Drunk Teens Dead - Hit '67 Wildcat (Amazing car photos)

[TomE_1953]

Wanted to share this with you if you haven't run across it on the 'Buick Only Webring'.<P>The link below will take you to the story about David McKewans and a terrible accident involving him, his 1967 Buick Wildcat and 5 drunk/speeding (100mph) teens.<BR>Dave survived (he had more 'metal' around him than the teens).<P>LINK: <A HREF="http://www.angelfire.com/ca/mineryho...accident.html" TARGET=_blank>'Old Iron Saves a Life' - David McKewans</A><P>[ 04-12-2002: Message edited by: GR8 53 Roadmaster ]<p>[ 04-12-2002: Message edited by: GR8 53 Roadmaster ]

Amazing

Amazing testimonial....I hope he shows this to those who would rather scrap old iron rather than preserve it....I am glad that part of the bill got ousted.<P> Thank God for Buicks<P> <P> don55

[Skyking]

I wonder if David McKewans would be telling this story if he were driving a new car that day [img]images/icons/confused.gif" border="0[/img] [img]images/icons/confused.gif" border="0[/img]

[Dave@Moon]

I saw Dave's display at the '99 National and contributed to it (a trifle, but it was all I could). I think he's to be congratualted for having the guts to share his experience and for making something constructive out of it. I hope he's fully recovered.<P>It <I>is</I> trivial to ask, but does anyone know what the ultimate disposition of his unfortunate '67 was?

[TomE_1953]

I found David's email address on that website: buickman67@yahoo.com <BR>You can contact him and ask your question.

Skyking:<BR> Actually I almost hate to say it, but with the safety devices we have now days, he may have been injured even less. Airbags, Shoulder harnesses, crumple zones. All of this stuff is designed and tested from years of experience.<BR> I love my old cars but I would rather take a hit in a car with a bag then have my old cars steering wheel or dash board coming up though my teeth.<BR> The new car may be a pile of toast when its all over but.......I dont think I will be. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]<BR> Just my thoughts......<BR>Tom H.<BR> [img]images/icons/tongue.gif" border="0[/img]

[Skyking]

Tom, tell that to the guys that were driving the new Dodge.......

[juddman]

Considering that the dodge took the hit in the door at the speed described, it's a testament that ANYONE in the car survived. Had the Buick taken a hit like that in the door, the driver likely would have been killed, as there's lots more room between the driver and the front bumper than between the driver and the door skin.<P>FWIW, bigger isn't always better...one of the safest cars of it's time was the Fiat X1/9. It was built to withstand a 50mph frontal impact and an 80 mph roll-over. Fiat was afraid of losing the US market in the early 70's and built the car to pass safety standards that were considered, but ultimately never implemented. All without airbags or other fancy safety bits.<P>I'm just sorry that the whole thing happened - what a nightmare...

[YellowLark]

Also saw the car (carcass) at the 1999 BCA National Meet. The owner was lecturing about what happened. He was not in good shape, and never would be. But, surviving that crash and standing and talking about it seemed a miracle. Really left an impression.

[Shaffer]

That site has been posted here a few times before. It is an amazing story. I think that it shows that cars of the late 60s were safe cars, despite the lack of advanced safety features. I think collaspable steering columns was standard starting in 1968, as well as shoulder belts, energy absorbing dash panel and side marker lights, which was a federal regulation and was mandatory for 1968 model year cars. Head restraints mandatory in 1969. I think that GM had the collaspable column in 1967 before it was even required. I am sure I have read this before in some of my 1967 GM sales brochures. You can see in the photos of the 1967 Buick here, that it does indeed have the collaspable steering column. I am not sure if Ford and Chrysler had them in 67 or not, which would mean that they had the safety feature before mandatory. I think that Mercedes-Benz had the collaspable column in the 1950s, as I have read that Mercedes was the first car to have energy absorbing steering columns, back in the 1950s, as well as Volvo I think.

[Shaffer]

Also notice how well the passenger cage held up on this car.

[Philippe Racicot]

I also had an accident with my former 68 Wildcat Custom 4 dr. h.t. two years ago and the car had severe passenger side damage. I had no injury thanks to the center armrest that prevented me from hitting the right door. About shoulder belts, all documentation says it was standard on closed cars in 1968 but my car did not have them. There were holes in the cardboard headlining but they were filled with color matched plastic buttons. Was this a delete option?

