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Crash test 59 Bel Air vs. 09 Malibu
- Thread starter tarafied1
- Start date
AzPete
Well-Known Member
This went thru VMF pretty good. The amount of rust under the '59 plus how the Malibu hit or went over the main frame was of discussion. Another item discussed was about the engine being in the '59. I would have thought the results would have been different too.
I've long since come to terms with the fact that I'm going to die in my car if I ever get in a head-on collision at speed.
That said, I'm not as worried about impacts in other areas, or impacts at lower speeds. While new cars have things like very high strength steel B pillars and such, old cars are pretty solid when hit from the sides.
There was someone on Mustangforums a few months ago that posted pics of his totalled Mustang (that he had just finished restoring). Some lady pulled out in front of him from a stoplight. He was definitely injured and carted off in an ambulance, but he lived, and the front of the car crumpled a lot better than I thought it would have. That might be associated to the Mustang's stronger unibody as opposed to the Bel Air's body-on-frame setup.
That said, I'm not as worried about impacts in other areas, or impacts at lower speeds. While new cars have things like very high strength steel B pillars and such, old cars are pretty solid when hit from the sides.
There was someone on Mustangforums a few months ago that posted pics of his totalled Mustang (that he had just finished restoring). Some lady pulled out in front of him from a stoplight. He was definitely injured and carted off in an ambulance, but he lived, and the front of the car crumpled a lot better than I thought it would have. That might be associated to the Mustang's stronger unibody as opposed to the Bel Air's body-on-frame setup.
tarafied1
Well-Known Member
They do crumple, but I worry about a steering column going thru my chest!
Yeah, that is a problem....but it has to be a really, really nasty frontal impact to do that. At that point, there are other things to worry about as well, like lack of shoulder belts.
That totalled Mustang I mentioned was an impact just like that, and I don't recall him having any injuries from the steering column.
That totalled Mustang I mentioned was an impact just like that, and I don't recall him having any injuries from the steering column.
tarafied1
Well-Known Member
this one either (no injuries from column). Just goes thru the mind when some idiot pulls out in front of me...