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Driving your baby in a beetle?

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Jonno777 Slammed & Awesome Dubber

89 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#330852
My wife's not convinced that a beetle is worthy of precious cargo. She wants to know if anybody on here is doing this? 😉

$2.63 homebrand baja

0 posts · joined Feb 2004 ·

#330863
I had mine in back of baja from 6 months, seat on one side, stroller etc on other, it is actually amazing how much crap you can squeeze in there (and how much ikky stuff falls down under seat) 😀 I am sure the noise and bouncy motion helps send them off to sleep too! :P

Jonno777 Slammed & Awesome Dubber

89 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#330869
Thanks homebrand. Excited to see a reply to convey to my wife. :P

I think of how convenient a bug would have been back in the days of horse and carriage. We've got it so good to have the advancement of the bug, but it's always so relative.

Wag67 Wolfsburg Wizard

469 posts · joined Jan 2004 ·

#330887
we are having the same problem but to add to this my wife suffers from a bad back so the bending in trying to get baby in the back made me think this was not a good idea so we opted to get a kombi which you can just walk into. we thought long and hard but as jnr is due in august we had to do something nowand i didn't want an ordinary car. we will put Jnr into the beetle or baja when it is old enought to climb into the back as well. Also the stroller we have would take to much room as well as the stuff that goes with baby.
for a hands free Baby bottle holder check out

http://www.babygear4u.com

CoopGirl Fat Chicks ROCK!

825 posts · joined Aug 2003 ·

#330937
It is easier to put a baby into a kombi but the only difficult thing is stepping up into it with a child in your arms. If you have someone with you they can pass the kid into you otherwise I suggest lowering the kombi (I wanted to put a caravan step on the side to help step up into it).

I put 2 kids in my square back and that's not too bad. Possibly a little easier than a bettler but you still have to bend into the car.

frenzix Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,742 posts · joined Dec 2003 ·

#330942
we are selling the square cause it's a bit of a pain in the ass espescially with 2 kids and etc... compared to a sensible family wagon... 4 doors anyway.

Tim
www.nkcrew.com.au

Fossil Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,649 posts · joined May 2004 ·

#330949
My baby once was a beetle and I had no problems with driving her
Let me out, When I call my name
IGOR is ALIVE !!!! 😎

CoopGirl Fat Chicks ROCK!

825 posts · joined Aug 2003 ·

#331012
frenzix wrote:we are selling the square cause it's a bit of a pain in the ass espescially with 2 kids and etc... Tim
I have no problem putting my 2 in the square, and they are both still in car seats.

Dasdubber DAS Resto Haus

5,746 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#331031
Although we have no babies yet, they will be coming at some stage so I thought ahead and had baby seat mounts welded to my rollcage in my beetle....apart from bending in to put them in the backseat (no harder than my mum's *gulp* hyundai excel when looking after my sister's children), I don't anticipate any dramas.
www.dasrestoparts.com.au

HotRodMatt If it\'s old or rare - cut it!

3,616 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#331033
In a beetle I would recomend installing a different seat/runner combination. A late model seat/runner from a two door that slides the whole seat forward when seat back is titled forward will give you musch much more room for getting them in and out.

Two baby seats in the square were fine. The first 5 or so months mean the passenger seat was a bit too far forward to accomodate the rear facing seat but I could still get in and buckle up comfortably. Once bothe seats were forward facing there was heaps more room.

Yogie Moderator Custom Title Time!

1,608 posts · joined Jun 2003 ·

#331038
This from a LONG time ago but as an infant, my parents put me to bed in the area behind the rear seat with lots of blankets and pillows around me.

Yogie

squizy Thinking about another dub...maybe

4,082 posts · joined Dec 2002 ·

#331046
I've put a restraint point in the Cab and the little fella loves it [he's 15 months]. He's closer to us which he thinks is a laugh, and can kick the back of the seats. I put the stroller along the floor behind the front seats, and I've even had all 3 kids in the back as well. A blast for them! Your bub will thank you for it when their childhood memories are of being in the back of Dad's cool old Beetle.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#331051
Some of MY Kids used to sit in the "dicky" seat under the rear window.... in My Beetle...

In mY type 3 Variant wagon, I had a well padded childs car seat which back then had a metal chromed frame... this was cut off about 8 inches [guess] at the base and a steel plate welded to it...
I then drilled a 1 inch hole in the plate and had a 1 inch bolt underneath the floor thru the floor with a thin nut on top of the floor - the thin nut was recessed into the sound proofing on the floor - and I had a 1 inch Nut with a piece of round bar welded to it.. making it a wing nut....
My 2nd eldest Son used to climb over the back seat and get into the car seat....
[the seat was very similar to early padded high chairs]

Very Illegal these days....
I never did take a pic of that chair...
the chair never moved about ... and We used it for years...
it even went to Perth & back......

