Seatbelts are for Suckers

[erco]

Not sure if this ad would fly today...

[gbullman]

LOL, have to agree this ad would get a lot of criticism today!

[joelsplace]

Sad state of affairs today.

[Bruins_Fan]

Sad state of affairs today.

Yup, strange times. Hell, I can't even drink an ice cold Coke with a clear conscious.

[bbodie52]

Yes, times were different in the 1950s and 1960s.

I remember traveling with my parents in the AC Ace shown below, during the summer in 1959, with the four of us packed in the open roadster shown below on a long vacation drive from Woodland Hills (Los Angeles area) to Lake Tahoe and back. At about age 6, I sat on my mother's lap the whole way, with my 4 year old sister residing on a home-made, upholstered seat in the center (on top of the parking brake handle). The distance on that probably uncomfortable all-day journey was about 480 miles each way, but we were small and my parents were in their 30s so we all managed and enjoyed our Lake Tahoe vacation. SEAT BELTS AND CHILD SAFETY SEATS WERE NOT REALLY A CONSIDERATION IN THOSE DAYS!

Brad and sister Denise in Dad's AC "Mongoose", Easter, 1963 at 2257 Fairhill Lane home. I believe that the black car in the backgroind is a 1961 or 1962 Italian-made Fiat 1500 sedan.
— in San Jose, California.

Brad with Dad's 1958 AC "Mongoose". All aluminum body with tubular frame, the British-made AC Ace was the basis for the Ford-powered 289 CI Shelby Cobra, built by Carroll Shelby. Dad's home-built custom utilized a 327 CI Corvette engine with solid lifters, Borg and Beck clutch, Muncie T10 transmission with modified Hurst shifter, Italian Borrani wire wheels (rear only) Goodyear Blue Streak tires, and custom hand-rubbed lacquer paint. Unlike the Shelby Cobra, this car retained oversized, finned aluminum drum brakes on all four wheels. Standard AC differential was retained. The car weighed about 2000 pounds with a full tank and did very well at local autocross events.
— in San Jose, California.

[66vairguy]

I was talking with a friend and he said "Have you noticed there are a lot more stupid people around now". I said yes and it's all because the consumer protection and work place safety laws. In the old days the "stupid" tended to eliminate themselves per Darwins law.

[bbodie52]

I know many people who consider driving a Corvair to be stupid. They say it is unsafe, often lacks seatbelts, lacks modern passenger safety designs, a dual master brake cylinder, a collapsible safety steering column, etc. Still... there remains many determined and dedicated Corvair drivers, as seen on this Corvair Forum!

RALPH NADER

[Bruins_Fan]

Nader came to my college in NH to speak in 1988 or '92...forget which election year. Since my dad had a Corvair in the 60s, I already had a strong dislike for Mr. Nader. It was a small audience, was very tempted to boo him, but decided against it with several of my professors in attendance!

[doug6423]

Love the picture of the convertible and the kids enjoying the drive.
Reminds me when I would slide to the front of the rear seat, so I could see between the front seats, and see how fast dad was going.
"Wow 110 dad!!"
"Get back there and sit all the way in the seat! And don't tell your mom that!"

[erco]

Growing up, our family car was a '65 Plymouth Fury station wagon with backwards-facing rear seats, where my sister and I sat. Pretty basic car but there was a cool electric rear window that could go down. At highway speed, all those exhaust fumes got sucked right back into the car. That original "Recirc feature" might not fly today either.