Chevy Crash Test: 1959 Bel Air vs. 2009 Malibu

[rid0617]

I've got an 89 Crown Vic LX with 65,000 actual miles. For the car buffs I can assure you I will not donate it to Ford for testing. I agree with the 50 year old welds and bolts.

[reddog289]

I hated to see that Chevy see that fate, Either one of them, more so the 59. If it were me I would have given them my 91 Buick and 90 Ford Ranger for them to do the test.Granted for one of the two now wrecked.

[Fury13]

Cripes... the highest and best use for an old four-door sedan is as a parts car to restore a two-door. Every old car buff knows that. And by the way, there were 525,461 Chevrolet four-door sedans made for the 1959 model year. More than half a million! This is not a rare car, folks.

Destroying such a common and mundane family sedan is not a crime. I think the video made a pretty good point. Today's cars ARE safer. Those old frames do collapse. Engineers of the '50s had no clue about crumple zones in automobile bodies, and air bags were not yet even a germ of an idea in engineers' minds. Besides, safety was simply a low priority as a selling point in the '50s; people just weren't interested in that. Remember, seat belts and other safety features such as dished steering wheels weren't commonplace until the mid- to late '60s.

[Warrenite84]

Fury13, if you were restoring one, you would see differently. Many post sedans were crushed 30 years ago, leaving those of us restoring one out of luck. Lots of parts are remanufactured for two door models but doors, trim, sill plates, quarter trim are becoming harder to find for sedans.

Lesser desired models in a popular car line get restored last due to an exhausted supply of popular models. Frivolously destroying,'mundane,' cars runs budget restorers out of the hobby and gives you row upon row of same looking Mustangs, 5,6,7, Bel Airs, misc. Mopar, GM, and Ford look-alikes at car shows and cruises.

Cruising in a sedan means you can pick up friends and not get mashed against the steering wheel while they hop in. Front doors don't sag like Camaros and TransAm's, and tuner types are not nipping at your heels to race.

[Retroit]

What was the purpose of this crash test?:

• To prove that the safety improvements of the last 50 years really weren't unnecessary?
• To convince today's car buyers that a 2009 Malibu would be a better purchase than a 1959 Bel Air?
• Entertainment value?

I personally didn't see that much difference. I wonder how the dummies fared? Put a collapsible steering wheel and airbag in that Bel Air and I'd take it over the Malibu.

[Sludgedaddy]

....this could be the start of a new reality television program. Battle of the Buggies!!!

I like to see a '51 Nash go head on with any Asian Import. Rotsa Ruck!