13 Cars From the ‘60s That Would Fail Every Modern Safety Test
Yes, we know the topic sounds a bit unusual. I mean, what car manufactured in the 1960s can meet modern safety standards? They did their best with seat belts and, sometimes, reinforced frames, but many standard safety requirements today were still decades away from the ’60s.
We’d be shocked to the marrow if a ‘60s model shows up with factory-installed anti-lock braking systems (ABS) or electronic stability control (ESC), features that now represent the benchmark for automotive safety.
So, what are we doing here, then, if every car from the 1960s can’t cut modern safety tests? We expect lots of teachable moments as we look back to some of the most historic models from the 1960s, remembering when they had no three-point seat belts, modern lighting systems, and crumple zones.
1964½ Ford Mustang
The new Ford Mustang (2-door, RWD) shines with a stellar 5-star safety rating by the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA).
We doubt the early models are good for just one star when held up to the same criterion, not without crumple zones, airbags as standard equipment, and a three-point harness. In any case, the Mustang remains an iconic symbol of American muscle, style, and high performance.
1963 Chevrolet Corvette
All you need to know about the Corvette in terms of safety in the 1960s versus now is that it is most famous for, among other things, its fiberglass body. It was all about performance. Fiberglass is substantially lighter than steel.
So, Chevrolet built cars with fiberglass to improve performance and, of course, fuel efficiency. It was also all about fashion. Fiberglass will not rust, which means your classic Corvette gets to keep its looks for life.
Although fiberglass is good at absorbing and evenly distributing the energy from an impact, it’s not as strong as steel and most likely needs reinforcement to better protect occupants in a crash. Chevrolet has since transitioned from fiberglass to advanced composite materials for improved strength, rigidity, and weight reduction.
1964 Pontiac GTO
The Pontiac GTO is one of the most coveted classic cars from the 1960s. The fact it can still command over $300,000 on the market but can’t meet modern safety standards highlights the significant gaps in design, technology, and occupant protection between the 1960s and the modern dispensation.
The automotive scene has grown in leaps and bounds since the GTO. It was born before the advent of many modern safety technologies such as ESC, ABS, and sophisticated crash structures better at absorbing impacts.
1966 Dodge Charger
The early Charger is an American classic built for speed and enthusiastic driving. Even then, the focus was on performance with little comparatively little consideration for road safety. It will fail modern safety tests because the Charger’s design did not incorporate crumple zones.
They didn’t even have airbags, although they did come with seatbelts. However, it was lap belts, not the three-point harness in modern Chargers. Additionally, the frame and body were not engineered to withstand the high-impact forces evaluated in modern safety testing.
1967 Chevrolet Impala
The Impala was notably large, heavy, and equipped with powerful engines. Both families and individual owners loved it because it blended performance with comfort and style. Despite failing way below the standards for modern safety today, the Impala was a safer bet for those who prioritized safety when shopping for a car in the 1960s.
It wasn’t so much about the car’s safety features but its spacious, well-appointed interior and relatively comfortable seating. It even had air conditioning and power windows.
1964 Plymouth Barracuda
The Barracuda was an early entrant in the newly invented pony car segment. The rush to hit the ground running had Plymouth focusing on making the Barracuda as fast as technologically and commercially possible. However, incorporating high-tech safety features wasn’t an afterthought.
Besides its power brakes (because power is nothing without control) and large drum brakes aft and fore (standard practice for that time), the Barracuda also showcased prismatic day-and-night mirrors designed to reduce glare by adjusting the angle such that the glass, instead of the polished surface, reflects the light.
This feature foreshadows the modern intelligent beams now counted among the standards for safety. Also, the dash instruments featured matte silver and circular bronze bezels to reduce glare. Even so, the Barracuda will fail modern safety tests.
1960 Volkswagen Beetle
The Beetle is so iconic that Volkswagen would not risk touching it for close to seven decades. While it was safe enough to sell 21.5 million units in Type 1 form, it needed to transform into The New Beetle to continue its sales legacy. The Type 1, originally introduced in 1938, had little to no crash protection.
The body was made of thin metal, with no crumple zones to cushion the force from impacts. It did offer lap seatbelts but only as optional features. With no airbags or advanced braking system, the original Beetle belongs exactly where it is — in the past.
1961 Jaguar E-Type
This is the very car Enzo Ferrari conceded the crown of The Most Beautiful Car Ever Made. While the E-Type is famous for its stunning design and performance, it also has basic safety features you’d expect in a high-end car of its era. It had disc brakes on all four wheels, which isn’t a setup you saw every day in the E-Type’s time.
It also had independent suspension all around while riding on a steel monocoque chassis with a front sub-frame for the engine. Interestingly, the classic Jaguar E-Type will fail just about every modern safety test.
1965 Buick Skylark
The Skylark will certainly flunk modern safety tests for rocking a burly engine without airbags or an anti-lock braking system. Of course, such features were still years away from the Skylark’s time.
That’s an interesting turn of events, considering the Skylark was a standout 1960s automobile. 1965 was the year Buick introduced the Gran Sport variant to take on Pontiac’s GTO, armed with the venerable 401 cu-in V8 producing 325-hp.
1967 Mercury Cougar
Despite its iconic hideaway headlights and timeless muscle car styling, the classic Mercury Cougar won’t stand a chance if subjected to safety evaluations using modern standards. While it blended luxury and performance, it also came with safety features notable for its time.
It offered optional front disc brakes for better stopping power. The hideaway lights would pique the interest of safety regulators today, but the Cougar should survive their scrutiny by flaunting the vacuum canister powering the lights. The blinds/headlight doors open automatically if the vacuum system fails.
1960 Chrysler 300
The 1960 Chrysler 300 will not meet modern safety tests because it can’t match its large proportions and powerful engines with updated safety standards. However, this car, particularly the 300F, would’ve passed the standards of its era with flying colors.
It used power-assisted drum brakes as the standard equipment, complete with power steering for easier handling at high or low speeds or when parking. This particular year marked the debut of a unibody 300 series, promising improved structural integrity. The world has come a long way since the 1960s, though.
1960 Austin Healey 3000
Big Healey was available in two body styles — a 2-seater (BN7) and a 2+2 (BT7) roadster – and could accelerate to 60 mph in 11 seconds. While some cars from the 1960s featured airbags and basic seatbelts without pretensioners, the Austin Healey 3000 did not come with airbags at all.
Some Healey 3000 models did have lap belts but they weren’t standard equipment and did not have three-point harness like the modern versions. As popular as the Big Healey was (and still is), it will flunk any modern safety tests.
1965 Ford Fairlane
The Fairlane boasts just as many innovative safety-oriented features for its time as the modern enhancements that stand in its way. As a large Ford family car, the Fairlane was well equipped for the role.
For example, it didn’t include seatbelts as standard equipment, but Ford ensured all Fairlane models came with seatbelt brackets so owners could install them when they wished. Of course, such an arrangement won’t fly today, but it meant a great deal back then when many cars didn’t even bother with seatbelts.
The Fairlane used a unibody construction featuring torque boxes for improved structural rigidity and shock absorption. Drum brakes were standard, and Ford offered an optional 2-speed electric windshield wiper.
