I've heard of having a screw in the hip, but this is ridiculous!

The first Talking Barbie that I bought as a collector had a 1970 body and a 1968

Who would wear a gold mesh coverup to the beach?
Is Barbie going to a party at Hugh Hefner's house?

ponytail.  This was in the early 1980s at the Ferguson Hills Flea Market in Westwood in Cincinnati in the mid-1980s.  A previous owner had drilled holes in both hips and inserted screws to keep her legs on the torso.  However, the screws worked well because this Barbie can move her legs and sit down.

She is the only 1970 talking doll that I have.  I finally got a head to match the body.  Her hairstyle was changed to a lower, shorter, curlier ponytail.  Her outfit was a white vinyl bikini and a long gold mesh vest, much too nice to wear to the pool or the beach.  I don't own any of the bikinis; they are hard to find.  However, the gold vests are a dime a dozen.  Like the white mesh 1969 vest, there is only a tag that says, "Hong Kong."

This Talking Barbie has 29 holes in her back.  Both the body and the head were made in Hong Kong.

The 1970 Talking Barbie looks fantastic in 1456 Lemon Kick, also from 1970.
It's a shame that women no longer wear lounging outfits.

I personally prefer the face and hair of the 1970 Talking Barbie
as compared to the 1968 version.

Here you get a good view of the screw and bolt that were inserted in Barbie's hips.
The staining is from the duct tape
that was placed around her to hide to screw.