends. My dalmation loves the wind in her hair, but even though she stays sitting down, I will feel better once I secure her.

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:32 pm

How can a kid sit back there with the top down? Doesn't the top fold right into that "shelf"?

ventura ace · Post by **ventura ace** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:17 pm

http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/124og ... 8.jpg.html

Three seat belts. One full size car seat in the middle, one booster seat behind the DS, and my son was big enough to sit on the seat with no booster. Mom's seat was all the way up, to give the tykes some leg room. They loved it!

Alvon

manoa matt · Post by **manoa matt** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:49 pm

When I was 16, four friends and I piled in with the top up. Two teenagers in the back seat, two teenagers in the front passanger, and Me driving with my head between my knees and the shifter behind me. We didn't go very far, because driving was difficult.

It shure was funny when we all got out. A few bystanders couldn't believe it. It must have looked like a cartoon clown car with all those people trying to extracate themselves from that tiny cockpit.

Matt

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:54 pm

ventura ace wrote:http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/124og ... 8.jpg.html

Three seat belts. One full size car seat in the middle, one booster seat behind the DS, and my son was big enough to sit on the seat with no booster. Mom's seat was all the way up, to give the tykes some leg room. They loved it!

Alvon

But Alvon, didn't the older spiders actually have a seat back there? Mine only has a seatlike shelf and the top folds down right in the way, I don't see how anything/one could fit back there with the top down, although I do remember riding sideways in the back one time when my BIL first got it.

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:08 pm

dan, if your 1980 Spider does not have a seat, but a shelf......it was modified.

I think up to 1982 there was a seat (useless at best), and that was replaced by a parcel shelf in 1983.

i am sure i will get corrected on the dates, but I am positive that the 1980 had a cusioned SEAT in the back, and yes, the top covers the top half of the seat back, but not so bad that a kid could not make use of the area to sit in.

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:37 pm

mbouse wrote:dan, if your 1980 Spider does not have a seat, but a shelf......it was modified.

I think up to 1982 there was a seat (useless at best), and that was replaced by a parcel shelf in 1983.

i am sure i will get corrected on the dates, but I am positive that the 1980 had a cusioned SEAT in the back, and yes, the top covers the top half of the seat back, but not so bad that a kid could not make use of the area to sit in.

I'm 100% positive that mine has a shelf, even the factory service manual calls it that. It does, however look exactly like a seat. Even the owners manual states that the car holds two occupants:

"Designed seating capacity..2 persons"
"Occupant distribution....2 in front"

It is for looks only. It may look like a seat, but it is not for sitting, i guess i'm getting caught up on terms though.....

zappi · Post by **zappi** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:46 pm

Yes the 1980 Spider has a full rear seat. Small but comple with backing and seating. I suppose a two point seat belt would be best. Thanks for all the replies guys.