Option 565 Sideways Rear Seat

[teahead]

If you'r'e driving in a parade or just down the street, then I see riding in a Kinder seat no worse than being in scooter or motorcycle.

I'm sure one can retrofit a seat belt.  Then it's no dangerous than riding in any open air car of that era.

Seat belts were mandatory in 1966 in the USA from what I understand.

[MikeSimon]

Seat belts mandatory for front seats only, maybe.
I don't really get the "safety" arguments. You are all driving a convertible. Any of you safety-proponents figure what happens when you roll your car in an accident?
I suggest you immediately start refraining from driving your Pagoda or install a roll-bar before your next outing

[john.mancini]

As a retired surgeon, I can not tell you just how many serious head and neck injuries I saw from improper, (and/or lack of), seat belt use. Lap and shoulder belts are meant to be worn with the person facing frontwards, not sideways. This is not a case of "rolling your Pagoda". It's a case of potential serious injury from an impact accident. A roll bar won't help you from an impact accident at moderate to high speeds. Kinder seats were a neat option, and yes, parade speeds are probably safe, but let's not kid ourselves about the safety of kinder seats.

[johnk]

I think the seat is cool to have as a conversation piece, but I would never really use it to sit in.

[mdsalemi]

You are all driving a convertible. Any of you safety-proponents figure what happens when you roll your car in an accident?

Depending on the severity of the crash, I'd suggest that a Pagoda can support itself by the front windshield and its frame. No car or safety device will protect all occupants from all crashes.
Too bad for those genetically tall whose head sticks up too high.

We ought to call it a parade seat for that's about all it's good for...and a novelty item as well.

[MikeSimon]

My point about the roll-bar was not that it would prevent the passengers from all accidents. All I was trying to say was, that the W113, based when it was made, is a inherently unsafe car to today's standards and I cannot buy the arguments about the Kindersitz being unsafe while some of you (with early models) even drive around without seatbelts.

[mdsalemi]

...being unsafe while some of you (with early models) even drive around without seatbelts.

EXACTLY. Perhaps one of the very first things I did during the planning of the restoration of my car--which now dates back 20 years ago--was investigate not "seat belts" (it had the original, crappy OEM lap belts not worth a darn) but proper 3-point belts. Lap belts don't cut it, in my opinion, as one who went through the windshield of an MGC once that didn't have even those. ONLY 3-pointers would matter. Luckily there was that old TSB (technical service bulletin) on the installation of retractable three-point lap belts using Mercedes-Benz engineered, tested and approved parts.

I won't get in a car without them.

Funny about all these "safety" related issues that polarized the car world back years ago. They've pretty much all been adopted by everyone. USA specs are not the only cars with seat belts or air bags or passive crash design. Everyone got religion and cars today are so much safer than they were years ago. In 1987, when I moved to Michigan and my wife, working for Ford, went to buy her first Ford, we got a deal on one with airbags because they couldn't sell them (as an optionally priced item); now, even if they weren't mandated, they probably couldn't sell a car without them. I'll take as much and as many safety items in a car as they come up with. The taste of glass is still in my mouth.