Where exactly is YOUR crumple zone?

[Sixty8panther]

I felt like I HAD to share this, what with our recent conversations

on C&G about bad drivers, bad driving skills, crashed Inifiniti QX56

and all the talk of Toyota drivers who should really NOT be car

owners so much as bus pass owners...

This was posted on Buick-59.com by a getleman in the UK who

has a 1959 Buick Invicta nicknamed "Ruth".

While driving to work one morning and giving Ruth an airing, a car overtook me. No doubt thinking "Oh, an old banger - I must be in front of it!" he shot past and cut in front of me leaving a gap of about 6 inches between me and him. Oh, how I relished having to stand on the brake pedal to restore the safe braking gap

Anyway - about 600 yarrds up ther road the left hand lane is for turning left, and the right hand one for straight on. He went into the left lane, and I went into the right. I pulled up right next to him. Now.. me being in a left hand drive car, and he in a right meant we were a mere 18" apart, so I leaned out and tapped on his window.

He would it down and looked at me and went "What?". I said to him... "Do you know where the crumple zone is in this car?". He looked at me sorta baffled by this and wen "No - where ". "It's your wife and family" says I. "You may have been in a rush to get by, but this car would not be troubled in the slightest as it annihilates your car, you, and your family".

As I drove off, all I could see was his wife bashing the living daylights out of him....

[Z-06]

Ahh Brits and their love for American Cars.

[Sixty8panther]

I bet the retard who cut him off was driving some Euro-Ford or Hon-duh.

[Z-06]

I bet the Horndawg or Toy or French Hideous Cute mobiles will be reduced to no Crumple zone if the B-59 hit it.

[Sixty8panther]

Today some queefbag in a black Jeep Liberty thought

that 1959 Buicks have 12" vented & crossdrilled disk

brakes on all 4 corners since she assumed I could go

from 45-0mph in 25 feet.

[the_yellow_dart]

Today some queefbag in a black Jeep Liberty thought

that 1959 Buicks have 12" vented & crossdrilled disk

brakes on all 4 corners since she assumed I could go

from 45-0mph in 25 feet.

This is one of the major reasons I could never own a car like that. Thinking about all the panic braking I do on highways - I would have destroyed about 4 or 5 B59's over the last 2 years.

[Flybrian]

The brakes on my LeSabre are shockingly responsive. Panic stops yield zero problems, other than a little nose dive, and that classic rear end bounce after the car comes to a stop.

Another newfound reason for my LeSabre is driving places when traffic is bad. You won't believe how many people simply don't get near this car, on the roads and in the parking lots. I saw a new MDX actually stop, look at the empty space next to me (the third closest to the shopping center), and drive on to park about fifteen spaces further out.

[Camino LS6]

The brakes on my LeSabre are shockingly responsive. Panic stops yield zero problems, other than a little nose dive, and that classic rear end bounce after the car comes to a stop.

Another newfound reason for my LeSabre is driving places when traffic is bad. You won't believe how many people simply don't get near this car, on the roads and in the parking lots. I saw a new MDX actually stop, look at the empty space next to me (the third closest to the shopping center), and drive on to park about fifteen spaces further out.

Love it, Fly!

I can't wait to start driving my Colonnades around - the "battering ram" bumpers even scare me!

Is it Prius season yet?

[Flybrian]

Its never not Prius season.

[Robert Hall]

I couldn't imagine driving something that old in today's traffic...

[Sixty8panther]

If I had radials I'd be in a much better shape in terms of

both stopping distance & handeling... it's on the list.

The '76 LeSabre has giant 747 landing gear size/style radial

tires on it, as Fly said, the car will breakl your neck if you

slam on the brakes... & I too experience a bit more respect

from most drivers when they see my tanks on the highway,

the intimidation factor works to my benefit.

[balthazar]

B-59s don't have 12" cross-drilled rotors, but they do have 12" finned aluminum drums, which means zero brake fade.

The primary factor in not wanting to drive something 40-50 years old everyday is the tires- if you have anything close to the stock tire- you have 4" of tread on the road; I think even an echo has more rubber on the road than that. Slam a beefy set of radials on a B-59 and it'll outbrake most modern family sedans. Add to that if you desire: drilling the drums (there's a procedure for that) and Kevlar-impregnated shoes and you'll challenge some cars most here would think impossible.

I drove a 30-yr old car (4-wheel drum) everyday for 2 years, but I put fat radials on it. Brakes were absolutely fine and they weren't even the class-leading Buick aluminum drums.

BTW- crossdrilling rotors is currently only an asthetic- not a technological neccessity. Brake pads are no longer manufacturered as earlier ones were, where major offgassing effected braking performance.

[Camino LS6]

Driving a 50's or 60's car doesn't bother me, but driving that '38 Dodge around here makes me a bit nervous.

The car doesn't do anything quickly.

[Sixty8panther]

I would take a 1938 Dodge over my 1959 Buick... and as Balthazar

said either way I need to get some radial tires. Still why the F***

is it that these pepsi-can driving morons do not respect classic cars

(& their lives) enough to not attempt a Hollywood style crash test?

[Camino LS6]

Simple.

They have no clue and just assume everyone can stop in the same distance. That's why they also cut in front of semis on the highway.

[Sixty8panther]

Almost forgot, last night I did another involuntary "brake test"

in the B-59 on my way home from work when a big F25/F350

cut me off at a very dangerous intersection, thank god I

always anticipate a jackass there. It's kind of a trinagle/3-way

stop sign setup, Julie calls it the intersection where she's

always afraid of getting killed.

I let the guy in the Ford know (with the use of my horn) that

I was none-too pleased with his california stop & complete

lack of regard for my 40mph speed at 60 feet away.

[SuperSport623]

I daily drive my nova, its the only car i have...... it stops pretty damn good, i got 225's up front, 245's out back.... and aftermarket discs up front.... stops better then my friends 90 something camry.... i cant wait till it gets the pro-touring setup, then ittl stop!

[capriceman]

I only use Asbestos pads and Shoes. Zero Fade and Lung Cancer whats not to love?

besides After being rear ended about 9 times in the Caprice I learned that bumpers were separate from the car for a reason and were never apart of the cars fenders and all.