seats with integrated belts; installing into a older car?

has anyone done/know anyone/any links to putting a newer bench seat with the seat belts built-into the seat like out of an suv/van/truck with a small enough seat to fit, into an older car? i have a 1966 Nova chevy II i'm wanting to be as safe and legal as possible for my kids to ride in the back seat with 3 point seat belts.

i found something i read about how doing the 3 pt belts in older cars is difficult because the cars structure isn't made to handle the force of the shoulder belt attaching to the sides so it would need reinforced somehow, but putting the seats with the belts in them would require some sort of reinforcement of the floor as well, i am thinking these aftermarket type seats with the belts in them would be easier/safer than installing the 3 pt in the car, but i dont know, i cant find much else or much details/tips/issues about it to make sure i do this right other than that bit.

1st post. I'm a little worried about canoe-ness, but I'll bite.

All that is true.

However, SOME seat belts are better than NO seat belts.

The car originally had 2 points in the rear, right? So, a three point would use the original factory 2 points plus a high mounting point. It CAN'T be worse than what you started with, and would very likely be better, except in very unique crashes.

The integrated belt is a different issue. First off, it would be challenging to fit. Those truck seats are not benches, they are 40/20/40's, and they are WIDE. Good chance you'd have to modify them to fit (which could compromise the original design of the seat).

But once you've got them installed, you have also changed the entire structural engineering. Yes, they need a stronger floor. So, you could be going from a 2 point system to a 0 point (effective) system, depending on how you did it.

You said "safe and legal".

Safe: My opinion is the integrated are the safest IF THEY ARE PROPERLY ENGINEERED. This would be REALLY tough without the engineering muscle of GM, crash testing, etc. Three points would be second best, because they are an improvement on the original without compromising the original. Worst case is leaving what you've got. In fact, depending on the size of the kids and specific dimensions, lap belts could theoretically be more dangerous than no belts.

Legal: Depends on where you live. If you live in GA, bungee cords will work. If you are in CA, all mods are illegal. I'm pretty sure the 2 point would be 50 state legal, the 3 point would be legal in most states, and the integrated could be a nightmare if you ever had to prove it.

I use 5 points in my '60 El Camino (which had lap belts originally).

I suggest you drive carefully, its not like you are much safer in a serious accident with 3 points vs 2 in a car without any crumple zones. Though adding a third point, even a potentially poorly engineered one, will be better than nothing. Does a 66 Chevy have a collapsing steering column? Dual circuit brakes? A hood designed to not go though the windshield? Energy absorbing dash? I would be equally or more worried about those things than how well strapped in anybody is in a crash.

Kenny's got a point.

You didn't say if it was a daily driver or occasional.

If you are thinking about occasional Saturday fun drives with the kids, it's one thing. If it's a daily driver, sell it and get a newer car.

Don't get me wrong, I love old cars. But they are not appropriate for driving children in regularly.

We added a third point to a friend's 1972 grandville (in the rear). what we did was we got some 1990's cadillac rear belts, used the stock locations for the bottom 2, and stiffened up the panel behind the seats, putting the shoulder belts where they were in the caddy. is it actually safer? unknown (in some ways probably not as it is a HUGE convertible, and it's crumble zones on the other guy's car.) End result We think it was a wash.. but it made us feel better.

In reply to SCARRMRCC:

Yes, it's safer.

3 point isn't that helpful in a rollover. As you have noted in a convertible, nothing is.

A 2 point in the rear seat can contribute to back injuries and head trauma in a front end collision by holding the passenger at the waist while they fold in half and hit their head against the front seat. 3 point (even if questionably installed) can only help this.

well it wouldn't be a daily driver, but that doesn't matter, for the safety of my kids no matter where we are going and how often we drive having the safest belts is a must, you can get hit by someone else no matter what your driving, how well you drive, and you can get hit and hurt driving it whether its every day or just driving in it once a year, im not going to gamble thinking that the one time we're out for a sunday drive or going to a car show that they will be 'fine' .... anywho SVreX thanks yes exactly the 2 pt especially for children can cause injuries their newly growing structures cant handle that forward-bend at the waist if hit, and the internal organs as well could be damaged so the 3 pt is safer.. yeah i didnt think about the size difference in the newer seats fitting in the back, haha right now theres i believe a chrystler bench shoved into the nova i dont think it fits though looks funky in there