Crash Test - Old vs New

[Ben]

Institute for Highway Safety comparison of an 09 Malibu and a '59 Bel Air in a head on crash.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPF4fBGNK0U

[lupinus]

Is this the one where they essentially say bel air guy is borked and Malibu dude limps away with a bruise on his knee?


Sent from my iPhone. Freaking autocorrect.

[K Frame]

Unpossible. Everyone knows if an old, big car hits a new, small, car, the new, small car will be turned into a singularity.

[wmenorr67]

I know for the children but I just want to cry seeing that '59 destroyed, all just for the sake of science.

[Ben]

Unpossible. Everyone knows if an old, big car hits a new, small, car, the new, small car will be turned into a singularity.

I just find modern passenger compartment engineering to be fascinating. Both vehicles look like they take the same damage up to the firewall, but then it just keeps going on the Bel Air. Also passenger restraints and passive protection.

Before it was even the law, I always wore my seatbelt in the '71 Mach 1 I had in High School because it just made sense, but when you compare that hip belt protection to the passenger protection in a modern vehicle, it's almost like, why bother? :)

Edit: I should rephrase to "it looks like they take the same damage up to the firewall". I know that the force is being distributed differently.

[brimic]

Fuzzy dice vs airbags...

What's that curb feeler looking thing sticking out of the driver side wheel well of the '59?

[brimic]

I just find modern passenger compartment engineering to be fascinating. Both vehicles look like they take the same damage up to the firewall, but then it just keeps going on the Bel Air. Also passenger restraints and passive protection.

Before it was even the law, I always wore my seatbelt in the '71 Mach 1 I had in High School because it just made sense, but when you compare that hip belt protection to the passenger protection in a modern vehicle, it's almost like, why bother? :)

A hip belt snapped my spine in an accident 25ish years ago- its might actually be safer to not wear one.

[vaskidmark]

Fuzzy dice vs airbags...

What's that curb feeler looking thing sticking out of the driver side wheel well of the '59?

The thingummy at the rear wheel?  It's part of the crash testing stuff.

BTW - did anybody else notice the about of dirt and dust coming out from behinf the Bel Aire's front wheel wells?

stay safe.

[K Frame]

"BTW - did anybody else notice the about of dirt and dust coming out from behinf the Bel Aire's front wheel wells?"

First generation energy absorption system...

Or bad car washing.

[Fly320s]

Or 50 years of dust, dirt, and dander getting caught in there.

[bedlamite]

Not that I want to see one destroyed, but I wonder how a 64-66 Chrysler imperial would do.

[charby]

I know for the children but I just want to cry seeing that '59 destroyed, all just for the sake of science.

It's a 4 door, smash all the 4 doors.

[dm1333]

I'll stick with these new fangled vehicles and their fancy schmancy air bags.  Rear ended, while stopped, by a Chevy HHR doing 50 and knocked into an oncoming truck.  I walked away with a sore neck.  That wouldn't have happened in my first car, a 1963 Chevelle.

[brimic]

I'll stick with these new fangled vehicles and their fancy schmancy air bags.  Rear ended, while stopped, by a Chevy HHR doing 50 and knocked into an oncoming truck.  I walked away with a sore neck.  That wouldn't have happened in my first car, a 1963 Chevelle.

But you can't make a pimptastic Donk out of a 09 malibu.

[KD5NRH]

Or 50 years of dust, dirt, and dander getting caught in there.

Which, to me, raises the question of whether its frame was actually roadworthy.  50 years with old road salt on it will make almost any piece of steel into lacework.  Build a '59 to factory spec with fresh metal and try it again.

Personally, when I see all occupants of a diesel locomotive liquified by a high speed collision with a subcompact, I'll stop believing that heavy and strong is better protection.  OTOH, I still prefer agility and good driver training to avoid most collisions in the first place.

[brimic]

Which, to me, raises the question of whether its frame was actually roadworthy.  50 years with old road salt on it will make almost any piece of steel into lacework.  Build a '59 to factory spec with fresh metal and try it again.

Personally, when I see all occupants of a diesel locomotive liquified by a high speed collision with a subcompact, I'll stop believing that heavy and strong is better protection.  OTOH, I still prefer agility and good driver training to avoid most collisions in the first place.

Except a '59 Bel Air and a 2009 Malibu are within 100-150lbs in weight- the crash test is actually a pretty good apples to apples comparison.

[Ben]

Except a '59 Bel Air and a 2009 Malibu are within 100-150lbs in weight- the crash test is actually a pretty good apples to apples comparison.

Plus, while mass matters, mass only accounts for so much. Part of this is the engineering of how the energy is absorbed and distributed.

[KD5NRH]

Plus, while mass matters, mass only accounts for so much. Part of this is the engineering of how the energy is absorbed and distributed.

Which, again, could be significantly effected by a rusty frame rail, or even a worn out engine mount that gives way instead of adding to the rigidity of the front end.

[41magsnub]

Which, to me, raises the question of whether its frame was actually roadworthy.  50 years with old road salt on it will make almost any piece of steel into lacework.  Build a '59 to factory spec with fresh metal and try it again.

Personally, when I see all occupants of a diesel locomotive liquified by a high speed collision with a subcompact, I'll stop believing that heavy and strong is better protection.  OTOH, I still prefer agility and good driver training to avoid most collisions in the first place.

 

[TommyGunn]

Which, again, could be significantly effected by a rusty frame rail, or even a worn out engine mount that gives way instead of adding to the rigidity of the front end.

Yea yea yea......just give me an M1A1 Abrahms Tank so I can drive over all you  slow poke jackwagons!
 


(Just kidding! )

[KD5NRH]

Yea yea yea......just give me an M1A1 Abrahms Tank so I can drive over all you  slow poke jackwagons!

But it's so big, heavy and stiff you'll be vaporized if you hit a Vespa.

[Ben]

Which, again, could be significantly effected by a rusty frame rail, or even a worn out engine mount that gives way instead of adding to the rigidity of the front end.

The point is that you don't want a rigid front end. No point in having it take zero damage if it transfers the energy to your squishy body.

[K Frame]

"Build a '59 to factory spec with fresh metal and try it again."

And it would still look like it caught the wrong end of a meteor.

Read this for more information.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/more-details-about-1959-bel-air-crash-test/?_r=0

Of course, in the comments, the conspiracy theorists are just freaking the hell out....

[K Frame]

Good images here:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/26/pics-aplenty-iihs-reveals-before-and-after-of-malibu-bel-air-cr/


And more information here:

http://jalopnik.com/5364071/yes-the-iihs-crashed-59-chevy-had-an-engine


And, despite all that, I'm sure the retardo-monkeys are still screaming "NO ENGINE! BODY PANELS MADE OF AMERICAN CHEEZE! CRASH TEST DUMMY WAS DEAD BEFORE HE WAS PUT IN THE CAR!"

[Ben]

Good images here:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/26/pics-aplenty-iihs-reveals-before-and-after-of-malibu-bel-air-cr/


And more information here:

http://jalopnik.com/5364071/yes-the-iihs-crashed-59-chevy-had-an-engine


And, despite all that, I'm sure the retardo-monkeys are still screaming "NO ENGINE! BODY PANELS MADE OF AMERICAN CHEEZE! CRASH TEST DUMMY WAS DEAD BEFORE HE WAS PUT IN THE CAR!"

I love the comment from the guy claiming they planted shaped charges timed to go off on impact, and also used "thermate".