Is the 57 Chevy a good first car?

[Guest Skyking]

No recalls on the '57 either. Today's safety items are killing people left and right.

[keiser31]

That's a 57 Chrysler. Now you talk about a headache dealing with that custom extended body... and no repro or aftermarket support to speak of.

That's why this 57 Chevy would be a good car for a young beginner old car enthusiast. It's a mid-line standard-production four-door (less expensive), fabulous repro support (again parts less expensive), as simple as a car can get (easy to fix and learn on), and possesses a cool factor no modern Asian import, no matter how reliable and safe, could ever aspire to. As a "less desirable" four-door, he can enjoy the car and not worry about value, return on investment, all that crap that has infiltrated the old car hobby to its detriment.

Call me a heavy rebel, but all these electronic gadgets, black boxes etc on modern cars hold no appeal to me. And this Google self-driving car quite frankly scares hell out of me, more than driving any old car ever could. Yeah, when I was a kid in the 60s such space-age fantasy was cool, but it scares me to death now. Not too crazy about drive-by-wire or magnetic power steering either. Maybe dealing with such stuff driving a big powerplant has colored my view, because I know it is not 100% reliable. Nothing electronic ever is.

A HUGE plus in my opinion is the fact that the gas pedal is still connected mechanically to the engine on the '57. I do NOT want to drive a car that sends an electronic message from the gas pedal to the engine to work like on a lot of the newer cars.

[Bleach]

A HUGE plus in my opinion is the fact that the gas pedal is still connected mechanically to the engine on the '57. I do NOT want to drive a car that sends an electronic message from the gas pedal to the engine to work like on a lot of the newer cars.

You also forgot to mention that some of the newer cars also come with spontaneously activating air bags.

[keiser31]

You also forgot to mention that some of the newer cars also come with spontaneously activating air bags.

I always make sure the driver of a car/truck I get into turns the airbag OFF on the passenger side. I cringe at the thought of that thing going off unexpectedly while I am sitting there wearing sunglasses. I will take my chances with the windshield/dashboard.

[carbking]

Hi!

There is a blue 1957 Chevy for sale near me, and I am looking at buying to for my first vehicle!

So, what I would like to know is if it would be right for me.

•I live in Canada, so we can get quite a bit of snow. How would it handle in the winter? With winter tires of course.

•How would it be on gas?

•It has 100 thousand kilometres on it, is that ok for an old car?

•Would the radio still work?

•how different is driving an older car compared to a new one?

•Random question, what's your favourite color for a 57 Chevy?

The car it's self is $5800 OBO, it runs and stops. Has new tires, brakes, a battery, carb and ignition. I am 16 if that matters

here is a picture of it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]284174[/ATTACH]

•I live in Canada, so we can get quite a bit of snow. How would it handle in the winter? With winter tires of course.

Was there snow in Canada in 1957? If so, did the country stand still when it snowed? Personally, I would prefer the 1957 in snow to ANY of the front-wheel drive stuff available today (unless the rear wheels ALSO pull). You will get different opinions on this; just remember in 1957, there were NO 2014 cars to drive.

•How would it be on gas?

Fair. It is not a gas-hog, but the 6 coupled to an automatic is not a miser either.

•It has 100 thousand kilometres on it, is that ok for an old car?

Depends on HOW the 100k kilos were put on, AND the maintenance done. Have the engine checked out by a good mechanic that understands older cars.

•Would the radio still work?

Probably not, however it can probably be repaired. Remember it is AM only, and there are fewer AM stations today than there once were. However, the glove box is large enough to house a modern AM/FM/Stereo, and any 16-year-old wanting to drive an old car should be able to install one.

•how different is driving an older car compared to a new one?

Quite different! Again, the world was able to function in 1957 without the benefit??? of 2014 vehicles. Things you will learn:

(1) The steering is less precise, the front end will tend to follow grooves in the highway.

(2) The brakes, when dry and cool, are maybe 80~90 percent as efficient as cars with disc brakes

(3) The brakes, when dry and hot, are maybe 50 percent as efficient as cars with disc brakes

(4) The brakes, when wet DON'T WORK UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN APPLIED LONG ENOUGH THAT THEY DRY!

•Random question, what's your favourite color for a 57 Chevy?

Same scheme as pictured, only a darker blue.

My first car was a 1956 Ford, and I survived.

