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09 malibu vs 69 belair...crash test


Guest tbutera2112
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You guys do realize that those tests are engineered, right?

That test was set up to smash the softest parts of both cars into each other. It got only a glancing blow from the chassis and engine compartment. If the Bel Aire has t-boned the Malibu, it would have been different. if it had been a direct head-on, it would have favored the Bell-Aire.

 

We come a long way, but we haven't gotten past the simple physics of density:mass.

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That test was set up to smash the softest parts of both cars into each other. It got only a glancing blow from the chassis and engine compartment. If the Bel Aire has t-boned the Malibu, it would have been different. if it had been a direct head-on, it would have favored the Bell-Aire.

 

We come a long way, but we haven't gotten past the simple physics of density:mass.

 

I would have to disagree on this. New cars overall fair fairly well even in the dredded t-bone. The latests tests on the Malibu show it doing very well for those equipped with side airbags. In fact the frame was hardly damaged and the occupants protected.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=926

 

The idea of an off-set vs full head on test is that the in offset tests, only one side of a vehicle's front end, not the full width, hits the barrier so that a smaller area of the structure must manage the crash energy. That's why the older car here practically melted into the passenger compartment.

 

This means the front end on the struck side crushes more than in a full-width test, and intrusion into the occupant compartment is more likely. The bottom line is that full-width tests are especially demanding of restraints but less demanding of structure, while the reverse is true in offsets.

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You guys do realize that those tests are engineered, right?

That test was set up to smash the softest parts of both cars into each other. It got only a glancing blow from the chassis and engine compartment. If the Bel Aire has t-boned the Malibu, it would have been different. if it had been a direct head-on, it would have favored the Bell-Aire.

 

We come a long way, but we haven't gotten past the simple physics of density:mass.

 

 

Engineered or not, that 1959 land yacht crumpled like boom herron hitting the line of scrimmage!

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You guys do realize that those tests are engineered, right?

That test was set up to smash the softest parts of both cars into each other. It got only a glancing blow from the chassis and engine compartment. If the Bel Aire has t-boned the Malibu, it would have been different. if it had been a direct head-on, it would have favored the Bell-Aire.

 

We come a long way, but we haven't gotten past the simple physics of density:mass.

 

Ok. I am going to bite on this one. I am certified through the Spine Research Institute of San Diego for Whiplash and brain injury traumatology, this includes collision reconstruction. I am able to testify and an expert witness in legal proceedings as to crash mechanics and injury bio-mechanics.

 

That test they did was a 40% offset crash . The reason they do the crash test is most frontal collisions happen like that. Frontal collision generally do not hit 100% head on. In a direct head on the outcomes would have still favored the Malibu.

 

While mass of vehicles is an important factor in crash worthiness, size is not the whole story. Vehicular restitution, ride down, chassis stiffness in an accident is very important as it relate to the delta v of the occupants.

 

The 59 Belair has a standard frame that is terrible in an accident. As you can see in the film, the Belair deforms dramatically upon impact. The passenger compartment is compromised severely. The a-pillar crushed like an egg. The A-pillar rigidity is crucial for occupant safety since its collapse will allow for the deformation of the dash area. Look at crash video of a 2002 Kia Sedona and you will see another prime example of poor occupant cage design.

 

Also look at the rebound of the two cars. the Malibu stayed semi flat as it rebounds away from the accident the Belair's rear end goes drastically airborne. Ride down from the accident is very important in the injuries sustained to the occupants. The longer the ride down the less force sustained to the occupants.

It is also important to understand that the delta V of a vehicle and the delta V of the occupant are not always the same. For example, when

a vehicle strikes a solid barrier at 30 mph, it will stop very quickly and, because the collision is quite plastic, rebound will be minimal. As a result, the vehicle will have experienced a delta V of 30 mph. An

occupant, striking the barrier at that same velocity (44 ft/sec) without protection, would not likely survive. He can survive the crash in the car, however, as a result of the ride down provided by the soft front

of his vehicle, the cushioned padding of the dashboard where his knees will strike, and the stretch of his seat belt and shoulder harness webbing. All together, he may have as much as 3 ft of ride down. If

we use one of the formulas given earlier (e.g., g = (delta V)2/2sg), we can calculate that the deceleration of the occupant striking the barrier unprotected and without the benefit of ride down, would be in the

nature of several hundred g. With 3 ft of ride down he experiences a very tolerable 10 g.

 

The ride down in a 59 Bel air is very poor.

 

Even though the larger Belair has the energy advantage, the occupant in the Malibu will have a decent chance at survival of a side impact crash due to the side impact airbags and other safety features. In addition not all side impact crashes are the same. You have near side and far side impacts. The out comes and injuries of the two types are drastically different.

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