Toddler Seats

[Darren Calbero]

Thanks for all the input.  I picked up the seat yesterday and promptly
secured it to the front seat.  For whatever reason, it never occurred to
me that the lower belt attachment is also mounted to the door, but
looking at it, it makes all sense in the world that it was designed this
way if the upper belt is also attached to the door.  Now I can see why
there could be serious consequences if the door became unhinged in an
accident.  Shouldn't this really be a safety recall?

Picked up my son from the sitter then I found that putting my boy into
the front seat with the belts stretched out was much harder than I had
anticipated.  With his old baby seat in the back, this would have to do
until I could go home and relocate the Recaro.

Seat is now in the middle rear, easier to load the little guy, but the
darn seat hump makes it impossible for the toddler seat to be stable.
Tonight I plan on stuffing some towels on the sides to bolster the seat
and I was considering finding a way to use the LATCH system by pulling
the strap up, over and behind the seat back.  Jeff's solution below
sounds better so I'll have to attempt to raid the salvage yard this
weekend.  Got pictures Jeff?

Jeff wrote:

About a year and a half ago I had a similar situation with my 18 month
old son.  I have a '95 200SX and needed to mount the seat in the center
of the back seat because "it's the safest".  I tried to get it as tight
as possible but had no luck.  If your seat has the LATCH system, it is
much easier to mount securely.  I retrofitted the center position in the
rear with parts from a 2003 Altima (I think).  There was a threaded hole
in the metal support in the center of the rear deck I mounted an upper
mount to and the seatbelt anchors in the rear held the lower LATCH
anchors.  This may be different for your classic.  This was not tested
by any govenrment agency in a crash test but it seemed much more secure
to me.  YMMV.

The next problem is getting the child in and out.  Which I think is
harder problem.  I built a little step out of wood over the hump in the
middle of the back floor.  My son was older than your child and it took
him a while to get into it at first, but I turned it into a game.  I
would open the passenger door and flip the seat forward and he would
scamper into the back seat to try and beat me around the car.  He is now
4 and still has a hard time latching the crotch latch on his car seat.
I find I can reach back and hold the red button in a little he can click
the belts in.  It was a great sense of accomplishment for him to do it
on his own.