And touching on a subject which others have, that you did not request:

TALK WITH YOUR PARENTS!!! I don't live in Canada, so do not know your laws. Here (Missouri) you would need their permission to get a bank loan (if needed). Also, talk with your insurance agent. Not cool to purchase a car, and then find out it cannot be insured until you are 18. If your parents agree, do YOUR HOMEWORK locally. Local car clubs? Local mechanics that specialize in older vehicles? Local emissions laws? Etc. Again, if you and your parents agree, CHECK OUT THE CAR! As a 15 1/2 year-old, I found a couple that looked great until we looked closer. You gain credibility with your parents by knowing when to walk away. And if everything checks out, you might just have the coolest car in your school.

Jon.

[ericmac]

So here is what we have folks. A 16 year old with a genuine interest in an antique car as his first car. I too was there once. My first car was a 1947 Nash 600 4 door sedan. It was not a particularly good winter car (not a particularly good car, period) but it went miles toward fostering and later cementing my love of antique cars. If Stuart drives this particular '57 Chevy into the ground and it rusts to pieces, but he emerges as a lifetime fan of antique cars I say the loss of one car was worth it. BUY the car Stuart! Don't delay! And most importantly, join AACA if you are not already a member and you will be welcomed with open arms!

Eric

[rocketraider]

By most of us anyway... there are a few folks in this thread that are doing their dead-level best to keep him away from an old car. I donno, maybe they want to keep the young bucks out of oldies so they can buy them up themselves.

I think the biggest hazard he'll encounter while driving this 57 is some idiot in a cocoon car yapping or texting away on a cell phone, oblivious to traffic and conditions around him. The safest car in the world can't protect you from anything like that. You just have to learn to anticipate what another driver is liable to do- "driving defensively" in other words. Or do driving schools even teach that concept anymore?

[cahartley]

In trying to find some price ammunition for Stuuuuuuarrt I checked ebay completed auctions....that is '57 Chevs that actually sold.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sop=3&_from=R40%7CR40&_sacat=0&_nkw="1957+chevrolet"&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc

If this pans out maybe he can even save a few bucks........

I still would love to see pics of Grandpa's Pontiac.......

[Guest drnittler]

I'd buy it. Solid car. I help a friend do one years ago and it still goes..

[Bleach]

Here a more filtered search result although a couple of sedan deliveries slipped in.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/eBay-Motors-/6000/i.html?_sac=1&Number%2520of%2520Cylinders=6&_sop=3&_dcat=6160&Body%2520Type=Sedan&_from=R40|R40|R40&_nkw=1957+chevrolet&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc

[mercer09]

favorite line from this dialogue goes to John from PA.................... What antique-car fan would tell a teenage enthusiast to buy a modern Toyota! golden globe!

favorite motion picture goes to Country.................. that photo reminds me of Ralphie (Christmas Story) when his Mom says, you'll shoot your eye out! with his new found pride of a BB gun..................

enjoy listening to all of the "opinions" great fun!

[Guest Stuuuuuuarrt]

Wow!96 replies

Sorry I have not replied in this topic too much, I have been very busy.

I talked to my grandpa and he said he would rather me fix up one of the 57 Pontiacs that he has (He bought them new, and still has the bill of sale!)

The only concern that I have is that they have been sitting outside and have not ran for 15 years. How much work do you think it would be to get one of the going?

I'll try to get up there tomorrow and check them out (And take some pictures)

1 of them has been sitting on a trailer (Kids have smashed out all of the windows) And the other has been sitting behind a shed.

Both Pontiacs have a 6 cylinder engine and are automatics

[Bleach]

That's one of the differences of Canadian Pontiacs was that they were available with Chevy sixes, probably the same as the Chevy you were looking at.

[Larry W]

That Chevy that you're looking at was probably in the same condition as those Pontiacs before it got a paint job. Canadian Pontiacs are cool because of the differences from the USA versions. Go for it!

[John348]

I want to make sure Stu (and everyone else) you understand that I think it is great that a 16 year old has interest in the hobby, and wants to purchase something to play with. My first car was a 56 Chevrolet six cylinder powerglide and I bought that when I was 16, in 1973 when it was only a 17 years old USED car, and the "modern" cars on the road then are collectible now. The major difference today is now that 57 Chevrolet is a 60 year old car that is going to be put into everyday service, and there are many parts that if mileage did not wear it out time did. You will need some reserve cash just to keep it running safelyThe answers given should inspire many more questions such, but the first ones that pop up are:

How many guys here use a car that is 50-60 years old in everyday service? Regardless of weather conditions? Where do you even get 14" snow tires, if you can get them?

