1959 Chevrolet Bel Air vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu crash test.

Crash test showing the safety features of modern cars versus the the older cars.
I thought the old Bel Air would have the new Malibu for breakfast, results are quite amazing.
Showing how effective the crumple zones actually are.

[@SolarFlare67]

It's not just crash tests that show that crumple zones are effective, it's physics. Increasing impact time decreases force, so even if the cab hadn't been completely crushed, the driver still would have had enough whiplash to break their neck. The other driver, on the other hand, would have had less force due to the impact time being increased by the crumple zone.

[@NhoyBarangay]

Old or New avoid small overlap crash.

[@ninjawriter]

Now, I'm no genius, but didn't the Bel Air crumple... more? Doesn't that make it safer? And just out of curiosity, why did they test the Bel Air without an engine or transmission in it?

[@danallansarthou7]

Simple as car crash test, So super memory of retro vehicle. However, Vehicle crash test from classic vintage chevy 1950s vs. 2000s. Chevy bel air in 1959 is non airbag will crumple and damage of the face and body, Chevy malibu in 2009 so safe as full of airbag will prevent damage from face and body. Save from vehicle insurance institute?

[@sandrakarim1079]

That's why old cars are bad

[@benderbendingrofriguez3300]

can you incorporate a crumple zone on a classic car ?

[@dxmxo9427]

Darn that's scary :/

[@rafaelvelazquez9718]

Well I guess this proves why new cars aren't trash compared to old ones

[@salvation4all313]

Wow the Bel Aire is a piece of junk!

[@noneyuhbizniss9041]

The bel air would have had the malibu for breakfast if some jerk at IHS hadn't removed a majority of the bolts on the bel airs front fenders and removed the metal inner fenders which provided 97% of the front clips structural integrity, Eliminating these vital components puts nearly the entire crash load on the dash and firewall .Any moron should be able to look at the slow motion shot of the fender being pealed away from the view of the 59s passenger side and tell that its not properly secured.

[@salvation4all313]

The Bel Aire was a death trap!

[@salvation4all313]

1955 Bel Aire... Front Bench Seat : Held in with a couple of bolts, and without belts to hold humans in during a collision, the front seats did nothing to stop a body from bouncing around the cockpit like a pinball.

[@salvation4all313]

1955 Bel Aire... Doors : No built-in guard beams, no soft surfaces, and with handles and window cranks seemingly designed to gouge flesh. Combine these doors with a structure that buckled, and you end up with an animal trap. That we survived at all is amazing.

[@salvation4all313]

A-Pillars : The ’55’s wraparound windshield was gorgeous. It also left the front of the roof supported by only thin pillars of sheetmetal, ready to collapse under the car’s weight in a rollover.

[@noneyuhbizniss9041]

If that is true then why didn't the IHS present THAT info to us as opposed to this underhanded manipulated test with fixed results? unlike the inexperienced speculators i actually drive vintage cars everyday. I was in a serious highway accident caused by a blowout a few months ago. My 66 chrysler newport collided with a boxy car like a scion. The driver of the brand new car sustained painful neck injuries and his car was totalled by the impact. I was not hurt at all & my car still functions.

[@BigBoss-sm9xj]

@chris jones perfectly said