Child safety seats - Car seat

[n/a]

Has anyone ever considered mounting child seats in the area behind the seats? I've seen the transvers seat option, I'd love to get one of those. True there isn't a lot of room back there, but maybe a seat could fit. I have a 4 year old and a 3 month old and would love to take the family for rides. When I was a kid, we just piled in back there. No car seat laws then.

Shawn Rock
Philly, PA USA
1968 280 SL 4 speed

[W14]

Hi Shawn,

I have a 5yr. old, and have been looking for a way to do this.  I trial-fit the up-to-40lb. child seat sideways behind the pax. seat, but it was too wide.  I now plan to make a similar to stock set-up, out of upholstered plywood.  I hope it won't be for nothing, since my girl is a real "princess", and she just might nix it as too windy/noisy/messy hair!!

Will W14
1965 230SL 4spd
Victoria,BC

[pkiefert]

I believe all child seats are designed to function in a forward facing position. I don't think it would offer the same protection in a side mount. And a side mount may not satisfy child safety seat laws.  Something to think about for your princess.  Maybe there is a design that has sufficient side padding or shell strength to do this however.

[W14]

Hi PK,

You are right, a child-seat is required by law in my area, so back to "plan A".
Mounting it sideways is still an option however.  I would think that the seat would be most effective against impact from directly behind the seat, yet this table: http://www.icbc.com/Road_Safety/carseat_instal_safete.html
shows that 40% of impacts are from the side, and only 14% from the rear, so seat orientation is a compromise at best.
Another option:  My wife suggested that she could ride in the back, with the child-seat mounted on the pax. seat.  She has never ridden in the back of an open convertible though, so that might be short-lived as well (see "princess" comments   )

Will W14
1965 230SL 4spd
Victoria,BC

[n/a]

I think I would only do a forward facing configuration. My son is close to the 40lb booster seat stage and these seats may be smaller than the child seats. For now, he rides in his car seat strapped into the passenger side. Mommy and baby stay home. The "fun car", as my son calls it, is for the guys!

I'd love to learn more about the transverse seat though. Does anyone have some detailed doco on it? Thanks.

Shawn Rock
Philly, PA USA
1968 280 SL 4 speed

[W14]

Follow-up:

My 5yr old has now progressed to a Booster-seat, which does fit on the parcel shelf behind the seats.  I decided the best way to attach it is to mount an extra seatbelt in the center of the parcel shelf, so that my daughter can sit strapped into the booster seat, facing forward, with her legs in between the front seats.  This should do for at least a couple of years or so, before her legs gets too long.

It was a bit of a challenge to find good mounting locations for the belt, as the box-sections under the centre of the shelf don't allow access from underneath.  I ended up running some steel straps (1.25" wide/ 1/8" thick) between the upper coil spring mounts and the centre beam where the shelves meet.  I then attached the belt to the straps.

Went for our first "family drive" today, and it was a big success    , messy hair and all!!



Will W14
1965 230SL 4spd
Victoria,BC