If these guys are doing that then more power to them, and take their advice. SO far Stu if you notice nobody here stepped up and said "no problem I drive my 195X BLANK everyday in all weather conditions.

I myself have an 85 Caprice wagon that I use at my home in Florida when I am there, around town it's fine. On the interstate or and in the rain,,,, forget it about it! I am not on the same playing field as all of the cars around me, I feel like like I am trying to play football wearing a leather helmet and work boots, and that 1985 is much more of a modern car then a 1957.

By the way be aware floor pans are not an easy task to take on and can be very costly just to buy the tools to take them on. A car with rotted floors also has a weaker structure if an impact were to happen

Edited December 6, 2014 by Biscayne John (see edit history)

[keiser31]

I want to make sure Stu (and everyone else) you understand that I think it is great that a 16 year old has interest in the hobby, and wants to purchase something to play with. My first car was a 56 Chevrolet six cylinder powerglide and I bought that when I was 16, in 1973 when it was only a 17 years old USED car, and the "modern" cars on the road then are collectible now. The major difference today is now that 57 Chevrolet is a 60 year old car that is going to be put into everyday service, and there are many parts that if mileage did not wear it out time did. You will need some reserve cash just to keep it running safelyThe answers given should inspire many more questions such, but the first ones that pop up are:

How many guys here use a car that is 50-60 years old in everyday service? Regardless of weather conditions? Where do you even get 14" snow tires, if you can get them?

If these guys are doing that then more power to them, and take their advice. SO far Stu if you notice nobody here stepped up and said "no problem I drive my 195X BLANK everyday in all weather conditions.

I myself have an 85 Caprice wagon that I use at my home in Florida when I am there, around town it's fine. On the interstate or and in the rain,,,, forget it about it! I am not on the same playing field as all of the cars around me, I feel like like I am trying to play football wearing a leather helmet and work boots, and that 1985 is much more of a modern car then a 1957.

By the way be aware floor pans are not an easy task to take on and can be very costly just to buy the tools to take them on. A car with rotted floors also has a weaker structure if an impact were to happen

I do drive my 1931 Dodge coupe every day. At least I did until a while ago when I had to replace the wiring. The only reason the car is out of service is that I have not had a good chance to put the new wiring harness in. The thing that hindered me the most is that I am not working and the cash for the harness came in slowly. Other than that, I have no problem driving it rain or shine, traffic filled or empty highway. I may be one of the rare cases that don't worry about scratches and dings. One thing is for certain....I can evaluate a problem with the car way faster than trying to find a problem with a Toyota or Honda or....something else newer. I can probably fix the problem faster, too.

Edited December 6, 2014 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[mrspeedyt]

figure 11 to 14 mpg average. good heater = ok winter.

[Bleach]

The Canadian Pontiacs had the larger six cylinder engine called the Strato Six. It was a 261 that was rated at 148 hp.

[MikeC5]

I thought this might be appropriate reading for the subject assuming you decide against the 57 Chevy.

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/12/05/the-5000-challenge-round-two-what-would-you-buy/

[bhambulldog]

Keep 'em in the family..

I like it ...

[Guest GT52]

...I talked to my grandpa and he said he would rather me fix up one of the 57 Pontiacs that he has...

Do yourself a big favor, Stuuuuuuarrt, and buy yourself an 80s Mustang/T-Bird/Camaro/Cutlass/Regal/Monte Carlo/Grand Prix with your money, and use it to safely and reliably drive yourself over to your grandpa's and help him fix up one of his old Pontiacs. You'll both be better off. Your grandpa will get to spend some time with you, and you'll get to figure out if you actually enjoy busting your knuckles on an old rusty car, without having to buy one. Win/win. By the time you're done, you'll have some experience behind the wheel and be much safer driving an old car than you would be today.

[MikeC5]

Some good advice there! Make your mistakes on someone else's car...

