Timelockmind

I just got a 66 mustang black/black fastback. One condition from my wife was that until I put in three point belts no kids in the car. After thinking about it, she is right. Anyway, after weeks of research here's where I am:

If you're going to get three point belts you MUST have heardrests

Obviously, getting seats with headrests can ruin the look of the car

I considered the "sport seats with headrest" offered by TMI. This kit uses exisitng seats which many of my Mustang experts feel are inadequate to support a serious impact with 3 point belts. In fact, they feel it could be more dangerous than the standard seats with lapbelt and no headrest. Also, several of the mechanics thought the "sport seats with headrest and pony vinyl" look whimpish.

I consdered putting on a stonger Mustang seat - a 68 or 69 (they both have locking mechnisims). However, I didn't like the way they looked. I just felt - even though they are Mustang related - they looked out of place. As to other aftermarket seats, many of the look "cheap" or overdone.

Finally I cam across another soultion. Unfortunatley a very expensive soultion. The Recaro "Specialist S" seats. They are amazing seats - extraordinary support, strong, and jaw droping good looking. My Mustang people have seen example of this on vintage stangs and thought the seatslook amazing (in black vinyl). They seem to go with the car (I will be redoing the back seat in the same desingn and material as the front) . http://www.speedwaremotorsports.com/...pecialistS.asp

My question to you guys is this: what do you think of this option.? And how do you look upon mustangs that have persoanlized seats?

Thanks

Scott H.

I have seen similar (if not the same model) reupholstered with a "Pony" style. They looked absolutely stunning. As they sit in that picture, I think they would look exceptional in your fastback. One thing nice about the coupe and fastback, you can install a more modern seat, and it usually enhances the muscular appearance of the car. I think you've found an excellent upgrade.
Also very glad you agreed with your wife. Smart choice for all kinds of good reasons.

Congratulations on your purchase of the fast back. Sounds like an awesome car. As for the seats, you may want to put them in as they are, then later if you decided to clone a Hertz Shelby (for example), you could do some trick upholstery, that would be really unique.
As for the three point belts, I'd suggest a professional restoration shop, and be aware of how they will fit your kids, for now and as they grow.

Good luck!

rmodel65

three point belt arent nesscarily safer we just had a state trooper die in my town because of a 3 point belt it slice his neck open cuttin his jugglar in two

Timelockmind

Hi rmodel65:

That had to be a freak accident. Based on all reseach I have gone thorugh 3 point belts (with proper seats) are one of the most important saftey advances in the last 30 odd years. This is according to the Deparment of Highway Saftey, several insurance company reports, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the National Automotve saftey institute.

I love the look of the low back seats, but they were used in a different time. It doesn't take much of a rear end accident to cause very serious injuries to low-back, lap-belt seat occupants. I fought the seat change tooth and nail - but common sense pevailed. In my case, my children became the deciding factor.

Scott H.

That is exactly the reason I suggest having a professional do the install. If that really happened to your trooper, it was the improper adjustments of the 3 point belt that did him in. Look at all new cars and you will see the front belts have an adjustable upper point. This is to insure you can lower the belt away from your neck, as torso lengths vary greatly.
Sorry to hear about the trooper. Those guys go through a lot of training. Part of which is proper usage of safety belts.
Timelockmind has done some good research and is 100% correct, to include the fact that the early seat latching mechanism was not strong enough to resist a severe impact.
There have been many design changes over the years that have brought us to the level of safety we now enjoy. I'm glad to see he is going with new technology that will provide a greater margin of safety for him and his family.
Besides, those seats look sweet!

Scott

rmodel65

lots of people go with the new mustang/cobra/mach 1/bullit seats might want to consider those then the car will be all ford and they are easily put in by drilling a few new mounting holes in the seat frame.



yes seat belts do increase your chance of survial in an accident but being cut by the belt are also a problem and most children will not wear a sholder harness for very long i know i wouldnt when i was little id wear my lap belt and thats it a good upgrade for the driver would be to upgrade to a collapsable steering column and steering gear(the 65-66 cars are a solid shaft if u hit that say hello to a crushed rib cage)

Galactusz

We talked about modern seats on classics a while back, I also looked into the Recaros, but went for Elites instead (half the price), they look very similar, are just as safe (and had three-point seat belts installed), I included a picture of the Elites in my ride, check it out:

https://mustangforums.com/m_2130685/tm.htm

[8D]

paddy187

3 points are on my least to do unfortunatly i will have to do them my self, no a lot of shops in the netherlands and even less one that will do it. Just a question why are headrest need for three point seats? I have riden in many car with 3 points and no head rested. Good luck with it and i would be intrested in the third point mounting

Soaring

My solution would be to not put the kids in the classic, but rather have them in a modern and safer car. You don't have any safety devices in a classic such as air bags or collapsible steering, and there are sharp edges of metal everywhere. Putting in 3 point safety belts and modern seats will help to solve the restraint problem, but then you would also need to install air bags, tank armor, etc. Keep in mind that if the only reason you are putting in modern front seats is for the kids, then you are just kidding yourself, since the kids will most likely be sitting in the back seat. It would do no good to have a rear end collision and the gas tank blows up with the kids strapped in with 3 point belts. These cars were not designed to be safe. They were designed to be fun to drive back during the days when the American public wanted a cheap sports car. If you want your kids safe, then put them in a new car designed for that purpose.

Timelockmind

Insteresting comment about the gas tank. I just spent time with a mechanical engineer who owns a 65 fastback. According to him the biggest danger of liquid corruption from a gas rupture is in the coupe because there is only a cardboard barrier between the tank and the occupants. The fatback and convetible do not pose the same level of risk because of their respective back seat reinforcement

As to kids, one of mine is a 14 year old who would not be caught dead in the back seat. Why allow him to ride in the Mustang? It's a fantastic shared experience. As to my conversion to the Recaro seats and 3-point belts I must say (and God forgive me!) that I am now starting to actually like the look very, very much. The last point is MY saftey- yes, these car are a a risk to drive but I feel much more secure knowing that when I'm going over 40mph I could survive a crash.

I know purists will never agree, but I think we can have the best of both world without destroying the classic integrety of the car - the old and new can co-exist quite nicely!