Making a 67-72 more safe.

[yote1234]

Originally Posted by bobs409

I think that 59 Chevy test was rigged but I won't go into that.

Now, imagine your sitting at a stop light behind another vehicle in that small POS above and a truck (or anything) rear ends you at a good speed. Guess what, your a sandwich! There's no place for it to "crumple" except the space your in! Say goodbye to your legs at the very least.

I'd prefer some metal between me and the other cars. And if I had to drive anything they make today, I'd rather just walk.

i agree! they just missed the frame! hitting only sheet metal on that 59'

[chevy72blu]

I agree that safe driving is the way to go.

Increase your following distance, travel at a lower speed, make slow and cautious lane changes, pause before accelerating from a stop light (look for runners), brake sooner (and longer). Basically, drive like a grandma unless there are no cars around you. These trucks aren't Porches, they are low and slow cruisers. Use it the way it was designed and you should be just fine.

Obviously dont take it too far and drive well below traffic speed (that can be as dangerous as speeding, if not more so).

Head on a swivel and driving defensively will keep you out of most problems. If you are hit, you will hopefully at least be in a better position and at a safer speed.

I put shoulder belts in mine, beefed up the seat mounts, and replaced all hardware with grade 8. I also relocated the tank and my bench seat is being replaced with a modern buddy bucket setup with head rests.

My truck has been in my family for more than 30 years and throughout then, its been in at least 2 very serious accidents. Head-on going 35 put my grandfather in the hospital for several weeks (broke his jaw on the column) and a hard deer strike bent the frame, but my dad walked away from it. There is only so much you can do... But, lets face it. We'd all probably live long and cancer free isolated in a bubble. Life's short. Take reasonable precautions, but dont forget to enjoy it.

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by special-K

No offense,but people worry too much. All the changes in the world and you can still die in an accident in any vehicle. Keeping that in mind while driving is the best safety device ever

x 2.

[Coley]

Some great posts and feedback here.
I agree with definitely not worrying about this in some sort of technology comparitive way.....waste of time.
Like the guys said...get your truck in top mechanical condition, maybe add the shoulder harness and use your head.
Personally I drive my truck differently than I do our more modern family vehicles. I definitely leave more room ahead of me and the watch intersections a lot closer.
A buddy of mine (new car kinda guy) was teasing me about not having an airbag in my ('72) truck. So I told him....don't worry, if have a 'head on' we'll share yours.
All Good
Coley

[yuccales]

Originally Posted by 68shortstep

Doesn't have to be debris.....

I knew a contractor-friend & his wife who were both killed by his across-the-bed toolbox.

Head-on hit in his pickup by a drunk driver. Survivable injuries to their legs, etc, but the heavily-loaded toolbox that he had screwed to the top of the bed rails with short hardware store low quality sheet metal screws tore loose & killed them both when it came thru the back of the cab.

I re-mounted mine, reinforced with a piece of strap steel below the bed rail on each side & hardened bolts. Ten $$$ fix that would have saved their lives.

Think about safely re-mounting your toolbox now .........

Never gave this much thought! But I'm going to tomorrow. Thanks.

[bigsnookmaster]

I've got 4 wheel discs on mine. Stops on a dime. Good brakes don't cost,...They save! Good thread and info! .02

[don t. - 72gmc]

Originally Posted by special-K

No offense,but people worry too much. All the changes in the world and you can still die in an accident in any vehicle. Keeping that in mind while driving is the best safety device ever

+1

I've put up a post not to long ago, pic of my dads '69 C20, where my bro hit a garbage truck at 50mph or so. He had a bloddy nose and 2 black eyes.

FF 25+ years, same bro, a friend of his was driving a Sonoma, did a 3 point turn a bit to far into a ditch. Truck rolled on its side. The cab post broke off, poked him in the neck and he bled to death.

Drive it and don't worry about it.....don t. ...

