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who sez old school is tuff...


badsonic

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Its hard to tell but it looks like the engine was out of the bel air and some of the main supports were taken loose. I dont believe a new 2009 aluminum fiberglass can would do that much damage to a real steel bel air unless the test was rigged. I would rather be in the bel aire also !

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I don't put much merit in these kinds of demonstrations.

Think back to 1993 when they found out that a test of gas tanks on Chevy trucks was rigged to try to place blame in lawsuits. One of the major news networks was involved in that one.

 

It is too easy to skew test results when you can make discreet modifications to the car that can't be detected by the cameras.

Pull a few fender mount bolts. A couple saw cuts.

 

And, given that his test was performed by a National Safety Institute, maybe they are trying to justify the money spent on their research?? The old return on investment?

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Whether the cars were rigged or not to make it a predictable outcome, just ask if that guy in the Malibu would have walked away with a knee injury if he did not have an air bag. Damage looked pretty equal to me but I kept seeing that air bag deploy immediately on impact while the poor crash dummy in the Bel Air kissed the steering column.

Probably did not even have a seatbelt in that care either. So yes, an air bag and a seat belt make them safer but looked to me like the metal bent all the same, :blink:

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Whether the cars were rigged or not to make it a predictable outcome, just ask if that guy in the Malibu would have walked away with a knee injury if he did not have an air bag. Damage looked pretty equal to me but I kept seeing that air bag deploy immediately on impact while the poor crash dummy in the Bel Air kissed the steering column.

Probably did not even have a seatbelt in that care either. So yes, an air bag and a seat belt make them safer but looked to me like the metal bent all the same, :blink:

 

Look at the crash dummies in the other videos, no comparison in what would have happened to the drivers. The Belaire driver doesnt survive, the Malibu driver does. The airbag is a big part but so is the crushability of the newer car.The driver of the Belaire hits his head on the top of the interior of the car, no airbag there in either car. An airbag doesnt save the life of the Belaire driver. Thank god for improvement in todays cars.

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I think it might have been staged. Heres why: The Impala did its job by "Breaking Away" as it was designed to do. Im sure it is a very safe car because of those designs. But...The BelAir would not crumble like that with the Impala "Breaking Away". The Impala would not be putting that much pressure on the BelAir because it was breaking away. Im no expert. I might be wrong. It just doesnt seem right that the BelAir would crumble like that without something being done to it. We will all have our own theory about this one. Its just a shame they destroyed two very cool cars.

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I still say this was staged. I drive my 1955 in dirt track racing and the sheet metal is so tough compared to the new cars/trucks. There is no way I will ever believe this wasnt staged. It looks like the engine was removed and the main supports taken loose or removed. You guys that want to drive a plastic and aluminum impala be my guest. I just hope you never hit an old school vehicle.

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I still say this was staged. I drive my 1955 in dirt track racing and the sheet metal is so tough compared to the new cars/trucks. There is no way I will ever believe this wasnt staged. It looks like the engine was removed and the main supports taken loose or removed. You guys that want to drive a plastic and aluminum impala be my guest. I just hope you never hit an old school vehicle.

my point was not on the safety factor .my point is what you just made ..i agree with you .its staged .we the ones who grew up with those old cars know that new impala could not do that much damage in its current design......hell go to a demo durby ..most car are 70.s and 80.s why cuz they are tuff and would wipe out the newer ones in the first couple of good hits ..and why are most bombers classes running 70.and 80.s cars .....go ahead and run a 90.s model and up ..wont last long ...

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Good question champ. Why don't we see more engine parts flying around? You see them all the time when the have a hard crash in the racecars. It's interesting that the sunvisors in the old car come flying off. I don't think I believe this crash is a true test either.

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It may not be a true test but they did pick a good car to do it with in a 59 Bel-Aire. The x frames in those cars were terrible as far as a frontal crash goes. Make it a mid 60's through 72 model or so and its a different test altogether. A perimeter or ladder framed vehicle from the same era probably fares better, although not by a whole lot. The driver probably suffers major injuries or a fatality even with the better framed cars because their was no crushablity built into those cars. All of the energy goes into the driver.

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