Wagons in vintage Street scenes

That last one shows just how vulnerable we can be in our old cars. The B-pillar is completely gone, from rocker to roof! Notice the doors piled inside. That doesn't even look like that high-speed and impact, either!

 

Hmmmmm...........

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Oh ya sure......................imagine what the late model tin cans of today would look like after a similar impact!

I'll take the oldies any day and have unfortunately tested them years ago!!!

 

Not many new cars lose the complete B-pillar in a square on side impact! Guard beams can't do anything if there is nothing to catch them, after all. Don't get me wrong, I prefer old cars.

 

You have to look at it from a safety standpoint. It's the occupants that are important, not the vehicle. The right front passenger in that Buick wagon would have been severely injured, if not killed. There were no side impact standards until some time in the late 70's I believe. Vehicles these days are designed to be sacrificed by means of controlled crush points, in order to save the occupants from serious injury. And no, the cars of the 50's and 60's were not built better. Better manufacturing techniques and modern high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel with unibody construction allow stronger construction and lighter weight.

Don't get me wrong, I love the old stuff, but anyone who says the old cars were safer is fooling themself.