[sokoloff]

Was by no means confined to the Corvair. Early Mustangs (65-most of 67) had non-collapsible steering columns (and 65s didn't come with even lap belts standard [federal mandate in 66]).

65s also had single-circuit brakes, meaning the leak of just one wheel cylinder (not entirely uncommon) could render the entire braking system inoperative, leaving you heading towards a collision with no brakes, a one-piece "Spear-o-matic" steering column and no lap belts. Ugly, so two of the first mods I did to my '65 were dual-circuit braking system and lap belts. (The steering column change is unfortunately quite involved.)

[onre]

Basically everything pre-mid-'60s had this.

[masklinn]

IIRC it was also common for the engine to follow the steering column into the passenger compartment to polish off the driver and break the passenger's legs in case they hadn't been maimed yet.