[srvivor71]

I agree with all the posts about keeping the vehicle in top shape, installing 3 point belts, being extra alert and practicing safety and prevention. For my 2¢ though, if I had to choose a vehicle to have a head on collision in, I'd rather be in almost any late model vehicle with ABS, airbags, stability control and crumple zones. When my daughters were getting their first cars, these items were must haves.

About the tool box - mine is mounted with 3/8" J bolts through the box and hooking back up under the bed rail. Strong as hell - and no holes in the rails.

[DeadheadNM]

A fire extinguisher may not save life or limb but it could save your truck...

[Yooper truck]

Originally Posted by chevy72blu

Increase your following distance, travel at a lower speed, make slow and cautious lane changes, pause before accelerating from a stop light (look for runners), brake sooner (and longer). Basically, drive like a grandma unless there are no cars around you. These trucks aren't Porches, they are low and slow cruisers. Use it the way it was designed and you should be just fine.

Obviously dont take it too far and drive well below traffic speed (that can be as dangerous as speeding, if not more so).

I agree with this.

[special-K]

All this modern safety technology in newer vehicles is to compensate for the lack of mass and structure that older vehicles have.

I was in a head-on collision in a '69 Dodge Power Wagon where we were both going 50 mph. My truck had a steel dash ('68 cab) and I wasn't wearing a seat belt. The bed ripped loose from the frame (wood floor) and came around the passenger side. The front frame rails were pushed to the right at about a 60 deg angle and the engine fell to the road. The windshield and back window flew out. The front axle was broke in two pieces and no longer under the truck. Both driveshafts flew out. One rear main leaf was snapped off and the other was bent about 8" back from the front spring eye at a 90 deg. angle. I was knocked out,cut both knees,broke my jaw,and got stitches in one eye brow. I didn't feel too good the next day,but I left the hospital and went to where my truck was to have a look. The guy at the yard asked if I knew the guy who was driving it and I said,"Yes,me". He couldn't believe it was me and that I'd be alive,let alone walking up to look at the truck the next day. Yeah,I was lucky. Coulda gone the other way just as easy. The point is,I had no modern safety equipment and the solid chunk of a truck made up for it. I stopped driving my VW bug and sold it after that.

[pennhunter]

Years ago my coworkers were in pursuit of a 1970 Impala. We went that way to assist them and the guy in the Impala drove right at us. My partner got the front end on the sidewalk and the guy hit us in the rear and sandwiched us with a telephone pole. The guy in the Impala kept going and was only caught when he bailed out later. The Impala front fender was smashed back about a foot and the new 1994 Crown Victoria we were in was scrapped. My partner and I both got herniated disks while the guy in the Impala wasn't even slightly injured.

[unreconstructed1]

ever see a motorcycle in a crash test?

No offense, but the number one cause of death is life.. It happens to us all at some point.

[bobs409]

Originally Posted by special-K

All this modern safety technology in newer vehicles is to compensate for the lack of mass and structure that older vehicles have.

This pretty much sums it up in one neat sentence for me.

[BigDaddyV]

x2

[special-K]

Originally Posted by bobs409

This pretty much sums it up in one neat sentence for me.

That was all I intended,then decided to throw my story in and muddy the water up a bit

[Inventive1]

Better lights

Better Wipers

Loud horn

Modern tires

I can't think of the name of the bars that' some folks add under the rockers that are used as steps to enter a truck. These would ass some side impact protection.

