Chrysler doesn’t get enough credit for devotion to safety. Imperials and Chryslers had padded dashes every year since 1949. The padding was standard from ’49 to ’54. Might have been optional later, but a quick look at online pictures for every year from ’55 to ’65 shows padding in every picture. Most are attractive, designed to look like leather. (After ’65 pads were required in all cars.)
Hudson also had a standard padded dash in the Nash-based Hudsons of ’55 through ’57. The similar Nashes didn’t get padding. Those “Hashes” were thus the safest cars of the decade, with Hudson’s unique failsafe brakes and padded dash.
Gloveboxes on low-priced cars usually had just a button. Key lock was an extra-cost option. For a long time gloveboxes were made of fiberboard, not steel. Plymouth always had the lock option, and for a couple years in the 40s its fleet package included a locked box made of steel. Good security for businessmen or taxis. Plymouth tried harder than most brands to serve commercial customers.
Polistra's Mill 