1959 Chevy Vs. 2009 Chevy

[CATNHAT]

This is why I have not bought a classic muscle car.

_xwYBBpHg1I

[hrsp]

god damn!!!!

[Windsors 03 Cobra]

I am sure some have here ? but hope that none of us ever end up in an accident like that. Late model, classic muscle, semi or otherwise, what a horrible thing to have happen and it happens all too often.
I've never been in any automobile involved in a minor let alone major accident.

[CATNHAT]

Test results say the driver of the Malibu would have sustained a a knee injury and the driver of the Bel Air would have been killed instantly.

[JC70SS]

who cares....at least you would die doing something you love.

[wrath]

Don't drive into things head-on. And I think we'd all agree it wasn't until the mid to late sixties anything resembled half-way safe.

[Crawlin]

Stairs 1959

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6EOTV3i5Hg

Stairs 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6EOTV3i5Hg

Equally as harmful :) hahaha. You are gonna die some day/some way

[Lash]

Well....so much for the full frame > uni-body debate...lol.

Honestly I would have never guessed the bigger car would have lost that battle.

[Rocket Power]

who cares....at least you would die doing something you love.
True dat:rolf
besides if your driving around in a new Malibu, you're already dead on the inside:rolf

[WhatsADSM]

Yea I always get a kick out of people who think the older cars were somehow inherently safer because they were bigger, heavier, and full framed cars.

[pjturkey]

The bel-air is still safer because odds are the person driving it isn't texting...

It also doesn't have 50 things that beep at you the second you turn the key.

[Al]

repost

[SSDude]

Anyone take notice of the cloud of rust that came out of the 59?

[Windsors 03 Cobra]

Almost reminds me of some of those old gubmint propaganda videos we saw in drivers ed, all old 50's cars in those too. I remember a Vette wrecked into a rock pretty clearly.

I love how the headlight pod from the 09 and the windescreen from the 59 just go sailing. 59's fram buckling is cute as well. Love the bias plies......Rust dust.

[jbiscuit]

there was also some buzz over on the fullsize chevy boards that the Bel Air was lacking a motor as well. Hardly a fair test if the engine has been removed. I can spot the mufflers and exhaust pipe under the driver's door would would mean the car "would" be equipped with a V8 (instead of the inline 6). I find it hard to believe that a small block would vaporize when struck by a Malibu. So there very well could be some merit to the car not having a motor in place.

Also worth noting is that a 59 Bel Air would lack a collapsable steering column also which in a crash biased towards the driver's side of the vehicle and head-on at speed could very well act as a spear and thrust the steering column and steering shaft towards the driver, which would in fact kill the operator. Also remember that in 1959 lap belts were NOT standard equipment and may not even be installed in this car. Hard to tell from the angles the video was shot. Seat belts save lives, remember that? Even lap belts.

Not knocking technology one bit. Crash testing is one area where cars have advanced a LOT since 1959. Automakers have LEARNED a lot as well.

[TheRX7Project]

What a waste of a good... oh wait they were both Chevy's...

[Crawlin]

I'm sorry, but any head on at 55mph , someone is gonna end up dead or hurt.

Now take that same accident at 10-15mph like in a parking lot like most small bumps are, and the 59 will be spit shining his bumper, and the '09 will be calling insurance for the total since the air bags deployed and the bunmper collapsed, etc...

[JC70SS]

well if not the front, then the back too. Saw a 69 chevelle that got hit in PA rearended by an Explorer and the gas tank exploded on the chevelle. Driver died.

[Exitspeed]

who cares....at least you would die doing something you love.

I don't love crashing into someone at 50mph.

[TheRX7Project]

I don't love crashing into someone at 50mph.
I lol'd

[pjturkey]

What a waste of a good... oh wait they were both Chevy's...

Haha...so very true, although if I were to own a Ch*vy, it be a 59 bel-air or el camino :)

[WhatsADSM]

What a waste of a good... oh wait they were both Chevy's...

:rolf:rolf:rolf

[Crawlin]

"Oh wait it's a chevy" ???

Yet you got a Mazda in your sig... The "Ford" of Japan.... LMAO!!!

[Car Guy]

Yet you got a Mazda in your sig... The "Ford" of Japan.... LMAO!!!

Your point being...???

[pjturkey]

Ya know, I remember reading something about this video somewhere.....like they actually weakened the Bel-Air's frame in certain places to get the desired results. Who actually performed the test? If it was a government agency, there's not a doubt in my mind they tweaked the Bel-Air somehow (even the slightest bit) to ensure that it would perform poorly considering GM now stands for "Government Motors" and they want to market their new crap.

Even if the results are real, who cares....it won't change the fact that I'de rather have an "unsafe," "imperfect," "antiquated," '59 Bel-Air then it's modern-day equivalent.

[CATNHAT]

Here is the abbreviated version of the video with narration.
joMK1WZjP7g

[Crawlin]

Your point being...???

Exactly what I said.....

How about "don't throw stones in a glass house"

or

"pot, it's the kettle calling"

Or I could spell it out???

[xFullThrottlex]

There is NO way that the Bel Air has a motor in it.

pjturkey... I have an el camino, so if your ever in the market for one lmk

[JC70SS]

who cares a person can die in a semi if it is meant to be

[brotherbenn83]

Now take that same accident at 10-15mph like in a parking lot like most small bumps are, and the 59 will be spit shining his bumper, and the '09 will be calling insurance for the total since the air bags deployed and the bunmper collapsed, etc...

Airbags don't deploy at 10mph.

[Rocket Power]

Airbags don't deploy at 10mph.
QFT usually above 16mph is the area they shoot for.

[Crawlin]

Air bags deploy based on the severity of the impact. It doesn't matter HOW fast you are going. You could be going 50mph and side swipe a car and they won't go off. So what does that mean? Absolutely fucking nothing. the sensor has to "swing" outside of it's allowable tolerance for it to deploy the air bags. Like a pendelum swinging, and if it goes further than 45* from vertical they'll deploy.

Who gives a fuck? Either way it was just a generalized number. Speed it up to 20mph for argument sake, what I said still holds true.

[Turbo-Triumph]

Air bags deploy based on the severity of the impact. It doesn't matter HOW fast you are going..


:thumbsup this.

my escort, which had 3 airbag sensors, would trip the fuel pump off if i hit a bump to hard, and i would have to reset it all the time. scarey to think my airbags were 1/2 way to deployment from pot-holes. (2/3 need to be tripped for airbags, 1/3 for fuel pump)

[Rocket Power]

I was relating my experience with what the manufacturers we've dealt with during airbag sensor development usually shoot for while doing NHTSA type testing. Usually the threshold was around 16mph on a flat frontal. Shit happens and the FIS's may not get the same signal depending on where it gets hit in a real world impact to trigger a fire condition depending on where /how it hits.