Sway bars, springs, etc. to improve handling

Faster ratio steering

A strong roll bar that mounts in the bed could help

[GuyO]

My wife was hit from the back at a stop light by a guy in a f150 going 50 MPH. The Highway Patrol said what saved her life was she was in a 70 GMC pickup. He hit her so hard it folded the bed in half, broke the bolts out of the seat, knocked the glass out of it and knocked the engine off the motor mounts. She (and I) are glad she was in our old truck. I have since built 2 1970 trucks, 1 72 Blazer and a 72 Suburban and what I learned is: 1) buy 3 point seat belts and 2) have seats with head rests as stated earlier. 3) The gas tank in the cab is a very safe place for it because it is surrounded by a steel cage, although I understand the concerns because of the exaggerations by Ralph Nader and the Ford Pinto. I replace the drums with disc brakes. I have wondered about application of aircraft style inflatable shoulder belts in Cessna 182's? Whatever we can do to improve the safety of our trucks is a good idea. This is an important thread, after all what is your life worth? Or your wife/kids?

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by special-K

All this modern safety technology in newer vehicles is to compensate for the lack of mass and structure that older vehicles have.

Or to compensate for the lack of brains that most drivers on the road these days have. With people texting, talking on the phone, eating, putting on make up, ect. new cars are just too easy to drive, so people don't really have to think about what they're supposed to do when behind the wheel, so they don't. Like the others have said, driving defensively is probably going to help the most.

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by GuyO

I have wondered about application of aircraft style inflatable shoulder belts in Cessna 182's?

Some higher end Lincolns have these. The problem with retrofitting them, or any kind of airbag is how do you know if it's set right and going to work when it should? Guess you could crash test your truck, but then you'd have to start all over!

[54blackhornet]

One safety upgrade we all can do to our beloved 67-72 GM pickup is to install a cargo bed light like the factory option. The one that mounts on the rear of the cab , above the rear window. Instead of it being used as a bed light, hook it up to your tail and brake circuit and install a red lens or red colored bulb. Works great to warn drivers not paying attention that you are about to stop !
Posted via Mobile Device

[skorpioskorpio]

Originally Posted by 54blackhornet

One safety upgrade we all can do to our beloved 67-72 GM pickup is to install a cargo bed light like the factory option. The one that mounts on the rear of the cab , above the rear window. Instead of it being used as a bed light, hook it up to your tail and brake circuit and install a red lens or red colored bulb. Works great to warn drivers not paying attention that you are about to stop !
Posted via Mobile Device

I've actually thought a great product for these old trucks would be a tailgate handle with a 3rd brake light in it. Something they are starting to put in European cars is progressive brake lights, that light brighter on hard stops or even alternately flash side to side under hard braking. Great brakes are fantastic for keeping you from hitting things, but having better brakes than the guy behind you, who is texting and eating and talking to his cars voice control system, while trying to find the song he wants to listen to on his Ipod is not always a good thing. Then again you'd probably need a fog horn and a pyrotechnics display to go off to get that guys attention.

[Z10]

Originally Posted by JointTech

dude look up the safety specs on that thing. its pretty unreal. its like an egg. They actually have a commercial with a full size blazer sitting on top of it.
and also small cars are awesome. I'd own one but I'm 6'2" and my wife wont let me becasue I'd look ridiculous getting out of it. She said she'd buy me clown shoes.

but on topic. Get the gas tank out of the cab.
this guy put stability control in his mustang... http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/h...s/viewall.html
I heard bosch has an aftermarket ABS system but its 5figures type stuff.

My wifes cousin was driving one of those things in Dallas a few years ago and got T-Boned by a suburban. He spent 3 months in intensive care. I'll take the truck.

[Already Gone]

I guess the best safety feature in your vehicle is you and the way you drive. With that being said I personally like to have some metal around me as having some ( as the below pictures will affirm ) saved my life. I've posted these pics on the board once or twice before. This accident was totally my fault and I guess it wasn't my time because I walked away with just seatbelt bruising.

[truckster]

Originally Posted by Already Gone

I guess the best safety feature in your vehicle is you and the way you drive. With that being said I personally like to have some metal around me as having some ( as the below pictures will affirm ) saved my life. I've posted these pics on the board once or twice before. This accident was totally my fault and I guess it wasn't my time because I walked away with just seatbelt bruising.

Doesn't look like anything a little elbow grease and rubbing compound wouldn't fix.