rear seat for Azzura?

[wengr]

hello, could you install a rear seat and belts from say a 79-82, into a 83-85 Azzura? would there be any modifications to the car needed? or is the sheet metal all the same? thanks in advance. greg

[spiderrey]

i would think you could. if your selling your rear shelf, i might be interrested.

[KillerB]

I'd trade my mum for a Azzura rear luggage shelf!

[wengr]

now that I have the car, I don't see how there is enough room in the back for a standard size car seat. back seat or not, especially with the top down, the depth is not there. is anyone successfully doing this?

[rlux4]

Your body is the same as before Pininfarina took over production, so you have the dimensions that a normal back seat would be. The seat and back are not very thick, maybe 2-2 1/2 inches. I used to sit my daughters in mine when they were very little (3-5 years old) even then, I had to move the front seats forward almost all the way to make room for their little legs. It wasn't comfortable, but it was fun to take them. The rear seat in these is really not practical, which may explain why Pininfarina took it out and put in the shelf.
Ron

[wengr]

Thanks Ron for the reply. Do you mean the children sat right on the fiat seat? if so I see what you mean. my poorly worded post should have said - seems there is not enough room for a standard children's add on car safety seat back there, wether I add the fiat seat or not. greg

[rlux4]

Yes, they would sit in the seat. We would move the front seats up about as far as they go, which would put you almost hugging the streering wheel. Here's pictures of George Molina's car with his two little ones in it. http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... cat#p14267
George is "Cecat" on the forum. He and his brother join us on a lot of our runs here in So Cal.
Ron

[manoa matt]

When I was 16 I had a 78 spider (my first car). One night we piled 5 teenagers in, two in the back, two on the passenger seat, and me driving....all with the top up. We only went a few hundred yards before some got a cramp and had to get out. I wish I could have seen it from the outside, it must have looked like a clown car with everybody getting out.

I have three rear seats and backs if you are interested, two beige and one caramel. Sell em to ya cheap, shipping might not be. matt.scarton@gmail.com

[4babycar]

I just recently added rear lap belts to our 80. As you can see, you can fit 2 little girls and a cocker spaniel back there and still be able to drive. I am ~6'5" and could still drive, not exactly comfortably, but it works and didn't have any problems driving around for an hour or so. Due to the thickness of the top when it is down, I chose just to use boosters. If you have a roll bar, as I do, you definitely need to have it padded as their heads are too close for comfort (also as you can see). They love it and my youngest found it quite comfortable to lay her head back on the top and sleep!

[So Cal Mark]

in Calif, I believe approved car seats are required for kids under a certain age

[ventura ace]

Here's a picture back in 1979 with 3 seat-belted kids in the back. Full size car seat in the center, booster seat on DS, and 5 year old sitting on the seat on the PS, and full size woman in the front (or should I say petite!). I used the existing seat belt mounts, and doubled up with 2 straps per mount on the center 2 mounting positions. It works great when the kids are small, but of course, they grow out of it quickly.



Another pic of George's car going down the road, with the kids having a great time in the back:


Here's a pic of where Denise put her kids: ;>)

[wengr]

thanks for all the replies and pics. the pics are leading me to believe there is something up with my top frame or top as it does not leave the same clearance when folded down as I see in these examples. seems on my car half the space is taken up by the folded top

[ventura ace]

. . . believe there is something up with my top frame or top as it does not leave the same clearance when folded down as I see in these examples. seems on my car half the space is taken up by the folded top

Well, 'half the space' would be a bit much. There is definitely more 'leaning back' room for things in the back seat when the top is up, than when folded down.

A