I remember reading on Ironhunter.net about a similar situation...<BR>"My grandfather owed several added years to his life because of a 1970 LeSabre that he was driving when he was hit head-on by a Chevy S-10. He survived with a bump on his head, the car survived after I replaced the nose, but the S-10 was brutally disfigured and it's occupants spent several weeks in the hospital. The S-10 was knocked backwards 60 feet , immediately changing direction at impact."<P>Now that's physics!

[Dave@Moon]

Philippe,<P>As I recall, the shoulder belt requirement from the feds didn't take effect until 1/1/68. It's possible that your car was an early model, before that date. It's also possible that it was an export model.<P>It was uncommon for manufacturers to wait to the last minute for the installation of required safety equipment, but it wasn't unheard of. I used to have an early model 1969 Coronet which did not have lights behind the side reflector lenses (1968 needed lights, but I guess there was some dispute when the 1969 requirement for reflective lenses kicked in).<P>Of course the money they saved was passed right back to the consumer in added value! [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0[/img]

[Shaffer]

Some manufacturers did wait until the last minute before they added a federal mandated safety feature. However, GM typically was always ahead of time. Example: In 1967, ALL General Motors cars had a standard collaspable, energy absorbing steering column. It was not made mandatory until 1968 I think. Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Corporation may have had as well, but I not sure. Mercedes and Volvo had them even before 1968 I think. Not sure about the side marker lamps, but I thought they was made standard on ALL cars starting in 1968.

[YellowLark]

On the shoulder belt issue, Buicks were equipped with the reinforced roof anchor holes and the convertible support holes starting in early 1966.<P>I know this because I dealt with a vendor last year who made up year-correct looking shoulder belts for these cars. He told me exactly where to look to locate the anchor holes. My car, built February 8, 1966, was the earliest Buick he was aware of that was so equipped. I feel safer now with the shoulder belts.<P>Now, the remaining question is: Why GM didn't install the belts until two years later?

[66400]

GM added the anchor plates for shoulder belts during the '66 model year. On the body data plate on the firewall you will find a small 3/16 inch hole punched in it if the car is equipped anchor plates.<BR> Why they were not all equipped with shoulder belts? No doubt cost was a factor along with consumer resistance to using belts at the time. Of course using seat and should belts on a '66 GM car required fastening two separate systems, one pair for the lap belts and one pair for the shoulder belts.<BR> I've known people who bought new cars and removed the seat belts because they cluttered up the interior. Even today you can look at cars of the '60's and find belts that have only been slightly used.<BR> Related subject, I've been stopped few times by younger officers for apparently not wearing my seat belt here in Tx. in my '66. After they come up to my car and see I'm using a lap belt I explain that my car predates mandatory shoulder belts.<BR>Henry

[Dave@Moon]

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[ZondaC12]

wow thanks for putting that up. i never would have seen this, its FIVE YEARS OLD!

more important than the strength of the buick is how stupid those teens were. last year (senior year of HS) i must have heard of at least 10-15 different drunken parties "through-the-grapevine" overhearing fellow students talk about them and whatnot. fortunately never heard of anyone of the attendees ever in an accident as a result (so MAYBE that says they were smarter about it than youd think) but i wouldnt have expected that.

many people that went to them all the time i am good freinds with (though not REAL close to) and i always did wonder what might happen.

why cant they find other ways to have fun? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[imported_MrEarl]

Zondac, it is so evident in your posts and writtings that you are a very responsible and mature "teen". I am sure your Dad looks down every day at you, your accomplishments and the Buick and smiles. Keep up the good work. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Smartin]

He is a member of our forums now...Buickman67

[my3buicks]

the pictures don't even come close to showing how hard this car was really hit -I also saw it in Columbus, and all you can do is shake your head

[ZondaC12]

thanks for the kind words, MrEarl!

does he still bring it to National Meets? i'd certainly like to look at it, if i ever make it to one!!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

no seriously i will someday, it just needs to be back in the northeast again. i really couldnt go to the batavia one because i just got the thing on the road, it was MY second year on the road, mom didnt want me going that far. but given that it was in batavia once in 1989, sounds like ill have plenty of drving experience under my belt by the time its nearby again <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Smartin]

I haven't seen the car st all at any national since 2003. I'd like to see him bring it around again, though.