Where would I put the kids?

[michael murphy]

Newbie-wannabe question #1.
I'm seeing many beautiful coaches out there, and they all seem ideal for a
couple. I have 3 children. None of the photos I have studied show
automotive seats with seatbelts aft of the front driver/passenger seats.
Hmmm.

For those of you toting families, what do you do with the kids while
driving? Some options that occur to me are: leave them at Dennys, put them
in the top storage box, let them play on the rear bed rumpus-style, lock
them in the bathroom.

Other suggestions?

Mike M

 

[LQQKatJon]

I have 2 seat belts on the couch. Kids sitting sideways. And 2 spots at dinette. They usually sit at dinette and have table for toys/games.

Drive defensively, be safe, be careful. These might not be a volvo, but they are sturdy. Walk the line of helicopter parenting and not robbing
your kuds of such wonderful life experiences.

I have two daughters, and have a harder time finding space for their dolls and clothes then i do looking for a spot for them to sit.
--
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

 

[Adam Raeburn]

I like the bathroom idea
But seriously depending on the layout and how much the PO changed things some designs came with belts for up to I think 3 on couch, 4 on the dinette
and 4 in the lounge area in the back.
If things have been modified like mine. the belts are gone on the couch (I don't know why) and My dinette has been replaced with barrel chairs. they
do have belts. the rear settee has been removed and a perm bed is in place.
I do remember that someplace sells new seatbelts that will work in the GMC just can not remember where.
--
Adam Raeburn
Rothesay, NB
1976 Austin Mini
1977 GMC Palm Beach
---------------------------------------------------
Once you replace everything that is attached to something else. It will all be fixed.

 

[jeremy]

Our couch has two seat belts and one each on either side of the dinette. For a while we had 3 car seats belted in on the couch and forward facing
dinette. Down to two now on the couch. Also let the kids play in the back bed when we are on the highway. Not the safest idea but it works. Mounted a
TV on a swivel over the front dinette and kids can watch that while buckled, play at the table while buckled, or nap in the back. It works but you do
need to gain a little flexibility in your mindset about buckles at all times. Love travelling in the coach with our kids. Kitchen, bath, and bed
without stopping. Best way to go.
--
Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL

 

[a.]

> Newbie-wannabe question #1.
> I'm seeing many beautiful coaches out there, and they all seem ideal for a couple. I have 3 children. None of the photos I have studied show
> automotive seats with seatbelts aft of the front driver/passenger seats.
> Hmmm.
>
> For those of you toting families, what do you do with the kids while driving? Some options that occur to me are: leave them at Dennys, put them
> in the top storage box, let them play on the rear bed rumpus-style, lock them in the bathroom.
>
> Other suggestions?
>
> Mike M
They came from the factory with seat belts in the davo (couch that converts to a bunk bed) behind the driver's seat (3 sets of belts, I believe) and
two in the rear facing dinette seat behind the passenger cockpit seat. The ones for the davo bolt to the beltline section of the frame. The dinette
ones bolt to the frame of the step. There are still places to bolt belts in those positions if yours have been removed.
--
'73 23' Sequoia For Sale
'73 23' CanyonLands For Sale
Upper Alabama
There will always be a demand for scapegoats. The job sucks, but the work is steady.

 

[emerystora]

My 1977 Kingsley came with 3 seat belts on the couch and two seat belts on the forward facing dinette seat.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsleyn
Frederick, CO

>

>> Newbie-wannabe question #1.
>> I'm seeing many beautiful coaches out there, and they all seem ideal for a couple. I have 3 children. None of the photos I have studied show
>> automotive seats with seatbelts aft of the front driver/passenger seats.
>> Hmmm.
>>
>> For those of you toting families, what do you do with the kids while driving? Some options that occur to me are: leave them at Dennys, put them
>> in the top storage box, let them play on the rear bed rumpus-style, lock them in the bathroom.
>>
>> Other suggestions?
>>
>> Mike M
> They came from the factory with seat belts in the davo (couch that converts to a bunk bed) behind the driver's seat (3 sets of belts, I believe) and
> two in the rear facing dinette seat behind the passenger cockpit seat. The ones for the davo bolt to the beltline section of the frame. The dinette
> ones bolt to the frame of the step. There are still places to bolt belts in those positions if yours have been removed.
> --
> '73 23' Sequoia For Sale
> '73 23' CanyonLands For Sale
> Upper Alabama
> There will always be a demand for scapegoats. The job sucks, but the work is steady.
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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[RJW]

> Our couch has two seat belts and one each on either side of the dinette. For a while we had 3 car seats belted in on the couch and forward facing
> dinette. Down to two now on the couch. Also let the kids play in the back bed when we are on the highway. Not the safest idea but it works. Mounted
> a TV on a swivel over the front dinette and kids can watch that while buckled, play at the table while buckled, or nap in the back. It works but you
> do need to gain a little flexibility in your mindset about buckles at all times. Love travelling in the coach with our kids. Kitchen, bath, and bed
> without stopping. Best way to go.

I know that is tempting to be in the back while underway, with those great views, but I won't let anyone stay back there when on the highway. My
concern is that we will be rear ended since we rarely exceed 65 (for fuel economy reasons) while everyone else goes 80. The rear end of our GMCs, with
all that glass, is way too flimsy for me to trust in a crash. With all the texting going on these days, the odds of being hit from the rear I think
are greater than ever.

--
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com


Coop Roller Cam 455, Howell TBI + EBL, 3.42 FD, Quadra Bag, Macerator, Manny Tranny etc.

 

[thomas phipps]

My Avion has a pair of seat belts on both sides of the dinette. I would hate to be the rear-facing person, but they were installed. None of the
seats belts in those positions appear to have been used. I use them to secure animal cages, while under way.
I would love to find a source for replacement seat belts for the driver and passenger positions. I believe that the 40 year old belts have outlived
their design life.
As a aside, I flew in C-141's across the Atlantic in rear facing seats. This was much better than sidewards in a C-130. Rear facing seats are
probably more survivable in a frontal crash. Just tough to drive that way. LOL.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion
KA4CSG

 

[mark1]

My coach came with belts only for the forward-facing dinette seats (and cockpit seats, of course). I added belts to the rear-facing dinette seats
(really not difficult - there's plenty of structure to bolt them to up there). The harder thing was installing belts for the couch. I hear many
coaches are pre-drilled for belts, but mine wasn't. I wasn't happy with any location I could "bolt to" under the couch. I ended up running some 1/2"
steel cable from the frame, up through the area under the couch, and back down to the frame. "It ain't goin' nowhere". I threaded on three sets
of belts to the cable, and it's kind of nice that they can "self adjust" depending on the number and size of the passengers. Yes, there would be some
give of the system in an accident, but I have no doubt that the belts would keep the passenger(s) in place in the event of a roll-over (my biggest
concern), and in the event of a front or rear collision, I'm thinking that a little play in the belts is probably a good thing, allowing a little
rotation of the pelvis so your lower spine doesn't have to take the entire brunt of the force).

--
Mark Hickey
Mesa, AZ
1978 Royale Center Kitchen

 

[a.]

> ...I would love to find a source for replacement seat belts for the driver and passenger positions. I believe that the 40 year old belts have
> outlived their design life. ...
http://www.seatbeltsplus.com/Classic-Car-Seat-Belts.html
--
'73 23' Sequoia For Sale
'73 23' CanyonLands For Sale
Upper Alabama
There will always be a demand for scapegoats. The job sucks, but the work is steady.