Expert: Brad Sears - 1/2/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hello.

Are you an expert on 62 Cadillacs?

Julian

ANSWER: Tell me what kind of expert that you are looking for. One that specializes in the mechanics of the beast or that knows how many were produced or knows what colors were produced and in what combination. I am considered an expert in the mechanical, repair, restoration side of the car as well as a forensic expert in accident cases as well as disputes in repair procedure. I have been judged an expert witness in about 35 states in the US in cases dealing with autos and RV's. I am also a developer of curriculum in the field of automotive education. And yes a 62 caddie is in my field of expertise.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello again.

I am interested in purchasing a 62 Caddy. With so many car accidents on the road, I decided to be practical about getting a classic car like the aforementioned vehicle. But then I just saw a video about IIHS celebrating its 50th Anniversary by conducting a crash test between a  2009 Chevrolet Malibu vs a 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air.

See link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMK1WZjP7g

After watching this video, it left me feeling very disturbed. It appears that cars with crumble zones are indeed safer than the classic cars.

1. Curious, could the 62 Caddy can be retrofitted with crumble zones?

2. Or would it have to be built from scratch, that is, building a replica utilizing a combination of raw materials that are just as strong as the classic cars but with modern safety equipment such as ABS, and crumble zones, barring air bags?

Julian

Answer
There is absolutely no question that new cars of equal weight as an older car is more safe. But, the Caddie is going to outweigh most of the cars on the road today except the big SUV's. If the older car is retrofitted with seat belts and the steering column has bee changed to the newer collapsible column such as the folks are doing with their street rods, the safety comes way up over what you saw in the video. As far as building in crumple zones, that is something that is done in the engineering and manufacture of the platform of the car. But, building from scratch an older looking newer car in a one off production will cost more than most lotteries pay off. This question has no real right answer, but I drive my old car all the time and drive defensively. Remember that the AAA has made it a policy that there is no such thing as an accident. There is always human error.