Lee Noonan --
http://community.webshots.com/.user/vw68autobug
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

bugeyedbabe Wheres her VW heart on her sleeve

3,945 posts · joined Jan 2005 ·

#331068
lee,

my mum had one of those seats....back about 25 years ago for my little brother...man they were cool looking thing...we did trips to sydney and everything with that seat...

Also VWs are probably much safer than most cars...(once u have the fire thing sorted...which most do now)....when it comes to a crash...

My mum works in prestige smash repairs...and they only do merc, bmws, volvos or cars under 2yold. Anyway, every so often i talked about new small/medium cars etc that i would be considering buying...and she'd pop me out the back to show me latest collections...some of them could only be recognised by their badges on boot lids...

She swore by the older cars..they have metal. :blah ..and on impact, metal crushes less...plastic will fall apart too easy...so she banned me from a new car until I am older...or until kids were older...

as for getting them in and out....

get newer car seats for front....slip forward when getting kid in and out
get a 'stiff' car seat belt...one where the latch section is stiff...so less fumbling aounr when the kids getting in..
consider not a capsule, but a more open designed (back then front facing) car seat...capsules can be hard in beetle...
And did u know that now that now they have 'swivel' car seats...for those using larger/higher or more awkwardcars...the baby seat section actually turns so getting child in and out is easy still...i had one for townace...not bad really...

also, tell wife to put car seat in the back, on the side opposite the door she uses most, until child is into a forward facing seat. i suffer back problme every so often...and soemtimes just getting in and sitting whilst putting baby in can be great..

just a thought...hope info helps...

But mostly i'm all for bringing back bassinettes for transport with use of straps etc...i heard someone once tell me they were coming back into market, with hard sides...but haven't seen them yet...their supposed to have belt like capsules...but slide onto base in car, and clips into belt at top...this would be great if possible.
dubless. 🥲
🥷 And who the helled parked the Mitsubishi "Prancer" under my house??? 🥷

mscabrio Cabriolet Queen

2,308 posts · joined Jan 2004 ·

#331295
As a woman of child bearing age (hehehehe) the only problem that I would see would be the fact that they are 2 door. This would make putting the baby in and out a little hard in the case that you have some tosser park TOO close next to you ! Everyone that I know that had a baby and a 2 door, have traded up to a 4 door soon after.

If this is not the car that the baby is in all the time and only goes in for special occasions and cruises etc then it would be the best fun for them !
🤘

jaksc Officially Full-On Dubber

236 posts · joined Jan 2005 ·

#331373
Both my children were in baby capsules in my beetle. Had the ancorage points installed by Child Safe. It wasn't as convenient as a 4 door car but I never felt that they were unsafe.

Special Air Service Chief "Gunna"

1,769 posts · joined Oct 2004 ·

#331455
My wife thinks the same thing,but I told her if its safe enough for me to drive to work everyday then its safe enough for my kids. Just make sure you keep the maintenance up to it especially brakes, suspension and tyres.We bought our twins home from hospital in the beetle tight fit but I just had to do it as both my wife and I were taken home from hospital in beetles as well.(a family tradition continues) It took us ages to find a capsule/seat for newborns that would fit behind drivers seat and still enable a half decent driving position.We ended up hiring a small capsule type seat from our local "neighbourhood center" until they were old enough to sit up facing forward. Then get the most compact forward facing seats you can find.
The beetle is not our daily driving car , the kids only get in it for family cruises on weekends etc.
I will endeavor to scan in some photos of us leaving hospital.
Cheers
SAS
Calling all NSW Mid North Coast Veedubbers

Click Below
Mid North Coast VW

frenzix Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,742 posts · joined Dec 2003 ·

#331486
yeah not impossible but alot easier with a 4 door..
www.nkcrew.com.au

$2.63 homebrand baja

0 posts · joined Feb 2004 ·

#331496
for those with back probs re beetle, bending etc.. I suggest you baja it.. comfy height, plus it is guaranteed to spin out the '4 door' crowd at playgroup etc and your kid will be the envy of the pre-schoolies as they have the biggest toy of all ... :P 😉 lol *$2 runnnss befor being bashed*

hellbugged 48's and straight cuts

5,080 posts · joined Apr 2003 ·

#331517
yeah done the small child and worried mum thing. I have always thought putting a baby in a two door was easier;
1: the doors open more
2:there's more head room as you duck in the back (no sloping roof line of back window)
3:you must recline and move seats forward (necesary, but never done in a four door), allowing you to squat in front of capsule, thus saving reaching and contorting your back from a position still outside the car
4: same as no. 3 for seatbelt clipping up and adjusting
5: you can always reach the rear seat from drivers seat in a beetle
6: when they get older, they're stuck in the back until you recline the seats (safely out of harms way)and all you'll hear is "can we take the beetle" anyway!
7: all of the above works when getting the precious cargo in... and... out!

geez, I must have discussed this one or two times before! My sons first trip was at age 1 in a 2180 beetle with straight cut gears, dual 48s, and no noise insulation......................and.......................................he fell asleep!!!

cheers damien

bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#431962
Has anyone eva converted the rear to a hatch back for rear seat access?:o
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

MISS VDUB Administrator Mrs KOMBIBOB

2,565 posts · joined Sep 2005 ·

#431991
I've always grown up with beetle, literally ever since i was born!

