Hi I was wondering if there ever was a legal option to put 5 persons in a 2nd gen Firebird, e.g. special backset, benchseat-option up front , whatever. I didn`t find anything google-ing, therefore I`m not too optimistic, but still wanted to ask . Jens
I don’t think so. Every second gen I’ve ever seen is a four seater. I’ve seen console deletes but they still had buckets. Patrick
I know they used bench seats in the first years. Here's a factory 1972 Gen II Firebird with a column shifter, so you need that and a bench seat: Maybe instal a Skylark bench seat?
Well, back in the early 90's we HAD to carry FIVE adults in a THIRD gen Camaro for about 30 miles when the PowerMaster brake switch failed on My Turbo Limited at the old Florence- Darlington 1/8th mile drag strip. Yes, it is ABSOLUTELY ZERO fun when that brake light comes on and that brake pedal goes to the floor!!! Your only stopping power is ONE shoe on the rear brakes on each side (The parking brake.) Fortunately, I was experienced in using the parking brake to hold the car with the release lever pulled, so I knew what to do. That was NOT the first time that stupid switch had failed on THAT car... Drove it to the nearest GM dealer, which happened to be about one mile away, and we all piled into a friend's Camaro for the UNCOMFORTABLE ride home.
Yep...what I was thinking too, damn....they should`ve made such an option or some sort of emergency seat in the middle, tunnel nonwithstanding...it`s not a small car. Since we`re 5 persons I could not fit them all in legally. Thanks
The tunnel is way to close to the roof line for a seat. I had a few third gens. There were many a night that there were 3 girls in the back seat!
OK...bye bye for now, screamin' chicken dream. I'll get back to the subject when the kids are out of the house...but I'm afraid the misses is not riding shotgun in the 'bird. Jens
An A Body seat won't work without significant modification. A X Body seat from 1975-79 would probably be a better starting point.
Like you said, technically it's most probably not unsolvable...problem is we're having quite strict tech inspections around here,returing every two years. Without the possibility of pointing my finger at an original brochure they won't let me get away with it,unfortunatly. Jens
Haha,great, maybe I'll try this...in german it's called "Schwiegermutter-Sitz" which translates to "mother-in-law-seat"...my wife always laughes when I bring this up. Jens
Some old luxury cars could be had with a “Mother-in-Law seat”, which was a seat that slid out of the side of the car so you could take another person (such as your mother-in-law) with you, without them technically being in the car. Despite the obvious brilliance of this idea, some pesky things like "safety regulations" put a stop to it, which is why we can no longer enjoy the benefits of external seating. This one could theoretically seat six! It’s practically a minivan roadster! Think that car has enough people in it? In addition to the Mother-in-Law seat, this particular one also has one of the strangest rumble seats I’ve ever seen. Yeah, that looks absolutely terrifying. 10/10, would daily the “Yellow Peril”. Definitely don’t slam on the brakes while Mother-in-Law is riding along... I gotta say, even though the mother-in-law seat looks terrifying, I love this era of car design. There was just so much wild experimentation and creativity going on
Sorry, this post has been up too long for me not to say something stupid. Many years ago my two buddies, my wife, my brother, and I all went from West Palm Beach to Miami in a 71 Trans Am. My wife was sitting on the hump in the backseat, my brother was sitting on the passenger side back seat, and I was sitting behind the driver in the backseat. It certainly wasn't comfortable but it was transportation. We were coming back from Miami. I must've eaten something that didn't go well with me. I let out the worst SBD you ever smelled in your life! Everybody in the car, except me, we're gagging their brains out!!!!! I was laughing my butt off! My advice, don't put five people in a Firebird. I'm just saying...