70NPORT
Old Man with a Hat
When/what manufacturer first put seat belts in pass cars? 68' ?
Why a 5 min. Voltage Regulator swap....
- Thread starter commando1
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Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
Much earlier. Don't know exact year but I`d guess early 60`s lap belts became mandatory and 3 point belts maybe 10 years later. Anyone know for sure...
All U.S. cars had to have seat belts starting in 1968....
Most seat belt legislation in the United States is left to the states. However, the first seat belt law was a federal law,Title 49 of the United States Code, Chapter 301, Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, which took effect on January 1, 1968, that required all vehicles (except buses) to be fitted with seat belts in all designated seating positions.[SUP][1][/SUP] This law has since been modified to require three-point seat belts in outboard seating positions, and finally three-point seat belts in all seating positions. Initially, seat belt use was not compulsory.
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
Didn't think it was that late. My 68 Monaco has 3 point belts which I think were original to the car but likely optional. I remember going with my Dad to a Mercury dealer in around 65 and we noticed the lap belts in the show room cars. Mandatory usage is another issue which is all over the map based on state and provincial laws.
There were a few states that mandated seat belts installed in new cars in the early sixties and by 1962, the car makers were putting anchor points in the floors for front seat belts. In 1964, a lot of cars were built with two front seat belts and in 1965, all the new cars had front seat belts.
In January 1968, they made front shoulder belts mandatory.
In 1955, Ford had optional seat belts, but IIRC, they dropped them after a couple years.
I grew up in cars without belts.... Hell.. when I was a kid, they would put toddlers in seats like these.
Gave the kid a chance to look out the windows that they would fly out of if they crashed.
In January 1968, they made front shoulder belts mandatory.
In 1955, Ford had optional seat belts, but IIRC, they dropped them after a couple years.
I grew up in cars without belts.... Hell.. when I was a kid, they would put toddlers in seats like these.
Gave the kid a chance to look out the windows that they would fly out of if they crashed.
cm23uoc
Old Man with a Hat
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Volvo was first with a three Point seat belt, they developed it for passenger car use and offered it from 1959 on.
They let other manufacturers use their design for free AFAIK to spread this safety device faster all over the car industry.
They let other manufacturers use their design for free AFAIK to spread this safety device faster all over the car industry.
Didnt the Tucker have seat belts?
Yes it did. And a Hemi....
Tucker envisioned several other innovations which were later abandoned. Magnesium wheels, disc brakes, fuel injection, self-sealing tubeless tires, and a direct-drive torque converter transmission were all evaluated and/or tested but were dropped on the final prototype due to cost, engineering complexity, and lack of time to develop.[SUP][16][/SUP]
Tucker initially tried to develop an innovative engine. It was a 589 cubic inches (9.65 L) flat-6 cylinder with hemispherical combustion chambers, fuel injection, and overhead valves operated by oil pressure rather than a camshaft. An oil pressure distributor was mounted inline with the ignition distributor and delivered appropriately timed direct oil pressure to open each valve at the proper interval. This unique engine was designed to idle at 100 rpm and cruise at 250-1200 rpm through the use of direct drive torque converters on each driving wheel instead of a transmission. These features would have been auto industry firsts in 1948, but as engine development proceeded, problems appeared. The 589 engine was installed only in the test chassis and the first prototype.[SUP][12][/SUP]
does that prototype still exist?
Yes....
| Chassis Number | Location | Owner | Engine | Transmission | Front Suspension Version | Original Body Color/Paint Code |
| 1000 (prototype) | Huntingdon, PA | Swigart Antique Auto Museum | Tucker 589 cu in. Direct Drive (Original); Converted to Franklin O-335 by Tucker after first showing. | Direct drive torque converters (Original); Converted to Tucker Y-1 by Tucker after first showing. | Rubber Disc Type | Maroon/600 |
| The prototype was the only complete Tucker with Rubber Disc prototype suspension, the 589 engine, and direct torque converter drive (with no reverse gear). After the first showing it was converted to an O-335/Y-1 at the Tucker factory. |
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cm23uoc
Old Man with a Hat
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I remember Tucker being one of the first cars with active passenger protection interior design (padded dash), not sure about seatbelts.
The development of the crumple Zone in a unibody structure was a Mercedes Benz development however.
The development of the crumple Zone in a unibody structure was a Mercedes Benz development however.
It's not too far away either.
I'll have to add it to my list of places to go in 2015.
I'll have to add it to my list of places to go in 2015.
The AACA museum in Hershey has a Tucker exhibit going on right now. I think the prototype is there now.
tbm3fan
Old Man with a Hat
I'm sure, some of us, can open the hood in 5 minutes.
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