Classic car vs Modern Car Safety

"IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK" (idroveapickuptruck) 10/03/2014 at 05:02 • Filed to: None

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I think this ends this discussion

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 05:04

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"ye but there was no engine in the old car and look how rusty it is ur so stupid omfg"

MultiplaOrgasms > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 05:33

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Definetely. Just look how much crumple zone old cars had. That is not just innovative, that is revolutionary. Modern cars are way behind in terms of safety.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > MultiplaOrgasms 10/03/2014 at 05:35

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I mean, the whole car including the driver is basically crumple zone! What more could you ask for?

Bricks > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 05:40

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there was a discussion?

MultiplaOrgasms > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 05:41

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Beer?

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Bricks 10/03/2014 at 05:42

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People like to whine about enlarged A pillars and how heavy cars are now and yada yada yada.

Bricks > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 05:44

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Oh, that's what you meant, I thought you meant people argued that old cars are safe in a crash, whoops.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Bricks 10/03/2014 at 05:50

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I think I remember a while back, maybe even on the FP, someone was trying to argue that a vintage 911 or something similar was safer than a modern car because it was more agile and allowed you to avoid accidents or some shit. Or maybe they were just talking about sports cars in general. I dunno, either way if you drive a classic car be willing to live, or die, with the consequences.

(Full disclosure, I am planning a 10,000 mile winter road trip in a vehicle designed in 1972 with no airbags, driver aids or safety of any kind.)

shop-teacher > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 05:54

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I've used that video to shut people up a few times. The people who complain about how easy new cars are to damage. Yes, old cars held up a lot better in low speed accidents, but personally I'd rather survive a bad accident in a new car, and suffer through replacing a bumper cover when some idiot hits me in the grocery store parking lot.

GhostZ > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 06:01

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Unfortunately, all the safety equipment in the world won't save you from being an unsafe/drunk/distracted driver.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > GhostZ 10/03/2014 at 06:04

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Actually a modern car protects you from those things quite well...

GhostZ > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 06:16

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I mean that even if you have awesome safety equipment, not putting yourself in dangerous situations by being a good and a aware driver will go much farther than having an expensive, safe car. Having a large SUV isn't an excuse for driving while texting.

Bricks > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 06:17

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I never saw that argument, but I do remember somebody somewhere can't rememvber where) saying that their 70's land yacht had "more than enough car" to keep them safe in a crash, which is what I immediately thought of when I read this post.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Bricks 10/03/2014 at 06:34

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Yeah people don't seem to get that heavy =/= safe

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > GhostZ 10/03/2014 at 06:37

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Well of course it's not an excuse for texting while driving, but some crashes can't be avoided even if you are super aware, and not everyone is super aware. Cars are massively safer now, and it annoys me when people bitch about big A pillars and stuff like that, that is there to keep you alive!

spanfucker retire bitch > shop-teacher 10/03/2014 at 07:10

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I've used this as well anytime some dumbass pipes up with "American cars these days are built like shit, you'd be so much safer with [insert old death trap here]." I then proceed to show them the video and they usually just don't say anything - not willing to admit they were wrong.

red014 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 07:24

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I love this video as well, but a friend of mine insists that there couldn't have been an engine in the Bel Air to ensure Chevy would get the video to show as dramatic a difference as possible... Thoughts? I personally don't believe him.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > red014 10/03/2014 at 07:26

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It's an overlap test, not a full frontal. The pushrod motors back then were actually fairly compact leaving a ton of open space, so I don't think having a motor or not would have made much of a difference.

red014 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 07:54

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good call. I didn't think of it that way.

BigBlock440 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 08:11

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There's no argument that new cars are safer, but I'm sure that car was chosen for dramatic effect. It's an X-frame Chevy, that were notoriously poor in collisions because there's not much support. Had they used almost any other car, it would have held up better. Not saying the occupants would have, but it would have been less dramatic of a video. I thought this was known 5 years ago when the video was made?

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > red014 10/03/2014 at 08:13

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Nobody does a crash test without the engine in the industry. It's impossible to get meaningful data on frontal or even side impact tests without it... The engine can easily be 10 to 20% of the weight of the car

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 08:45

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I waaaaaaaaat? haha I posted the 911 pic lamenting how heavy and (imo) ugly cars have become due to safety regs. New cars are undeniably miles safer, faster and more efficient than their predecessors. No one with more than five firing neurons disagrees with that.

My point was that we've lost something. Cars are heavier, harder to see out of and generally reflect the "soap bar" shape. I assume the risks when I drive my land boat but damn I look cool doing it. One day I'll be skewered on my porcelain steering wheel but wow, what a way to go!

And you're the guy with the Chevy stepside right? Keep us posted on the roadtrip, it sounds awesome!

LappingLuke > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 08:46

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Moral of the story is: drive defensively as if everyone is out to get you because they are. Always pay attention and be looking far ahead.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 10/03/2014 at 08:52

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It actually wasn't your post I was referencing, I was thinking of something way way back, like a couple years ago. But yours also falls into the same category. As long as you accept the risks that's fine, I accept the risks when I drive my old cars as well. What I wonder about is what are the ethics or driving a deathtrap once I have children? Luckily I have a lot of time to ponder that question.

I will keep you guys in the loop on the roadtrip, hopefully I'll actually be able to do real wrenching soon.

Pixel > red014 10/03/2014 at 08:53

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Also the car used had the inline six, which would have been pushed aside in an overlap test.

(not the test car, but a similar '59 BelAir.)

abzman > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 10:14

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I get that old cars are death traps. Old cars were good at low speed collisions and would kill you in high speed collisions. New cars fall apart if you look at them sideways, but will save your life. I get that. I also own a 1957 chevy and when someone bumps it, he'll have to fix his bumper, I'll have to polish a bit. If I ever have a serious crash, the steering column is going right through my chest, no whiplash, no crushed vertebrae, just dead.

This comment is offered semi-seriously and it should be noted that I'm 23, have had no major accidents and several minor scrapes (and because of my age I know I'm indestructible so what's there to worry about).

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 10:31

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Good question about kids. My logic is that people drove kids around in 1969. It's how my parents were driven around and they bear no ill effects.

Racescort666 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/03/2014 at 10:56

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In a car-to-car scenario with both cars meeting modern crash standards, heavier is safer. The key is still modern crash standards. The Smart car does fairly well in the partial overlap test but that is representing hitting something of the same mass. Most cars on the road weigh more than a smart car so that's even more energy that it has to absorb if it were to be hit head on. You can see in the video below that the C class continues to move forward after the Smart car has stopped and even begins to move backward. This is from the higher energy of the crash and is the equivalent of hitting a solid wall at a higher speed.

bubblestheturtle > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/04/2014 at 00:36

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But cars were cheaper back then, without all the safety equipment. Sure you could die more easily, but if you didn't die, you won. Stupid socialist regulations.

Niquemarshall > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 10/04/2014 at 21:34

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jeebus