1965 Plymouth Hits a Tree

[1930fordpickup]

http://blogs.hotrod.com/this-1965-plymouth-hit-a-tree-at-150-mph-128759.html#axzz38tYfutdE

[Rob Hall]

kind of a scratch 'n' dent

[Harry P.]

I find it impossible to believe that anyone can survive hitting a tree at 150. That's impossible, especially in an old car like that without "crumple zones" or any impact-absorbing technology.

[DrKerry]

Ouch!!!

[DrKerry]

I find it impossible to believe that anyone can survive hitting a tree at 150. That's impossible, especially in an old car like that without "crumple zones" or any impact-absorbing technology.

Wonder if he was ejected or went through the accident in the car. Either way don't think it would of made a difference.. Don't know...

[Ace-Garageguy]

There's "walked away", and then there's "survived". My guess is that whatever is left looks like bloody jelly and will be on full life support forever.

Before...

after...

[FullPowerGarage]

Awhh... That hurt poor dodge

[chunkypeanutbutter]

They say "fortunately, the driver survived."

DISAGREE

He should've died then and there at that tree.

[Harry P.]

That "before" photo... what a great looking car...

[Harry P.]

The driver would have been literally impaled on the steering column. No way anyone survives hitting a tree at 150 in that car.

[Rob Hall]

I find it impossible to believe that anyone can survive hitting a tree at 150. That's impossible, especially in an old car like that without "crumple zones" or any impact-absorbing technology.

The driver absorbs the impact in those old cars..

I'm amazed, though that it could get to 150 on those old-style tires..

Edited July 29, 2014 by Rob Hall

[Harry P.]

The driver absorbs the impact in those old cars..

I'm amazed, though that it could get to 150 on those old-style tires..

Yeah, I'm also pretty skeptical as far as that "150" goes...

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm amazed, though that it could get to 150 on those old-style tires..

Looks like drag-slicks and narrow radials (if they're V-rated, they're good to 149mph) in front. I don't see the problem...

Of course, it wouldn't corner very well...

Edited July 29, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

Yeah, I'm also pretty skeptical as far as that "150" goes...

And yes, that's probably a little optimistic too...

[High octane]

Why Harry, your Impala can do 150 mph, no?

[Rob Hall]

Looks like drag-slicks and narrow radials (if they're V-rated, they're good to 149mph) in front. I don't see the problem...

Of course, it wouldn't corner very well...

Yeah, those don't make any sense on a street car...drag slicks on the street?

[Harry P.]

Why Harry, your Impala can do 150 mph, no?

Sure. If you drop it out of a plane!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Yeah, those don't make any sense on a street car...drag slicks on the street?

My guess is that it was set up as a super-stock nostalgia drag car, and wasn't intended to be run on the street. Of course, nobody told the moron who stole and destroyed it.

[Harry P.]

My guess is that it was set up as a super-stock nostalgia drag car, and wasn't intended to be run on the street.

I think that's exactly right.

[slusher]

The driver would have been literally impaled on the steering column. No way anyone survives hitting a tree at 150 in that car.

Who knows what shape he is in. Life-support or paralyzed for life more then likely ...

[1930fordpickup]

I was a bit skeptical about the speed they claim it was being driven, but it was a Hemi Car and no computer to shut it down.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I was a bit skeptical about the speed they claim it was being driven, but it was a Hemi Car and no computer to shut it down.

Yes, a real, well set-up Hemi car like this is capable of sub-10 second 1/4 mile times (they broke the 10-second thing in 1965) with a trap speed of 130+ mph. That's just what it could accelerate to in 1/4 mile...

[unclescott58]

For some reason I can not down load the Hot Rod page with the story of this on it. 150 mph in a '65 Plymouth? First that's a little hard to believe. Not impossible. I just question that speed? If the picture of the smashed car above is any indication, I also have a hard time believing anyone walked away alive from that? This sounds like an urban myth. Even with pictures. And coming from Hot Rod.

Within the last 24 hours I watched a 100 mph crash on uTube. It was set up by a show called 5th Gear (similar to Top Gear, but not Top Gear). They smashed a newer, modern Ford model into a wall at 100 mph. They had to use store mannequins rather than crash test dummies. For no one would lend them real crash test dummies, because they knew they'd be destroyed in a accident at that speed. And crash test dummies cost a lot of money. Seeing the results, with a modern car no less, make me doubt the story about the '65 Plymouth and 150 mph. Again, I suppose it's possible? But, not very likely.

Scott

[slusher]

I saw a 70's full size Mercury after a head on collision at 75. Only one lived out of 5 adults in the back seat.

[Tom Geiger]

I used to work for a guy who got a phone call from the police in the middle of the night, informing him that his son had been in a horrible accident. He said his son was only 4 years old and asleep. His Granada had been stolen out of the driveway and some dumb kid wrapped it around a telephone pole at speed.

The kid was badly hurt and successfully sued my friend's insurance company for a big number! Funny thing, the fact that he stole the car wasn't admissible in court! All that could be said was that he was driving the insured's car and he had an accident.