Vintage Car Crashes

[James W.]

This is not Corvette related but is car related. Take a look at this vintage race car crash footage back in the day when there were no roll bars, fire suits, Hans devices, etc. Most of these guys just stood up and walked away.


Regards,

James West

http://devour.com/video/vintage-race-car-crashes/

[Jerry G.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

I have been involved in some serious vintage racing crashes over the years and I'm VERY glad for ALL my safety equipment and systems.
Ed lowther, The racer who owned and raced my car back in the day told me he went back to production car racing because he lost too many of his buddies to open wheel racing in the 60s.
For any of you C1 or C2 guys that want to drive your cars on a regular basis I would highly recomend upgrading your restraint system to shoulder belt or better, a four point system. There are a lot of crazies out there.

[Terry M.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

In spite of those guys getting up and walking/running away I will take the modern technology of crumple zones, air bags, & restraint systems every day. The good old days are not always good.

[Ridge K.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

Great points, Jerry and Terry.

Over my 29 year career in emergency response, I couldn't begin to tell you the number of people I have extricated from auto wreckage. Have simply lost count over the years.

I never really thought about it happening to myself. After all, I'm that "attentive driver' I've often praised people for being.

Then in June of this year, my wife and I were knocked off the highway directly into the barricade surrounding concrete overpass columns. A late 50s aged "other" driver had simply changed lanes into us, without looking.
The highway patrol trooper who investigated this accident (while my wife and I were rushed to a trauma center) estimated the speed at impact at 63 to 65 miles per hour.
Locking those four Michelins up, had scrubbed our speed down from 75mph at the point we were knocked out of our lane.

Zero doubt in my mind that the front crumple zone on the Chevrolet sedan I was driving, as well as both front airbags and shoulder restraints, saved both our lives. Now four months later, we both have no disabilitating injuries. Truly a miracle in my mind.

Ridge

[Terry M.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

Great points, Jerry and Terry.

Over my 29 year career in emergency response, I couldn't begin to tell you the number of people I have extricated from auto wreckage. Have simply lost count over the years.

I never really thought about it happening to myself. After all, I'm that "attentive driver' I've often praised people for being.

Then in June of this year, my wife and I were knocked off the highway directly into the barricade surrounding concrete overpass columns. A late 50s aged "other" driver had simply changed lanes into us, without looking.
The highway patrol trooper who investigated this accident (while my wife and I were rushed to a trauma center) estimated the speed at impact at 63 to 65 miles per hour.
Locking those four Michelins up, had scrubbed our speed down from 75mph at the point we were knocked out of our lane.

Zero doubt in my mind that the front crumple zone on the Chevrolet sedan I was driving, as well as both front airbags and shoulder restraints, saved both our lives. Now four months later, we both have no disabilitating injuries. Truly a miracle in my mind.

Ridge

Ridge,

Your experience is why I prefer body-on-frame large heavy vehicles (Is the plural of Caprice, Caprici? )-- in spite of Ron Lovelace's comments about Taxi Cabs. I will gladly pay a premium in fuel consumption and style points for the protection of the laws of physics. Regardless of how careful and attentive we are -- there is always the other guy.

Come on though: "...late 50s aged ..." I wish I could say I resemble that remark. I am glad you guys survived with no permenant injuries.

We are far better off in modern cars than the old ones. To all the heros who drive their old cars: Be careful out there.

[Ridge K.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

Thanks Terry for the kind words. It was real, real close for both my wife and I.

My wife's heavy bodied Mercedes sedan was in the shop at the time, so we had borrowed my elderly Mom's Chevy Cobalt.

I never would have though the little Cobalt would have saved us in that devastating impact. It did.

We actually hit a oval "bent" guardrail surrounding the concrete overpass columns. The guardrail "gave" inwards about five feet. No guardrail post right where we hit.
We slowed from 65mph to zero in that short five feet. That inexpensive Chevy Cobalt's safety sytems saved out lives. That, and God's grace and mercy.....

pic is taken in the wrecker yard's storage lot. The guardrail hit slightly above the urethane front bumper.
What would have happened in my '67 convertible.....? God only knows...



Ridge

[Chris H.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

It's amazing how far safety technology has advanced and attitudes about safety have changed over the years. If a lot those old wrecks weren't so tragic, they would be comical.

[Brian M.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

How'd Mom take it. Glad your OK

Thanks Terry for the kind words. It was real, real close for both my wife and I.

My wife's heavy bodied Mercedes sedan was in the shop at the time, so we had borrowed my elderly Mom's Chevy Cobalt.

I never would have though the little Cobalt would have saved us in that devastating impact. It did.

We actually hit a oval "bent" guardrail surrounding the concrete overpass columns. The guardrail "gave" inwards about five feet. No guardrail post right where we hit.
We slowed from 65mph to zero in that short five feet. That inexpensive Chevy Cobalt's safety sytems saved out lives. That, and God's grace and mercy.....

pic is taken in the wrecker yard's storage lot. The guardrail hit slightly above the urethane front bumper.
What would have happened in my '67 convertible.....? God only knows...



Ridge

[Ridge K.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

How'd Mom take it. Glad your OK

My only sibling, my sister passed away five years ago.

Mom was pretty happy we survived the crash!!!!!!!!

[Dick W.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

What would have happened in my '67 convertible.....? God only knows...



Ridge

From my experience with the older cars during accidents, you would have had a flail check from impact with the steering column that had been pushed back in your face. Both of you would of had serious lower extremity fractures, extrication of the two fatalities would have probably taken at least 30-45 minutes.......Not a pretty scene.

The air bags, crush zones, restraints, etc have made crashes such as yours very survivable vs what would have happened in 1967

[Terry M.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

While a significant portion of your good fortune is due to the design of your car, we ought not ignore advances in highway safety systems as well. Barriers (some crushable) are placed where impacts with solid objects are likely. The style of the barriers is substantially improved, and of course some of those Vintage Car Crashes had NO barriers, and in those incidents that had barriers impacting the barrier was often worse than had there been none. Barriers and the median between lanes are often designed to direct an errant vehicle in the same lanes, rather than allowing that vehicle into the opposing lanes.

Even with all these advances, driving today is still a risky business.

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

While a significant portion of your good fortune is due to the design of your car, we ought not ignore advances in highway safety systems as well. Barriers (some crushable) are placed where impacts with solid objects are likely. The style of the barriers is substantially improved, and of course some of those Vintage Car Crashes had NO barriers, and in those incidents that had barriers impacting the barrier was often worse than had there been none. Barriers and the median between lanes are often designed to direct an errant vehicle in the same lanes, rather than allowing that vehicle into the opposing lanes.

Even with all these advances, driving today is still a risky business.

I AGREE. The guard rails,trees,telephone poles & fences were not good barriers in the60'S,nor were the bies skinny tires at 100MPH. It's a wonder most of us are here today.
KEN

[Bill H.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

You can still go on the track and drive insane, dangerous stuff.

[Dick W.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

You can still go on the track and drive insane, dangerous stuff.

You wear that thing or drive it??

[Bill H.]

Re: Vintage Car Crashes

You wear that thing or drive it??

Both

300cc Unlimited SuperKart
Twin cyl. Rotax/110 HP/450lbs with the driver.

Scary,scary,scary