So the future owner of my '84 (my 2 year old son) has been bugging me to take him for a ride. He absolutely loves the Vette and goes out to the garage to say good night to it everynight. I have taken him up and down my dead end street a few times but I wanted to take him for cruise. Obviously my wife and I have differing opinions. He has the highest safety rated carseat. And of course if I did take him out, we would not be out drag racing or doing 100 MPH down the highway (I will save that for when he turns 10, haha). She is concerned that he would be in the front seat. I pointed out that he would be buckled in, that his seat has a 5 point harness, and that the Vette has no front airbags. I also pointed outthat if the Vette was my only means of transportation, then he would have to ride up front. Has anyone else installed a carseat in your C4? Would you feel safe?

take your wife out first and that should convince her to let the future owner ride in it. i think that people have seen the damage an idiot can do to a vette and they are scared. driving it normally, i feel a vette is as safe as any other car.

She has taken a lot of rides in the Vette in the past.... we have been together since March '99, and I have owned the Vette since November '00. I actually gave her the engagement ring in the Vette, so that it would have sentimental value and she would never want to sell it. Before birth of future owner, we would go out cruising on weekends, roadtrips, etc.... The first 5 years I owned the Vette, we put a little over 12k miles. In the past 5 years, the Vette has seen less than 1k...She is just nervous about him in the front seat.

Since your Vette doesn't have a passenger side air bag, the Vette is as safe as any other car.  Take him for a ride.  I rode in cars from 1946 until the late 1960's with no seat belt as the cars did not have seat belts back then and I am still here.  Life should be enjoyed, not feared. Just drive carefully while he is in the car which I am sure you will.
proracr2011-03-21 09:31:56

I agree with proracr........what did we all do before airbags and car seats...I grew up in an era of METAL dash boards and no safety belts.....if you're sensible about it you should be fine.....

Gotta agree with the missus.  It's a risk and reward thing...your son won't remember taking a cruise at 2 years old. But you'll certainly remember if some nitwit stops short, or rear ends you, etc. and your son is injured.  Is it really worth it?  Doesn't take much of a jarring motion to do damage to a 2 year olds spine, head or midsection. Wait a few years for a cruise.  In the meantime,  just up and down your neighborhood street is fine, at least it's a somewhat controlled environment.  The highway isn't.  JMO.

My only question would be about how the child seat secures to the car's seat.  I only say that because I notice that in my '84, the seat back pulls forward just by pulling on it, there's no latch or anything to get to the area behind the seat.  I guess I would just worry about the seat itself coming forward in case the belt doesn't cinch or something.

All this said, I don't have kids and I have no idea how car seats attach.  If it mostly relies on the belt, and your belts work, then I don't see an issue.

[QUOTE=IllDiablo]My only question would be about how the child seat secures to the car's seat.  I only say that because I notice that in my '84, the seat back pulls forward just by pulling on it, there's no latch or anything to get to the area behind the seat.  I guess I would just worry about the seat itself coming forward in case the belt doesn't cinch or something.

All this said, I don't have kids and I have no idea how car seats attach.  If it mostly relies on the belt, and your belts work, then I don't see an issue. [/QUOTE] looks like you have a problem with your seat. there is a latch that holds the seat upright and the release knob is on the back of seat behind head rest. you should have to pull the latch up to lean the seat forward. take out seat cushions as cable might be stuck causing the lock not to engage.

A properly installed child restraint seat will make him as safe as any other car. A 2 year old riding in teh front of any vehicle would require the passive restraint system be deactivated ayway so no passenger side airbag is not a problem at all. Just be sure to properly install the seat in your car and the seat belts will do the work. Finally, remember that your driving with a Billion Dollar Cargo requires a "No-Play" time while driving.

My son, was born in 70. His fist ride, in the 69 vette, was on the way home from the hospital.