IML: Head Rests/restraints

["Wm. R. Ulman" <twolaneblacktop@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Head Rests/restraints were one of the mandated safety features required on
all cars sold in the U.S. on all '69 models.  Also included for '69 were
locking steering columns, and shoulder belts, which were seldom used because
they were placed up on the roof of the car, just above the door entry, and I
believe only on the front seats.  People were required to undo the shoulder
belt from its harness, hook it up to the lap belt assembly that then snapped
into the lock/release lever.  Not till sometime in the mid to later '70's
were they integrated into one piece.  My mom had a '77 Olds Omega, and that
seat belt assembly was one piece, lap & shoulder, which, by the way, had a
locking mechanism for when sudden movement occurred, the shoulder belt would
lock.  Sometimes if braking hard, sometime just reaching for the glove box.

The feds laid off for a couple of years after that due to the emissions
standards that were ratcheting up started in '68, and went full tilt in '71
& more in '72.  In '73 collapsing bumpers were required on all cars sold in
the U.S., except foreign makes.  For some reason they were only required to
have a front collapsing bumper in '73, but had to have both front & rear in
their cars in '74 like all U.S. made cars did in '73.  In '75 catalytic
converters were required on all cars, and unleaded gas was mandated for cars
equipped with those.  Unleaded gas was available in earlier years, but not
required till '75 when the converters were installed.  Since many states did
not have emissions tests at the time, I know of a lot of cars that owners
broke out the smaller nozzle opening for unleaded gas that were on unleaded
gas pumps so they could run cheaper, leaded gas, which of course ruined the
converter, and in later years when emissions test became more commonplace,
it was an expensive fix to make the car pass.

Bill Ulman
Seattle, WA
'66 Crown Convertible Coupe - Doris Day


-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Klebert L. Hall
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 3:53 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Side marker diversity


    Wierd. I thought my car was fairly late production, it has head 'rests'
and shoulder belts, but I'll have to check the info plate again. Are your
cars LeBarons? Maybe it was a distinction between the models?

     -Kle.
     '69 Crown 4DHT




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