Maybe it's just me but it seems that the 1959 has been weakened before this crash test against a modern Malibou. It looks like the fenders don't even have any bolts in them. etc. I'm not saying the 59 is safer only that the test was rigged some.
Anyone else think the 59 was "twicked" a little to better show off the Malibu.
I don't think it was rigged at all. When you watch the slow motion, you can see the front fender "peel" from the front to the back. If it was unbolted, I think it would have all moved at the same time. I'm willing to bet that without a proper front crumple zone, the bolts holding the fender on took a lot of the force and were sheared off in order, front to back. With safety advances in cars today, I don't think they would have to rig this test at all for a high speed crash. Now if it was a low speed crash (5-10mph) I think it would quite different. The Malibu would be totalled, and the Bel Air would need a little chrome buffing on that front bumper!
Last edited by brewster; 11/15/1212:21 AM.
Those accustomed to the finest...find it in Chevrolet. 1953 Belair Convertible 1951 2dr Deluxe Sedan 2015 GMC SLE 4X4
Nah...Don't think the '59 was "tweaked"...It's the design of modern cars, their just so much safer...Old cars are death traps...I trained at a Firefighter Academy years back and using the "jaws 'o life" on newer cars used to cause us trainee's fits...Their so well designed...You had to know just what to do to get these new cars to "open-up"...I swear...Their tough...Great design and they're just getting better...
1947 Fleetmaster Sport Coupe VCCA # 47475
If it's not wearing a Bowtie...It's not properly dressed...!
There was an article in Hemmings Classic magazine a while back. I don,t remember exactly what issue it was, however the car was purchased at auction by the people who performed this ghastly test. It was a nice old original Chevy. The nerve of some people.
The selection of a '59 was likely intentional. It had a X frame which had less crush resistance in the passenger compartment than most other years. Stacking the results in favor of the desired result is common even if not 100% ethical.
The 1959 Chevrolet did have an X frame. It was a larger and very strong X but lacked side rails in the center. To make up for it the car had very heavy rocker panels as a unit body car of today has. Notice they did not show you the damaged side of the Malibu
The selection of a '59 was likely intentional. It had a X frame which had less crush resistance in the passenger compartment than most other years. Stacking the results in favor of the desired result is common even if not 100% ethical.
Selecting the '59 was intentional... because it was for the 50th anniversary of The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety... the people that conduct the crash testing to supply insurance companies with the 5star ratings. I don't think that they "rigged" this test at all, and I think that suggestions that it was rigged just goes towards spreading false information about the benefits of current safety features in todays cars. These two cars hit at 80mph. I don't think that there is a single car built from the 1959 that would have faired any better or worse against the new Malibu in terms of driver survivability... which is what they are looking for in a test like this. At 80mph, any 1959 car would have flown apart exactly the way the Chevy did. Choosing the Chevy for this test likely had more to do with finding a company that would't sue their pants off for showing it... and Chevy was certainly fine with showing off the progress they've made in the past 50 years.
Last edited by brewster; 06/10/1305:35 PM.
Those accustomed to the finest...find it in Chevrolet. 1953 Belair Convertible 1951 2dr Deluxe Sedan 2015 GMC SLE 4X4
