School of 'Hard Knocks'

In a perfect world there would never be accidents. In the real world we know better. Here is a compilation of some unfortunate vintage motor maladies and their bumps and scratches.

This 1966 Oldsmobile Delta 88 four-door sedan came to a hard stop at a spreading maple tree. Rusty Herlocher collection

A 1965 Ford Falcon two-door station wagon is surrounded by many brave volunteer emergency crews that respond to duty no matter the hour, location or conditions. Rusty Herlocher collection

This Ford station wagon took a sudden ride over an embankment. A 3-year-old child climbed into the family car, tampered with the gearshift. The wagon drifted forward and plunged over the bank and into the stream. The startled child was not injured. Rusty Herlocher collection

This Chevrolet Bel Air confirmed the reality of how treacherous snow-covered roads can be. It’s ironic that the Chevy slid head-on into a dump truck full of salt on its way to the highway department to be used to clear the roads. Rusty Herlocher collection

A 1959 Ford Fairlane two-door was involved in a horrendous accident with a 1953 Mercury Monterey sedan. Three people lost their lives at a congested junction in northcentral Pennsylvania where Rt. 54 crossed Rt. 15, a main artery at the time of the accident, between New York and the south. Rusty Herlocher collection

A 1948 Chevrolet Fleetline two-door stopped for the stop sign than entered the intersection, forming an unpleasant union with 1960 Pontiac Bonneville convertible. Rusty Herlocher collection

A Plymouth Savoy sedan tapped a 1966 Pontiac GTO convertible. Both then posed perfectly to have their picture taken. Rusty Herlocher collection

A 1957 Studebaker Silver Hawk, offered in ’57 with either a six-cylinder or a V-8, neglected to stop at a red light and was pushed into an utility pole subsequent to being hit by a 1965 Oldsmobile 88 sedan Rusty Herlocher collection

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