[1912Staver]

I am in the process of stripping off the last few bits and pieces off a 57 Chev. sedan. It was a decent looking one family owned car from new; driven year round here in Canada for its first 30 or so years, and it is one of the rustiest cars I have encountered. Looked pretty good outside, but floors on down were horrible including MAJOR frame rust. The rear spring shackles and what was left of the last 18 in. or so of the frame were trying to make their way into the trunk. I am also surprised how thin gauge quite a bit of the inner body metal actually is. No wonder the repro sheet metal industry does a booming business on these cars. Great donor car for my other 57, but man talk about used up. And it was a decent looking, running and driving car, until you opened the trunk. There were "helper' coil spring shocks that were doing most of the work for the rear leaf springs. These cars are nearly 60 years old, look it over VERY closely before purchase.

Greg in Canada

Edited December 7, 2014 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Bleach]

I say go with your grand father's cars. As was mentioned before, you'll be able to spend some real quality time with him in the process. I'm sure he knows what they need to get them going again.

Just avoid any of those 80's cars unless you find one in really good and well maintained condition. They were OK cars in their time but they are filled with plastic parts that are very brittle now and have electronics that were very temperamental even in their day. Plus you'll waste time and money better dedicated to the car you really want.

[bhambulldog]

I say go with your grand father's cars. As was mentioned before, you'll be able to spend some real quality time with him in the process. I'm sure he knows what they need to get them going again.

Just avoid any of those 80's cars unless you find one in really good and well maintained condition. They were OK cars in their time but they are filled with plastic parts that are very brittle now and have electronics that were very temperamental even in their day. Plus you'll waste time and money better dedicated to the car you really want.

That's what I like about my '55. None of that stuff with the gremlins

[Guest GT52]

...Just avoid any of those 80's cars unless you find one in really good and well maintained condition. They were OK cars in their time but they are filled with plastic parts that are very brittle now and have electronics that were very temperamental even in their day...QUOTE]

The plastic parts thing is a very good point about 80s and later cars in general. I sold my Shelby Lancer a few years back, it had 125K on it and looked like 25K, but even it had a number of plastic bits that were cracked or broken...body, interior, underhood. It doesn't usually affect the serviceability much, it's mostly cosmetic, but I don't know how you'd go about doing a complete concourse sort of restoration on such cars without finding a lot of NOS plastic bits...which isn't likely. Metal can be a bugger to restore sometimes, but at least it can be done...plastic, usually not so much.

The closer you stick to early 80s versions of the cars I mentioned the less intricate the electronics...there's just a handful of bits involved, and they're cheap enough at this point to "diagnose by replacement". All the cars I mentioned are a good transition between the older/simpler stuff and the newer/very complex stuff. It doesn't hurt to figure out how some of the newer technology works.

[John_S_in_Penna]

Stuart, in 1957 Canada was using the English

(foot-pound-mile) system of measurement,

so if the odometer reads 100,000, I believe that

would be in miles, not kilometers. Concurrently,

the speedometer would read up to 100 or 120,

and that would be in miles per hour.

The same should be true of the Pontiacs. Correct me

if I'm wrong.

[John_S_in_Penna]

And if you get an opportunity, Stuart,

post a few pictures of your grandfather's

Pontiacs. They should elicit another barrage

of comments!

[countrytravler]

These cars were very dependable and well built.

[h=5]Danny Board

[/h]Yesterday at 7:34pm

for sale 1968 Impala 4 door sedan 327 4bll 2 speed powerglide 77k miles Located in Kentucky $3600

[GLong]

Stuuuuuart.. welcome to the old car hobby. As you can see we all have opinions and experiences to share.

My opinion: get it looked over by a competent mechanic. This should include lifting the floor mats and or carpeting/padding. If you see daylight, well, maybe best if you keep looking. BUT. sometimes there is just one hole and the rest of the floor you could drop an anvil on and not dent it.

A rusty floor will NOT significantly weaken the body such that the car is dangerous in a crash. These cars had a rather heavy REAL frame that supports the body. It is not a uni-body frame/body design like later cars.

A good inspection will include:

A compression test on the engine

A look at the ATF in the transmission for being burnt [the powerglide trans is pretty strong]

A look at the differential gear lube to make sure it's not full of water and rust.

A look at all 4 brake assemblies with the wheels off. This is a single master cylinder system it must not have leaks or rusty lines.

