Safety and our trucks

[speesh]

How safe are we? I know these trucks are made of much thicker steel than new trucks, but I am thinking about all the safety improvements made since then. I am not saying I want to add air bags and anti-lock brakes, but what about a collapsible steering column? I want to keep my '57 suburban as stock as possible, but I am thinking three point seat belts,front disc brakes, things like that. What say you, truck lovers?

[nvrdone]

From personal experience, my 1949 pickup held up fairly well in a rearend crash. I hit a Ford Expedition hard enough to push my radiator into the water pump, and buckle the hood & fenders. The impact was extimated to be about 30 mph. I only had lap belts but they held me down. I also bent the steering wheel.
I now have power disc brakes. The next project is bucket seats with 3 point belts. After that a collapsing steering column with power steering.
I guess how safe we are all depends on the angle & speed of the impact.
When I was young, my Dad got hit broadside in his '53 GMC. In those days there were no seatbelts in cars. The force of the impact pushed the frame into the driveshaft & he broke every window with his head. He did survive & lived to be an onry old cuss.

[dicer]

Just what I've read, power drum brakes work just fine. I think the biggest saftey improvement on these trucks is, dual system brakes. And maybe number 2 would be to add another gas tank, and use it, and maybe have the cab tank for extra fuel on a long trip. But then as a kid, my dad had 2 trucks with gas tanks in the cab and single system brakes, no seat belts, in the trucks or cars back then and we never had a problem. But then again all it takes is once.
If you want your truck to be safe, form the body out of 1/2 inch steel plate, and use
2 inch thick lexan for windows.

[beanyard]

Some would say they aren't safe enough to put kids in. I think that is not true. If I drove mine daily I would probably at least do power brakes and steering though.
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[Russell Ashley]

For me, a dual master cylinder and three point belts are a necessity. Anything other than that is a nice upgrade but not necessary to be a driver. Drum brakes are fine if they are in good condition.

[Coach529]

Mine will be hauling my kids quite often, so safety was a huge concern.

* front disc brakes
* dual MC
* Updated rear brakes
* 3 point seat belts
* bear claw door latches

[nvrdone]

Another thought - newer cars can out brake any of our trucks even with the best brake up grades. Just compare how your classic truck stops vs your new daily driver / wifes car with abs etc.
The best safety thing we can do is defensive driving. Do your best to avoid any bad situations. Then we can all enjoy driving our classics.

[parkwood]

They're safer than a Smart Car...

[_Ogre]

no crumple zones and metal dash... try not to hit anything head on
i can tell you from experience that those pretty curved A pillars fold up like an accordion when you roll one on it's roof.

[OrrieG]

I've been in one accident with my truck in 25 years of driving it. I was pulling out of a driveway and a gal speeding clipped the front bumper. Scratched the paint and crumpled the license plate. Shoved the Volvo's passenger fender into the door , hood and bent the A pillar cracking the windshield. Passenger was banged up but said she was ok at the time. I had my camera and documented everything before we untangled the mess (including her skid marks).

I got a ticket for failure to stop, but went to court and beat it based on my photos. I had stopped and was creeping out because the street view was blocked by a delivery truck. She was doing 35 in a 20 zone based on the skid marks. I acted as my own defense based on information a fellow student at Arizona State's Criminal Justice dept. put together.

After I won, the insurance company which up to this time had offered no help, went back after the occupants of the other car, it turned out they had fraudlently filed medical claims for the passengers injuries based on the drivers doctor dad's evaluation!

Only real fear I have in the truck is for the passengers bouncing off the metal dash; I installed the 3 point belts this time. Already have 74 disc/drums and moved the tank to the rear behind the receiver hitch.

[mr48chev]

The worse thing for kids in these trucks is not being securely fastened in so they won't bounce around but that applies to us too. As OrrieG said above that solid dashboard is real rough on small noggins. Around this area most deaths in car accidents in any type of vehicle currently are because people didn't have their belt fastened, got thrown out and the vehicle landed on them in the process.

If you are swapping steering columns a collapsible one would be a good move as the original one serve as a spike if your chest hits it in a head on crash. I'd have to think that was the number one cause of deaths in older cars and trucks where the driver stayed in the vehicle.

Along that line when you make any addition in the cab of the vehicle stop and decide if said addition has any safety issues that might pop up. Sharp corners, spike steering wheel center cap or other things that may look cool to some but may be a real hazard if you and yours bounce around in the cab.

When you have owned these trucks as long as OrrieG and I have you tend to automatically drive very defensively. You always watch as far ahead as you can see and always pick out and escape route in case something happens in front of you. If you still have drum brakes you have to give yourself enough stopping room in front of you to stop safely behind what ever vehicle you are following. If it is a performance model with bigger brakes that means more room yet even though someone may get between you going down the road, then you back off some more. You can't control what goes on behind you but you can be ready for what happens in front of you.

[Hubscrub]

I do agree that good quality brakes in working order and three point seat belts are a good upgrade. Mostly just watching out for others stupid people.

[Hubscrub]

I do agree that good quality brakes in working order and three point seat belts are a good upgrade. Mostly just watching out for others stupid people. Me and my family are gonna ride in our old trucks for sure

[Midgets50]

if its gonna be a daily driver with kids riding in i agree with coach529 and upgrading the door handles/latches. kids like to lean on the doors and even if they are buckled, bad things can happen if the door flies open going down the road. to kind of add some protective measures to the front, more for the deer around here then other drivers, im gonna be building a custom heavy duty bumper that would be cattle proof. Going to do the similar to the rear end to prevent any damage from being rear ended. Pic below is from summer vacation last year in washington state. Got rear ended by a 2012 Harley roadster going 90+ mph.