Re: '55 400 Front Seat Backs
Posted by Leeedy On 2021/3/17 23:27:54
Quote:
Scott wrote:
In my recently acquired '55 400 the front seat backs apparently have no latch mechanism. They are free to fall forward with heavy braking or by a rear seat passenger. Is that normal on these cars? It's not at all safe.
My intention is to install period-style lap belts but the seat backs remain a safety issue.
And on the 1956 Caribbean there was not a latch at all. But the factory did retrofit small spring catches on Caribbean seats due to the seatbacks being top-heavy and yes, having a tendency to fall forward on hard stops. Of course the spring catches presented their own problems... like catching clothing, scraping ankles and more. Yes, these spring catches could be used on a Four Hundred seatback with some adaptation and manuevering. But not the best approach.
If you feel a need to install a mechanism to prevent or inhibit seat backs in your Four Hundred from falling forward in a hard stop, you might more easily invest in a set of cabinet door magnets. Easy to install, effective and no deep engineering required. And they won't affect the look of your seats overtly.
If there was a serious safety concern over all these years, somebody would have done something engineering-wise or mandate-wise long ago... certainly by 1967. But obviously it hasn't been that big of an issue.
Seatbelts ought to enhance the safety issue– including rear-seat passengers moving forward (that's a lonnng way if they're properly belted). Packard had seat belts as accessories. However, if you're looking for 1950s seats to do 2021 safety things, that's not gonna happen. Having no head restraint is a far, far bigger and much more dangerous safety issue.This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=231442