A look at the generator for output voltage above idle speeds,

A look into the radiator and wobble the waterpump shaft to see if it's on it's way out.. pumps are cheap and easy to change.

A look into the fuel filter [just put a new on on it, cut open the old one] to look for lots of rust which will mean gas tank work.

A close look at the frame for poorly repaired damage from accidents or rust.

From the standpoint of safety, you said the car has new tires.. Take a look at them, are they radials?? 95% of the driving characteristics

we [older drivers] remember about the early cars are the result of bias ply tires. Radial tires do NOT chase worn dips and grooves in the road like bias-ply tires do.

Another safety item that is not stock, but in my opinion a very good thing to add is a 3rd stoplight at the bottom of the rear window, and BRIGHT brakelight bulbs. The drivers today expect to be distracted away from their cell phone by the bright red glow of brake lights in front of them. The added 3rd brake light can be tastefully done.

As for the '57 you are considering and '57's in general. Personally I like the blue, much better than the 'canyon coral' '57 I had. The 6 cylinder is a good engine, just keep oil and water in it. The fuel mileage will be around 12 to 16mpg. Depending on your right foot, and the type of driving.

My '57 was a 4door Belair sedan, with the 265 v8 with powerglide. it had manual brakes and manual steering. It had radial tires, and new brake lines and brake cylinders. The interior had decent slip on seat covers over the cracked and worn original seat covers. It had very worn chrome.

Over the 10 years I owned the car, it got driven a LOT. It was the car of choice to take friends out to dinner, remember the 4 doors ! It drove at modern car speeds, had good lights for night driving, and it was VERY reliable. Over the 10 years I only changed the oil, and took a look at the points each year, and checked the dwell, [pretty much the same as checking the point's gap] for wear. In the 10 years and roughly 15,000 miles I put on the car, I never had to replace points or condenser or spark plugs, I did develop an oil leak on one valve cover gasket.. What a refreshingly easy repair. I was in and out of the engine bay in less time than it would take to just get to the valve cover bolts in a late 70's V8 car. !!

As for driving in all weather, a set of radial tires with an open tread pattern will be about 80% as effective as 'snow tires', and they will last a long time, and be MUCH better on wet or slightly slushy roads than 'snow tires'.

I think it's wonderful that you not only are interested to buy a 'cool' old car for your first car, but are researching the idea first, and not just impulsively buying it, then realizing that it's not what you thought it would be.

As for the Pontiacs.. My big concern would be finding replacement glass and window seals, and the damage done from the car being out in the weather with broken windows.. Usually this means rusted out door bottoms and rusted out floors. You need to look into those areas on your Grandfather's cars. Also, if there are rusted out floors, rocker panels and doors, they will most likely need to be repaired by a person who can work with sheet metal, since I doubt there are aftermarket sheet metal parts for that vintage Pontiacs. But, maybe they are the same basic body as the '57 Chevy?? I don't know if GM was sharing body parts back in '57, I rather doubt it.

BUT, I will 100% agree that doing anything you can with your Grandfather is a good thing. He won't be around forever, and when he's gone, he's gone. I learned tons from both my father and grandfather, and would love to still have them around to confer with on many projects.

So, providing the car is OK mechanically and you have a backup car to borrow, or back up transportation to ? school, job or whatever, I'd say go buy the car, and love it and learn from it..

There is really not a better car to learn on. as mentioned above: easy to work on, simple as they come, lots of parts available, and not so old that it will be difficult to find knowledgable people and manuals to help you along.

Go For It !!

Keep us informed with what you find when you look closely at the car.

GLong

[countrytravler]

Nice car. Be more than 5 I would think.

[Dave@Moon]

I haven't read this entire thread (my time is very limited these days), but as best I can tell no one has touched on something vitally important to those using an antique as a daily driver. While safety in an accident is terribly important, it isn't the only concern once an accident happens.

I have a good friend that recently fell on very hard times. He had 2 cars, a Subaru WRX daily driver and a 1967 antique car (brand unimportant, and withheld to avoid his potential embarrassment). When his situation changed, he found himself unable to afford to keep both cars. Foolishly (IMHO) he chose to keep the antique and use it as a daily driver. (Both cars were about equally valuable and capable as automobiles.) Obviously it was an emotional choice.

This past Wednesday night someone ran a red light. The antique is totaled. Thankfully he was OK, as the car is not one with a stellar safety record or even seat belts. In that way at least he was very lucky.

