[Mercury]

For the early 64 1/2 models, seat belt were and option. in 65 they became standard, and in 66 it was required by law to have seat belts in the car.

Niether of my 64 1/2's had seat belts. I bought a set of generic Fits all types for my 6 cyl, and bought a set of original seat belts for my 289 stang. The original style had problems jamming, so I just got a set of really nice Fit all Pepboys seat belts and put those in.

I was in a major accident in my 6cyl 64 1/2 a month after I started driving. The car didnt have belts in it then, and I hit someone going 60 MPH. They were at a dead stop. I flew foward and smashed my face against the metal spoke steering wheel center and was knocked unconsouis for a brief amount of time. My teeth tore the lower lips, and a section of my chin almost off. I had a big part of my chin and lip dangling. I didnt know it when I came too, I felt my face numb, and saw blood everywhere. I had to kick the door open, I was to dazed to try to climb out of the window, and the door was pinched shut.

When I flew foward, my knees scraped the underside of the dash, and when I flew back after the impact, my kness and my legs had a good few layers of skin ripped loose also. If I had a passenger in the car like I was supposed to that day, they would of been killed. After I had the car fixed, and took months to work up the courage to look at it, and let alone drive it, First thing I did, was have my mom drive me to pep boys, so I can get some seat belts. I put them in, then slowy started all over again.

They may be a little dangerous, but some chance is far better than no chance. If my 64 1/2 "D" code with the 289 wasnt a somewhat rare car in great shape, I would be putting a roll bar in it and a five point harness, just to stiffen the chassie, and to add safety measure, not for looks.