'09 Malibu vs. '59 Bel Air

[93forestpearl]

They don't make cars like they used to, which is fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xwYBBpHg1I

[mike-tracy]

I was reading on Jalopnik that the body and frame on the 59 was rusted out.

[jeffast]

that would make a lot of sense seeing how that car buckled

[mike-tracy]

that would make a lot of sense seeing how that car buckled

I'd still want to be in a modern car in a crash - Imagine spending all your money for years restoring a car, just to be in a stupid traffic accident. uggh.

[evolutionmovement]

I would hope 50 years of safety advances would yield better results with the newer car. After all, what else has advanced besides engine tech? What I find funny is that the Malibu only weighs about 200 lbs. less than the Bel Air.

[kimokalihi]

The guy in the malibu would have survived that though. The guy in the bel air is dead. Did you see the steering wheel come right at him and crush the shit out of him? Watch the steering wheel in the malibu, doesn't even budge. In those old cars that was a huge problem. The steering column would get pushed forward by the engine and kill you. Plus the engine comes through the firewall instead of going under the car as they do now.

[evolutionmovement]

Steering columns were solid back then, often the column was capped by a nice point like a warhead tip. They didn't have seat belts because prevailing wisdom of the time dictated that it was better to be thrown from the car than stay in it in event of a crash. Sick thing is, they were probably right. It seems to have stemmed from racing. Two famous examples would be Bernd Rosemeyer and Alfonso de Portago. Rosemeyer was thrown out of his car at somewhere approaching 300 mph, ending up in a tree. He died shortly after, but was arguably better off than being in the car. De Portago wasn't thrown from his Ferrari—he was cut in half by the hood when a tire blew at 150 mph, taking out 10 spectators and ending the Mille Miglia in the process.

[tahiti350]

Also the '59 is what is called a "Wasp waist" or "X" frame, there is no perimetre frame under the doors, so the off center hit folded it over on itself. A true head on would not have done as much damage...

But head on's are rarely dead center, so it's a real world impact. Except for the 50 years of frame rust...

[206er]

screw safety, i'd take a 59 chevy over an 09 chevy any day.