Like many readers I suspect, here at CCM we’re often hopping in and out of cars of massively varying ages, ranging from brand new company cars to prewar classics, plus the thousands of miles we cover in our own varied selection of project cars.
It’s something which tends to emphasize the progress we’ve made in car safety over the last half a century and there’s nothing that sharpens your driving skills quite as much as swapping your climate-controlled, air bagged, ABS-braked, stability-controlled modern saloon for a drum braked 1950s car on crossply tyres.
Just recently though, while attempting to count the number of airbags in a VW Golf while stuck in a traffic jam (I lost count eventually), it occurred to me that most of the really important safety breakthroughs happened so long ago that the cars which debuted them are now classics themselves. Here we identify some of the game-changers.
COLLAPSIBLE COLUMN
We have the US market to thank for the collapsible steering column. In 1968 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 204 dictated the acceptable rearward movement of a vehicle’s steering wheel during a crash to be just five inches. Although some makers had already experimented with collapsible steering wheels using flexible spokes, to meet these new requirements a collapsible steering column was required and the first was fitted by Chevrolet in 1967. The design used a honeycomb steel mesh which would simply collapse in sufficient impact. Here in Europe, Mercedes fitted an impact absorber between wheel and column and offered collapsible telescopic columns across the range from 1967.
DISC BRAKES
Bu hikaye Classic Car Mart dergisinin December 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Classic Car Mart dergisinin December 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
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3D Technology To Preserve Classics?
Traditionally, the unavailability of a critical component has had major repercussions for owners of historic vehicles, putting the brakes on a restoration project or even forcing a historic vehicle off the road.
UPCYCLING
Two British-made modern classics which made credible sporting saloons despite their unlikely origins.
NICHE WORK
A crossover model before the term had even been invented, the original Range Rover could well be the perfect multi-purpose classic.
CLASSIC REVIVAL
Fancy an MGB without the welding and SUs? The much modernised RV8 should fit the bill.
1980s FLEET FAVOURITES
We profile a line-up of popular mid-sized '80s company cars ranging from the ubiquitous Sierra and Cavalier repmobiles through to the king of the company car park, the BMW 3-Series.
Solid State
Although a well-preserved Volvo 120 Series ‘Amazon’ makes a good choice as an occasional everyday classic driver, the range can be confusing. We play the numbers game and reveal some of the Amazon’s main foibles.
Round-Up - 1990s Jaguars
Following Ford’s acquisition of an independent Jaguar in 1989, the Coventry-based luxury car maker underwent a transformation that led to the introduction of a range of capable models that today are reasonably affordable as well as being fun to own and drive.
Myth And Rumour
The Stag may have suffered a poor reputation when new, but in the 21st century it’s one of Britain’s most popular classics – and justifiably so. We take a look at the pros and cons of investing in Triumph’s sporting flagship.
The Full English
An English-built Citroën meets English wine as we enter a slightly bizarre parallel universe.
Tailgate Revolving Doors
Paul Guinness looks back at his experiences from 35 years ago, when he helped to arrange a club stand at the first-ever Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s NEC