fatality rate for Muscle cars circa 1970?

[Budnicks]

Interesting statement

just like today
there were some Low-performance drivers
in some High-performance cars

I don't blame the car

I know of, quite a few really nice cars that got totaled
from that era too
I have a couple of friends that didn't do so well too

I would have thought the 64 GTO was another one
or the 68 Corvette, both cars had a lot of lil' wrecks
a few fatal too

the MG's, Triumphs, some Porches were wreck machines too
(not a muscle car) people drove way over their abilities
sports cars same deal, just because you have a car that handles
doesn't mean you can drive it
(edit added; hell the early Covair was notorious for no-driven Ivans,
not knowing how to drive a rear-engined car, let off in a corner & it lifts
& loses contact patch, when a simple limiter for the swing arms or a sway bar
would have saved lives & a huge hassle for GM, or that douche Ralph Nader
wouldn't have made money off the crap either)

same goes for a car with HP
(especially those equipped with shitty rock hard bias-ply tires, w/like 4-5" tread)

something about a car with any sure-grip, true-trac, limited-slip or possi
especially a BB with a 4 speed or manual trans
people had a tendency to do stupid ****
even more, when it was the slightest bit wet, the car would swap ends

same **** happens today

or people didn't wear the belts etc., thinking they were indestructible
or it won't happen to them

early on I learned 1st thing I did was put my seat belt on
a habit I still have today
(maybe because of me racing early on, or my dad always did it too
or just figured it was the best thing to do, I really not sure why)

sad sort of

 

[Cojohnso1]

Have you noticed how many convertibles have come to market? Because back in the day? They were not in demand. And now? They are what's left.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Some Hellcat's didn't survive much more than the first day off the Lot.

And still don't.

 

[moparedtn]

From the article:

"In the early days of automobiles, there were little to no laws or restrictions on vehicles, and many people wound up driving literal death traps on roads built not for cars, but horses and carriages. It wasn’t until 1955 when lap belts became standard feature on all domestic automobiles. Collapsible steering columns came a couple years later, and padded dashboards soon followed."
F A L S E.
Lap belts didn't become standard on Mopars across the board until 1965. Collapsible steering columns were in 1967.

Agreed. That's a garbage website, always has been - and since it often packs malware on it, I for one
would appreciate it if folks here would NOT link to it, thanks.

 

[joe smith]

There was alot less traffic then so higher speeds were more doable, not like todays plugged up, overcrowded world. And I don't mean doable as a good thing.

Remember these cars were our everyday drivers ( if you could get them started at times)...
I was class of 73, so the pinnacle of high performance muscle cars were all a few years old and affordable to young kids.. I had a A12 car my junior/senior year in High school..... Cars back then were sold after 3 years or before you hit 60K miles or you were stuck with them AND they weren't worth much when it came time to sell...

As to " matching number engines" EVERY C2/C3 corvette with a Big Block hood I looked at " back then" had a small block in it... AND this was not for " gas mileage".. The big block had gone to engine heaven....

 

[joe smith]

Have you noticed how many convertibles have come to market? Because back in the day? They were not in demand. And now? They are what's left.

No, the 2dr hardtop ( or post) was the desired vehicle... Always had a cleaner look to them... but look what I have now?...lol

 

[Ron H]

I didn't get into the habit of wearing seatbelts until the early 80's when we had our 1st kid and car seats came out. Even then half the time I forgot to put it on after getting the kid tucked in nice in the car seat. Some of those car seats were a hassle to setup right; but never would move until we had it set. And had a job as an engineer with an ins co driving 35k a year in a company ride. Back then even the company didn't have a policy yet requiring belts be worn. My F-I-L guilted me into the habit saying "All that care for your daughter and you don't wear one? If you're being tossed around and can't stay in your seat behind the wheel...that might not bid well for her?" Funny how that stuck! Maybe it was the way he said it so matter of factly. Geez when I think of some of the antics in my old GTO and Cuda never wearing a belt...

 

[chargervert]

They only made 824 70 Road Runner convertibles not too many around to be found over 50 years later. I know where one is though.

 

[barbee6043]

I have had many many dozens of BB Mopars the last 35 years, and very very dew with the original engine. Mostly 68-70 B bodies.
I had a Mopar bud find me a 68 RR 383 car, with the #engine, but he said that car had always been in his rural county, he knew that car had at lest a dozen engines, just so happened the last time it got is original engine put back in! ha

 

[chargervert]

I have had many many dozens of BB Mopars the last 35 years, and very very dew with the original engine. Mostly 68-70 B bodies.
I had a Mopar bud find me a 68 RR 383 car, with the #engine, but he said that car had always been in his rural county, he knew that car had at lest a dozen engines, just so happened the last time it got is original engine put back in! ha

My friend bought a 70 Charger 383 N code car, and it had a 66 383 engine in the car. He answered an ad on Craigslist for a rebuilt 70 383 engine, he figured that if he didn't have the matching numbers engine, he would buy a correct engine for the car. The engine on Craigslist turned out to be the matching numbers engine for his car. He paid the sellers asking price, never letting on that he had the matching car!

 

[joe smith]

My friend bought a 70 Charger 383 N code car, and it had a 66 383 engine in the car. He answered an ad on Craigslist for a rebuilt 70 383 engine, he figured that if he didn't have the matching numbers engine, he would buy a correct engine for the car. The engine on Craigslist turned out to be the matching numbers engine for his car. He paid the sellers asking price, never letting on that he had the matching car!

Did he buy a lottery ticket too?

 

[chargervert]

Once in a lifetime find, like my friend who found a 69 Hemi Road Runner 4 speed Dana car in a Craigslist ad that read junk junk and more junk!