2009 Malibu VS 59 Chevy Bel Air

Road Ruler · 10-24-2009, 06:34 PM

I know how rigid the modern uni-bodied vehicles are and always assumed the old cars were tanks but this video clip is an eye opener.

Crash tests...

YouTube - 2009 Chevy Malibu vs 1959 Bel Air Crash Test

markdoane · 10-24-2009, 06:56 PM

I almost bought a '59 Bel Air a few month ago to pull my '59 TW. Glad I didn't.

richinny · 10-24-2009, 07:44 PM

i'd like to see what shape the steel was on that 59. it seems the other car sucked the front cross member out from under the car. and are there that many 59's out there that they needed to destroy a historic car? is the gov't afraid someone will start making and buying them again?

AirsDream · 10-24-2009, 07:47 PM

My folks had a '59 BelAir that I drove in the early '60s ... same color as the one in the movie. The brakes were terrible, and if I recall correctly, it had a 2-speed automatic transmission. Small V-8 and a single 2-barrel carb. It was o.k. for around town. Never tried towing anything with it - it didn't have much torque.

Road Ruler · 10-29-2009, 03:48 PM

Here is some more info where the Bel Air came from...

Ask The Best And Brightest: Is This The Bel Air The IIHS Destroyed? | The Truth About Cars

dstalzer · 10-29-2009, 05:59 PM

To use this car for a TV it needs the 348 CU Inch engine with the Turboglide transmission. This setup would be fine for a 1959 AS.

Dennis