NHRA amended rollbar / cage rule

[Rory McNeil]

Certainly 50 years of development has contributed to safer modern cars, but that crash test with the 59 Chevy was about as lopsided as it could possibly be, in favor of the newer car. The 58 thru 64 full sized Chevrolets used the "wasp waist" X frame design, which has no frame rails along the outer body, only sheet metal from the rocker panels inward, to the transmission tunnel. So virtually no structure from the firewall to the rear axle on the sides. Then add 50 years of service, possibly in salt belt regions, who is to say how solid that poor 59 Chevy under the paint.
By comparison, my 59 Ford 2 door sedan has a steel boxed frame that runs along both rocker panels from firewall to rear leaf spring mounts, with 5 crossmembers connecting the left and right sides together. I am pretty sure it would not have folded up nearly as badly as the Chevy did.
Certainly the steel dashboard, 4 foot long steering shaft, lack of in door gaurd beams and many other things would make my 59 a less than pleasant place to be in a collision, than a modern car. Funny thing is, I coud sit on the fenders of my 59 without any body damage, yet my 2010 Ranger has dents in the hood from a few pine cones falling on it!