It is virtually impossible to get agreed value insurance on an antique the insurance company knows is being used daily or finds it to be so. (I would imagine that for a young person it would be VERY impossible.) Sadly, because he couldn't get reliable coverage on the car, he only carried medical and liability. Now he's at the mercy of the at fault other driver to get his loss compensated.

Their first offer couldn't buy a set of good tires for the car. Hopefully he will eventually get something approximating the worth of the vehicle (I'm help him document that), but it's probably going to be weeks of no wheels until he does.

When I was hit in my Triumph in September I had agreed value on it, which gave me leverage with the insurance company at fault as they wanted to avoid being subrogated against by mine. I got a very fair offer immediately. Had I been in my friend's position that car would have been lost and I'd be lucky to get a fraction of what it was worth.

As much fun and appeal as it may have, I never recommend that anyone use an antique as a daily driver. There's just too much risk.

[Lahti35]

How many guys here use a car that is 50-60 years old in everyday service? Regardless of weather conditions? Where do you even get 14" snow tires, if you can get them?

If these guys are doing that then more power to them, and take their advice. SO far Stu if you notice nobody here stepped up and said "no problem I drive my 195X BLANK everyday in all weather conditions.

I drive my 1961 Falcon year round in Michigan, goes through 12" snow like a devil... must be because it has skinny tires and lots of clearance under the car. I can go through stuff no problem that would get my wife's modern toyota stuck.

Vacuum wipers, no electric defrosters, but one good working heater! I drive it in evrything from blistering and humid summer days to heavy rain, sleet and ice cold snow.

As for rust I just keep it going through the car wash on a regular basis and I have very little actual rust show in the spring. We just got a Krown undercoat shop here in MI so i'll do that next year for extra protection.

Drawbacks: It does take me a little longer to get going in the AM when its cold and the weather is junky. I do not take the highway in crappy weather either, too many nuts driving poorly for my taste! Also you may find things take longer to get done... people want to talk with you about the car or make slow turns and or creep along to get a look at you. Sometimes its downright annoying when i'm in a hurry and I wish I did just have a normal car! I'm living the dream 24/7 here and I give it a B+ due to the drawbacks.

[countrytravler]

Driven daily-200.000 plus miles with no major work-smokes a little.

Go for it kid-Oh-by the way- he lives up in the mountains with a lot of snow-has to chain up-weak heater is main complaint.

[countrytravler]

Another car is driven daily. 32 Plymouth. He is in his 80s. At a McDonalds and it was raining. Still grinds the gear when he put it in gear.

Edited December 8, 2014 by countrytravler (see edit history)

[R W Burgess]

Another car is driven daily. 32 Plymouth. He is in his 80s. At a McDonalds and it was raining. Still grinds the gear when he put it in gear.

You California guys make us so sad here in Virginia. It's been raining and cloudy for 2 weeks here. Makes Wayne a dull person, takes the sunshine out of my smile. :cool:

[countrytravler]

You California guys make us so sad here in Virginia. It's been raining and cloudy for 2 weeks here. Makes Wayne a dull person, takes the sunshine out of my smile. :cool:

One hour away, 3 feet of snow. I would not like to see this car chain up:(

[countrytravler]

You can drive this!!

[Larry W]

I recently put my '96 Ram out to pasture, not that there was anything wrong with it except that it's nearly twenty years old with over 200K miles on it. I could probably still drive it, and do occasionally, but every part on it is now more fatigued than when it came from the factory. Why should I take a chance with TIRED IRON under adverse conditions. That's why you'll only see my collector vehicles under mild, sunny conditions, and a newer, more reliable "everyday driver" at any other time.

[Guest GT52]

When I was just a kid I saw the aftermath of an accident where an older man and woman were killed in a head-on collision with another car. They were in an early 60s mopar, and the older man had the broken rim of the steering wheel enter his chest and exit his throat. It was a gruesome sight I'll never forget. Later as a young engineer I did some work on force transducers used to outfit cars for crash tests, and got to witness one. If you take a look at the video/photos of this IIHS crash of a '59 BelAir and a '10 Malibu you get the picture of what happens in an old car, compared to what happens in a new car, when the two collide.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/26/pics-aplenty-iihs-reveals-before-and-after-of-malibu-bel-air-cr/