Mum had a safety harness installed in the back of her Pink convertible beetle for me when i was a baby. She had no problems getting me in and out the car, and found that the boot of a beetle held everything she needed. When mum and dad had trouble getting me to sleep, the only way they could was to load me into the bug, and to drive around the block until i dozed i off. as a baby i found the sound of a Volkswagen engine soothing, and going over the bumps sent me to sleep. 👍
1963 Single Cab Ute: "El Concreto"
1962 Baja Beetle: "Peanut"
1968 Porsche 912 SWB: "Pip"
1972 Kombi Snail: "The Snail"
2012 Skoda Octavia Scout: "Scout"
2016 Scirocco R: "Rocco"

VWMA Editor Custom Title Time!

1,086 posts · joined Jan 2004 ·

#432014
Squeezy, but no problem. I had three kids under five in the '64 for about 18 months at one stage. Of course, the Crew Cab resolved the space issue pretty quickly.

PrettyBlueBug Almost over it...

2,032 posts · joined May 2005 ·

#432015
MissVeeDub: As long as you don't fall asleep now while driving one! 😉

[ Edited on 24/11/2005 by Pretty_Blue_Bug ]

MISS VDUB Administrator Mrs KOMBIBOB

2,565 posts · joined Sep 2005 ·

#432062
Hee Hee, i don't fall asleep, but the only way i can relax and de-stress is by driving my girl. And cos she's off the road at the moment i'm obviously a bit stressed 😀
1963 Single Cab Ute: "El Concreto"
1962 Baja Beetle: "Peanut"
1968 Porsche 912 SWB: "Pip"
1972 Kombi Snail: "The Snail"
2012 Skoda Octavia Scout: "Scout"
2016 Scirocco R: "Rocco"

pete wood 23 Windows of Awesome

6,828 posts · joined Jan 2004 ·

#432145
Here is my beasty. Hold on, what's that in the back seat? That's right, a baby capsule. In fact the whole reason we have a back seat instead of a 2 seater is so we could put kids in it.

But as others have said, have the mounting point put in by someone who knows what they are doing.

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"stoopid is stronger than axles"
http://drivingnotpolishing.blogspot.com.au/

HGFS Wolfsburg Wizard

531 posts · joined Feb 2005 ·

#432348
VWMA Editor wrote:Squeezy, but no problem. I had three kids under five in the '64 for about 18 months at one stage. Of course, the Crew Cab resolved the space issue pretty quickly.
OK this interests me as it applies to me...
Did you have all 3 across the back seat?
Did they fit OK, were any in boosters?
Did you put in a 3rd seatbelt in the back, could it be done by using the 2 existing centre anchor points?
Our 3rd is only 3 months old right now but we just bought a 64 to use for club runs, weekend cruises etc. We have "responsible" cars for daily driving.
After we got the 64 it occured to me that there is now 5 of us which could be a bit squeezy in a bug. the oldest is 9 but he's as skinny as a rake. the 5 year old is wider than the 9 year old!! Oh well I might just have to leave the Wife at home......:kiss
Speaking of the little bloke he's woken up for a feed, looks like this :cry, better go get the missus:thumb
1954 Oval long term project going nowhere
1958 Beetle drag car project
1959 Beetle project I need to sell one day
1969 Squareback

Flying VW Wolfsburg Wizard

680 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#432392
I have a Baby Seat in the back of the Baja, I don't have any problem with getting the baby in and out.

The only problem I have is my Father, who as a Fire Fighter has put out a lot of Beetle fires. He stresses about whether I can get him out in a hurry.
BAJA NOW FITTED WITH A FULL FLYING REBUILD

Buger Gary Seriously Crusin Dubber

159 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#432728
My three boys all traveled in the Bug once they were out of the captule and into a baby seat.The only problem is they all missed the trips as after 5 minutes they were always asleep. Handy some times though. I even pranged the beach buggy with one of them in it(scared the crap out of him and it took a while to get him back in it again!)
Gary

[ Edited on 27 November 2005 by Buger Gary ]

koolkarmakombi enkarmarising

2,078 posts · joined Jun 2003 ·

#432901

She swore by the older cars..they have metal. :blah ..and on impact, metal crushes less...plastic will fall apart too easy...so she banned me from a new car until I am older
I hate to rain on your parade BEB BUT....

New cars turn into twisted piles to absorb the energy. Older cars stay more intact but the occupants dont. ppl usually believe the stronger the car etc, which is why the dopey mums outside the local school have those stupid urban 4wd's. They perform exceptionally badly for the occupants in an accident, let alone what they hit while they ride so high.

crumple zones do so for a reason

I bought a wagon for the baby, I will get a beetle later when they fit the seats better.

kkk
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