1959 Chevy Bel Air VS 2009 Chevy Malibu

[Monster Dave]

If you can view this video it's absolutly increadable to see just how far automotive contruction techniques have increased our safety.

Here's the video:

1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu IIHS Offset

[Oldfisti]

 

HOLY FLURKING SHNIT!!!!!!!

[Monster Dave]

That Malibu shredded that old Bel Air!!!

[Duck-Stew]

Looks as though the '59 didn't start losing momentum until the '09 met it's firewall!

Scary to think about. 

The '09 does a MUCH better job of distributing the energies of the crash despite likely having a LARGE weight disadvantage (it's lighter I'm sure) as compared to the '59.


Wow.

[acalles]

Looks as though the '59 didn't start losing momentum until the '09 met it's firewall!

Scary to think about.  

The '09 does a MUCH better job of distributing the energies of the crash despite likely having a LARGE weight disadvantage (it's lighter I'm sure) as compared to the '59.


Wow.

I was thinking about that..

turns out the malibu is heavier. 3400 lbs vs 3200 lbs for the bel air.

Its all about strength from the unibody. the entire vehicle is a frame, rather then a body on a frame. since about the mid 90's cars have gotten so much safer.

[IZ]

Damn!!  


My first car was a '66 Bel Air.  Didn't seem like safety concerns had changed much from '59 to '66 since the neighbor backed into the drivers-side door and crushed it!  It was a tap by todays standards.


BTW..any idea on the speed??  I saw "50" on top of the cars but wasn't sure if that was related to the mph.

 

[Oldfisti]

I think 50 designates the 50th anniversary of IIHS

[Randimus Maximus]

typically frontal offset tests are at 40 mph

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/frontal_test_info.html

[IZ]

typically frontal offset tests are at 40 mph

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/frontal_test_info.html

OK..thanks RM.

I watched a few of the tests before and 35mph was in my head.   

[zarn02]

Holy shit!

[Monster Dave]

Here's a question - is age at all a factor in the 59's ability to handle an impact like that? Or rather would a brand new 59 handle the impact the same way as one that's 50 yrs old?

[zarn02]

I don't think the age of things is a factor here. Notice that the '59 was in good shape, with no indication of rust or other damage.

The difference is in materials and engineering.

[bluemoco]

Wow.  That's a really interesting video!    

It looks like the Malibu driver could survive (airbags, crumple zones, and the aforementioned unibody), but the driver of the Bel Air....not so much. 

[tonyj311]

anyone else notice the IZ_ dice in the '59? At least the driveer would have been cool when he died.

[zarn02]

anyone else notice the IZ_ dice in the '59? At least the driveer would have been cool when he died.

Indeed. I'd still rather own the Bel Air.