Wreck of the Week – Part II
One of the most popular features in the print version of Old Cars Weekly is the ‘Wreck of the Week’ photo showing the aftermath of some colossal collision involving cars from the past. This is a look back at some of those wrecks.
If it weren’t for the fact that a 1941 Buick convertible is a terrible
thing to waste, this photo of a wrecked convertible coupe and its
frustrated owner would appear staged. Not so, according to Coy
Thomas, the Old Cars Weekly reader who submitted the photograph.
The glum Buick owner is the uncle of Jim Nardo, through whom
Thomas received the photograph. Apparently, the Buick was fairly
new at the time of the accident, which clearly crinkled the front end
sheet metal. This master of the road surely saw more miles after a
stop at the body shop.
Demolition derbies were the last hurrah of many fine cars, and
California derbies in particular prematurely finished off many
rust-free cars. This early-’70s derby at an unidentified California
race track or fairgrounds found the driver of this #11 1964 Ford
Thunderbird hardtop the winner (survivor?) in one of the qualifier
events. What appears to be a Chevy behind the T-bird was driven by
“Big Bad Bob.” The tow trucks in the background cleared away the
wreckage. The T-bird’s 390-cid/330-hp V-8 would have given it
plenty of power to use its rear bumper as a battering ram, which, by
the upraised, shortened sheet metal in back, appears to have
worked quite well. (Ron Kowalke collection)
“In the spring of 1957, this 1957 Chevrolet One-Fifty came out
second best in a confrontation with a military Dodge 3/4-ton truck,”
wrote reader Daniel C. Michela. “The incident took place on a
narrow bridge on the outskirts of Seoul, Korea.” Michela explained
that the base-level 1957 Chevrolet sedan, identified by the military
as car No. 518, was 1 of 40 or so 1957 Chevrolets assigned to the
21st Transportation Co. at the 8th Army HQ in Seoul. At that time,
the cars provided transportation for general and field-grade officers
assigned to the 8th Army HQ. Michela was a member of the company
and had a ’57 Chevy of his own to drive (car No. 537), which was
assigned to the 8th Army Dental Surgeon. Fortunately, Michela
didn’t have a “Wreck of the Week” from his own driving experiences
in Seoul, though he did say “Driving in postwar Korea was always
an adventure,” a point proven by this damaged ’57 One-Fifty six-cylinder.
CLICK HERE for "Wreck of the Week Part III"