Richard said:
>Someone kindly (?) did that to my '67 before I got it, so it is now a
>walk through of sorts... I know those were stopped in I think '77, since
>my '78 didn't have them. 

Do you know if they were replaced with some other kind of reinforcement,
like maybe a bar welded at a lower, unobstrusive spot?

>The main purpose fir them, I think, is so in a
>rear-end collision, the seat won't snap backwards.
 
Do you really think that was a concern back in the 50s and 60s? Especially
if what you report about the Beetle is true.

>I read a book
>strongly disparaging the safety of Beetles (called The Small Wonder -
>Small on Safety I think), and it told of how in rear-end collisions,
>seats would snap backwards, and passengers could fly out the back
>window. This was documented for Beetles. Of course, the short chapter on
>buses said almost exactly "Get 'em off the road - they're totally
>unsafe"
>Oh well, off I drive to die horribly someday... :)

Well, if I wanted safety, I wouldn't have come to the US. :) (I actually
feel safer in my bus than walking home at night. And this is not too bad a
neighborhood...)

Sami, dakhlia@wuecona.wustl.edu