Crash testing???

[StudeNewby]

Stude also had the superior rotary door latches (1936 or 37) long before many other manufacturers who still had just "house door type" latches with a locating slot to help a bit (no wonder that really poor type popped open a lot).

I believe Paul Hoffman was head of an automobile safety consortium in the 1930s. I wonder if those door latches were a result of his influence there? And what else?

[t walgamuth]

I believe Volvo did as well. They credit themselves as being the first production car to have three-point seat & shoulder belts available from back then.

Craig

Yes indeed, Volvo was first with the 3 point belts. They worked hard on safety too.

[stratovue]

An Avanti was purposely rolled in 1963. They had a difficult time getting it to flip and it took several tries. There were photos in the AOAI magazine many years ago.


Ed Reynolds

[wlfrench]

Ok, so what does real world experience tell us about how Studebaker's hold up in crashes. I know that todays cars are much better than they were back in the 50s and 60s but as one who has had the hood fall on him while working under it (ouch ) all that heavy thick steel should be worth something in a crash.

[56Golden]

<snip>all that heavy thick steel should be worth something in a crash.

It is, but not necessarily a good something!

Been discussed on this forum some time back, but here is a very quick 'refresher course' in Old vs. New: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPF4fBGNK0U#t=16.452


Also to show how far they have come since the 50s, here is one of those teeny-weeny Smart cars hitting a concrete wall nearly head-on …at 70 MPH (viewer discretion advised):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iKGfo1wmOM

[63t-cab]

Looks like a Green/White 55 Studebaker in the distance,if so the Newest Model wasn't Tested.

Here's the 54 they crashed to test the door latch

[56Golden]

Studebaker ‘crash testing’ …the good old fashioned way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_psKZAUaMg