Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Minty]

Folks,

As I just mentioned on another thread - the sadest sight I've seen in ages, car wise...

Go on Youtube - type in '59 Chevy Bel-Air Crash Test...

Last year, the US-NCAP program crashed a 2009 Chevy Malibu head-on, into a MINT '59 Chevy Bel-Air - to highlight recent advances in car safety...it is so sad to see this lovely old girl getting killed, for no real reason!

Regards to all...Guy.
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'38 Lanchester LA14-2 'Roadrider' DeLuxe and lover of all things 'WW2 - Jeep'!!!

[imfinlay]

I feel sick...

[62rebel]

don't be fooled by a shiney paint job; that Chevy was a poor example and arguably not the best design safety-wise to compare to a 2010 anything.... the wasp-waist frame was a questionable design and one GM gladly abandoned after 1964. look closely at the sheer amount of rust flying off the '59.... that has to be seriously affecting the structural integrity of the shell.

i've seen pics of several older cars in recent accidents... usually hit from the rear or from the side. and, often, not badly damaged compared to the offending vehicle if close in size, because the newer car often rides up under the older and gets the front torn up while the older car gets chucked about. now, from the side.... a different story.

if anything, this film proves that the media are prone to distorting if not ignoring the truth outright.

[lowdrag]

While a staunch classic car fan for all my life, ther can be no argument as to the safety of modern cars. Recently "her indoors" was hit in the rear and pushed into the car in front, bad enough to bend the boot floor and at the front smash the radiator. I was totally amazed that the shock had been taken by the front and rear bumpers in the main, so much so that while they were totally deformed the main shell hadn't even lost a chip of paint and only one rear light was cracked. This in a Toyota Yaris and hit hard by a Citroen C4 (which was a write-off).

But as you say, the press can present things in any way they like to suit themselves, as I know to my cost when being interviewed for TV and radio. Take these few words out, chop here and there, and you said the opposite to what you actually stated.

[Richard H]

Back in 2003, the US army seized Saddam Hussein's palace in Baghdad and troops were ordered to destroy his collection of 60 cars to stop them falling into hands of the looters. Among them was a 1917 Mercedes and a '59 Bel Air, which got crushed by tanks. Here's the link: http://www.stripes.com/news/with-regret-u-s-troops-destroy-vintage-american-cars-owned-by-saddam-1.4338

[MVPeters]

Bless you, Lowdrag.

I think you'd better read your own first paragraph again. I think you said
"almost the opposite of what you stated".

The subject is "her indoors" (& I think it should be the Toyota Yaris, the car she was driving).

Read it again - I'm just delighted that her front & rear bumpers absorbed the shock & that she hasn't lost a chip of paint!
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Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

[StoneRoad]

[Roger-hatchy]

Here is another scary item
Volvo have had a reputation for being like a tank.
Think again

http://green.autoblog.com/2008/03/07/video-who-says-small-cars-are-less-safe-than-big-ones/