Cypress Sun Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 7 hours ago, Alpo said: First time I ever even heard of seat belts was in 1967 when Daddy had them installed in our 1962 Studebaker Lark. And then he got it up to 60 MPH and slammed on the brakes to see if they worked. They must have. I don't recall any of the five of us going through the windshield. My Step Grandmother had a VW Beetle. I was in the front seat, unbuckled of course, when she go into a wreck at an intersection in Fort Myers and crashed into a pole on the side of the road, I hit the windshield, breaking it with my hard head. Other than a little bit of blood on my head, I was fine. Remember when your parents would do the ole "toll gate arm" to stop kids from going forward during heavy braking? I do. A lot of good that would have done in a crash. A Sheriff on tv a few days ago talking about a crash on I75 a little north of Tampa in which a family of 4 were killed in when they were thrown from the pickup truck a rollover crash. Said that in a rollover crash that un-belted people look like clothes in a dryer. Looked like the truck had flipped once, a highly survivable crash if they'd been wearing their belts. I'm a believer in seat belts, although I didn't used to be. Never wore them until I witnessed first-hand the results of a person going headfirst thru the windshield of a car and smashing into an large oak tree. Oak tree - 1, the guy with no face and little left of the top of his head - 0. I've worn the belts ever since, even riding in the back seat as a passenger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 Actually that's Ronnie's only wreck. I was wearing my seatbelt and shoulder harness, and I came through it with a bruise on my collarbone. Had to go out the window because the fender had been shoved back enough the door would not open. The other car had a head shaped crack on the passenger side windshield. Don't know whether the kid was standing up on the front seat, or standing up on the back seat and went over the seat, but he hit the windshield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 8 hours ago, sassnetguy50 said: 1953 Ford Bingo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 13 hours ago, Cypress Sun said: Seat belts did exist in the 1950's. Evidently, they were an option. I remember my Great Grandmother's 1954 or 55 Ford having seatbelts in the front seat. I don't remember anyone using them though. Yup. My parents bought a ‘56 Pontiac Star Chief just like this (4-door, though) It had the optional seat belts in the front only. I asked my dad why we didn’t have them in the back and he said, “the front seats will stop you.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 15 hours ago, Alpo said: I'm thinking Ford, because the ignition switch is on the left side of the steering wheel. I've never seen a switch on the left side on a GM product. A roll bar for racing makes sense, because there are seat belts. Seat belts did not exist when that thing was made. I guess you arn't old enough to remember when cars (and PU trucks) had a push button starter. My Dad's 48 GMC pickup had one. You turned the key on with your right hand and pushed the starter button with your left, it being on the left side of the steering wheel. My Dad also had a 39 Chevy 4door with a foot starter button. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 Still drive a 50's vintage Ford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 While vehicles with starter buttons were before my time, they still had a key. You turn on the ignition switch and then you push the starter button. You even said that in your description. And the ignition switch in that picture is on the left side of the steering wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawhorse Kid Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 20 hours ago, Dirty Dan Dawkins said: Maybe some of you older fellas can tell me.... Is that a three speed on the column? What's the best way to repair a cracked headliner like that? Is that a manual choke knob below the dash? Not a very good picture, I will need to see a larger picture with better resolution to help answer these questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 I also don't think it is a roll bar in the picture. Might even be a station wagon with a screen or curtain for separation of front & back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawhorse Kid Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 40 minutes ago, Alpo said: While vehicles with starter buttons were before my time, they still had a key. You turn on the ignition switch and then you push the starter button. You even said that in your description. And the ignition switch in that picture is on the left side of the steering wheel. Left hand ignition key without a starter button. Right hand ignition key with a left hand starter button. Both configurations were designed to leave the right hand free to operate the manual choke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 5 hours ago, Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life said: Still drive a 50's vintage Ford. That's purty durn sweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 34 Ford truck has a toggle type ignition switch. The key locks it and the starter button is in the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailey Creek,5759 Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 Look at the size of that steering wheel. Strong arm steering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 4 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said: That's purty durn sweet I did all the work myself other than paint & interior. It has a 351 Cleveland in it that I built too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 9 hours ago, Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life said: I did all the work myself other than paint & interior. It has a 351 Cleveland in it that I built too. Way nice Big Sage. Looks like you did a great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 Took me about 18 months. It was my rehab job while I was recuperating from cancer surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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