Mounting a Infant Car Seat in a Cougar

Cougar Community Classic Cougar Community Discussion
1

Ok, I tried to install my youngest sons car seat in my 67 today. I was going mount it in the rear center seat area. I had no luck. The rear seatbelts are to short to mount the car seat base properly. I’m sure I’m not the only classic Cougar owner with a small child. So what have you guys or gals done to mount a child car seat safely in your classic Cougar?

Ian is almost a year old and he wants to ride in Cougar style. Here is how Ian looked when he found out he couldn’t ride because his car seat wouldn’t strap in.

Steven

2

I have a '69, the only problem I had was that the buckle ended up behind the seat back. So I just put some padding over it and my daughter was ok. She was 5 at the time.

3

I have aftermarket seat belts and I couldn’t strap the rear facing base in the center either. I ended up putting the passenger side front seat all the way forward and mounted in on the passenger side rear. Then we had the second one…

When the terrors got older, I upgraded to the Simpson Baby Seats from Summit. They have 5 point harnesses built in and I strapped those into the back seat with the lap belts. One on each side. After outgrowing those, we wentwith th ebooster seats for a few years.

Only this year have they gotten big enough to go without anything. Not even a booster. FINALLY!!!

4

I always have my daughter in the passenger side, rear–even when she was in the rear-facing tiny baby seat. When it’s just you and the kid, the passenger seat is moved all the way forward, and I keep the seat back forward as well. It’s a bit tight with a passenger up front, but it works. Once forward facing, I’ve always been able to kneel on the seat and torque the seat belt down tightly enough that the buckle is off to the side and not too uncomfortable. Getting a set of truck seat belts for your year will give you a longer belt–just buy the same color and they are usually in good shape and pretty cheap on eBay. I use the lap belt for a Brittax 5-point harness seat (a couple of different models now). Even tho she’s technically no longer required to be in the car seat, she’s going to ride in it until she truly outgrows it, period. Feels much safer to have her encased in the seat if we get hit.

5

Thanks for the reply guys. I think I’ve got the issued figured out. In my car the rear male buckles are mounted towards the outside of the car on both the drivers side and passenger side. I’m thinking if I swap one side male and female that will give me a male and female buckel at the center position of the back seat. If the swap works out with the buckles then I’ll have enough seat belt length to mount the baby seat base properly in the center of the back seat (rear facing). I’ll post some pictures if it works out.
Steven

6

Start looking at 3 pt. belts.

7

Well everything worked out perfect. I swapped out the belts and now the seat mounts per the manufacturer instructions. Nice and tight safely in the center. I snapped some pictures. Even though it looks like it’s a tight seat between the front seats and the baby seat, it’s really not. The front seats are all the way back and the baby seat shade canopy in folded down. After all is said and done I’m glad I’m only 5’9" :laughing:! Ian is going to be going for a ride in the Cougar. :smiley:
Steven






8

Well Steven, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Glad it worked out, Ian looks so happy now. John

9

Little guy looks much happier now. :thumbup:

10

Glad you posted this. When I told my 7 week old newborn boy Connor, his seat cant fit in cougar I got this. BTW congrads! being dad of a new little boy is like nothing else.

11

Mike congratulations back at you. My family is what makes life so special. I have three wonderful children and a great wife. They kids grow fast so enjoy every moment, we do. The Cougar passion/hobby is a great way to make many great memories. :smiley:
Steven

12

Well, my son is now a senior at ASU in Tempe. Enjoy every moment. I had a little MGB when he was a toddler. I put him in the passenger seat with his sister sharing the single seat belt and took them for convertible rides down the country roads around our house. I told then they had to peddle when we went up hills (the MG wasn’t that fast) I love to recall those little legs pumping imaginary peddles to get us up the hill to the house. Good times.

13

A Senior seriously? - damn time, slow down please… still driving the Cobra?

14

He still drives the Cobra, and a beater Jeep Cherokee that he can park anywhere. The Cobra is in better shape now than when he bought it. And he even likes Shiner…

15

Bill neat story. I had a 1971 MGB when my oldest son was born in 1993. I restored it around 1990 and sold it for a more family friendly car that the baby seat could fit in. Good times. When I sold the MGB I bought a 1984 Cougar XR7 turbo. Pound for pound the slowest turbo car ever made. It might have been slow but at least it was a Cougar :laughing: .
Steven