Quote:

---

Federal law mandated shoulder belts after Jan. 1 1968, before that they were an option.

---

Quote:

---

Actually they were still an option.

---

Question then.

My '68 March built RR has the shoulder belts. It's unmolested and I have the build sheet but I don't see anywhere on the build sheet where the shoulder belts are listed as an option.

It is a RM23 hardtop so it is equiped with the decor package. Don't know if that makes any difference.

Frank

Quote:

---

For what its worth , My April 19th built coupe with a deluxe trim package has them, so it probably had nothing to do with the trim group...I thought they all had them, or maybe it was anything after Jan 1

---

Quote:

---

what about the slide down ashtray and Inland shifter,Jan Feb?

---

I'm not sure about the slide down ash tray. In fact I am not familiar with any other type. What was it?
My March build RR has the slide down ash tray (pain in the A$$). It also has the Hurst shifter.

I have no documented proof but when GG decoded my car he wrote that Ply went to the Hurst Shifter and included the dash mounted Reverse back-up indicator on all RRs built after 15 Feb '68.

I don't know where he got that from but that what I've been going on since.

There have been many threads re: the Hurst Shifter and Back-up indicator with varrying opinions.

I have yet to see any documented fact though.

Frank

Quote:

---

A little "Googling" and here's some Fed Reg's.
I added the color for effect.

"Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations"

Standard No. 208
Passenger Cars (Effective 1-1-68)
Lap or lap and shoulder seat belt assemblies for each designated seating position. Except in convertibles, lap and shoulder seat belt assemblies are required in each front outboard seating position.

Not on subject but something that comes up every now and then

Standard No 202
Head Restraints - Passenger Cars, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks and Buses with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 4,536 kg (10,000 lbs.) or less (Effective 1-1-69)
This standard specifies requirements for head restraints to reduce the frequency and severity of neck injuries in rear-end and other collisions.


The link for the source of this info is as follows:
Fed Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Reg's

Very interesting document.
Hope this will help to resolve some "Fed Mandates and when" questions.

Frank

---

Good information! I stand corrected. I should have gone to the FMVSS std's instead of the attorney's website when I "googled". . My April build hardtop does have them.