Anybody???

 

Don't know ,but its a lot thinner than my 72 dodge. Wish I had a picture of that old truck. Paid 500$ for it & could have put it in a mad max movie. You could smack the hood with your fist & it was like hitting an oak tree. Wonder if someone built a special edition truck w/super thick metal like that if it would sell? Somethan someone might try w/truck sales down like they are.

 

You should change your thread title to "sheet metal THINness"

Like soda cans...all of these new trucks.

 

Don't know ,but its a lot thinner than my 72 dodge. Wish I had a picture of that old truck. Paid 500$ for it & could have put it in a mad max movie. You could smack the hood with your fist & it was like hitting an oak tree. Wonder if someone built a special edition truck w/super thick metal like that if it would sell? Somethan someone might try w/truck sales down like they are.

Had a 72 Ford that was the same way. The new ones you can dent with your finger.

 

Yep, sheet metal in new trucks can also be used for baked potatos. :crazy:

 

yah, just wrap the truck's metal up like aluminum foil and bake them potatoes. Tundra wrapped baked potatoes - yummy in my tummy.

Over the past years, I also have noticed Chevy trucks, especially on the roof when washing by hand, you have to be very careful nowadays to NOT dent the roof by just hand washing the roof pillar. Back 10 years ago, the roof's sheet metal would not puncture in like they all do nowadays. Yet another example of vehicles becoming lighter and cheaper built, yet all the mfgs. want to raise the price every year by 500 bucks or more. Pretty soon if this price increase keeps up (2-3% per year), vehicles will cost more than my house did at 75K 16 years ago new. If anything since they are being made cheaper and cheaper, the price should be going down don't you all think?

 

Thanks to Greenpeace and all of the other dim-witted do-gooders, all automobiles have to be lighter in order to gain fuel efficiency. So now if you're in a small car, you're driving a deathtrap, trucks aren't trucks anymore, and all cars suffer major damage in a serious accident.

 

To answer the original question, my guess is 22 gauge.

 

To answer the original question, my guess is 22 gauge.

Good guess. That's about the average. I measured several spots where I could get a caliper on a single layer of metal and came up with anywhere from 20 ga (inner tailgate) to 24 ga (inner hood).

 

Nothing like a good old 70's or 80's car for running into something and not having to have the car totaled like nowadays on all vehicles made. Airbags and even seat belts have come a long way though and mfg's. believe these 2 items save more lives than actual decent sheet metal. I'd like to see a new lincoln town car or similar big new car that size run up against our 1986 caprice classic? Also, trucks have not come a long ways in over 20 years of use since my first new 1988 chevy ext. cab silverado with 350 V8 got 16 mpg overall and trucks nowadays only get 1-2 more mpg hwy. All the trucks do nowadays is go faster/more hp and torque with less pollution, but not much in savings for gas. The car companies can, if they wanted to, build a 1/2 ton truck getting 25 mpg hwy. if they were forced to, but chose not to.

 

Nothing like a good old 70's or 80's car for running into something and not having to have the car totaled like nowadays on all vehicles made. Airbags and even seat belts have come a long way though and mfg's. believe these 2 items save more lives than actual decent sheet metal. I'd like to see a new lincoln town car or similar big new car that size run up against our 1986 caprice classic? Also, trucks have not come a long ways in over 20 years of use since my first new 1988 chevy ext. cab silverado with 350 V8 got 16 mpg overall and trucks nowadays only get 1-2 more mpg hwy. All the trucks do nowadays is go faster/more hp and torque with less pollution, but not much in savings for gas. The car companies can, if they wanted to, build a 1/2 ton truck getting 25 mpg hwy. if they were forced to, but chose not to.

Rep points given.

Well put man, well put. My old Expedition would net 1 less highway mpg yet it could take a hit.

Hell, I looked at '79 Bronco yesterday and to open the hood you had to hit it lol. Thing was awesome but the guy sold it today before I could buy it

-rockstate

 

Nothing like a good old 70's or 80's car for running into something and not having to have the car totaled like nowadays on all vehicles made. Airbags and even seat belts have come a long way though and mfg's. believe these 2 items save more lives than actual decent sheet metal. I'd like to see a new lincoln town car or similar big new car that size run up against our 1986 caprice classic? Also, trucks have not come a long ways in over 20 years of use since my first new 1988 chevy ext. cab silverado with 350 V8 got 16 mpg overall and trucks nowadays only get 1-2 more mpg hwy. All the trucks do nowadays is go faster/more hp and torque with less pollution, but not much in savings for gas. The car companies can, if they wanted to, build a 1/2 ton truck getting 25 mpg hwy. if they were forced to, but chose not to.

Yup. Fuel mileage hasn't gotten that much better, but power has. Which just goes to show you that most buyers prefer power to mpg. Exactly opposite to what the government wants you to believe.
Thin sheetmetal usually results in more damage to the vehicle in an accident. Vehicle damage and passenger damage are generally usually inversely proportionate- the more impact the vehicle can absorb, the less impact the people have to absorb, so that's usually a good aspect. However, if you're in a big land yacht, the strong sheetmetal helps to make the other poor soul incur more damage than you.

 

Nothing like a good old 70's or 80's car for running into something and not having to have the car totaled like nowadays on all vehicles made. Airbags and even seat belts have come a long way though and mfg's. believe these 2 items save more lives than actual decent sheet metal. I'd like to see a new lincoln town car or similar big new car that size run up against our 1986 caprice classic? Also, trucks have not come a long ways in over 20 years of use since my first new 1988 chevy ext. cab silverado with 350 V8 got 16 mpg overall and trucks nowadays only get 1-2 more mpg hwy. All the trucks do nowadays is go faster/more hp and torque with less pollution, but not much in savings for gas. The car companies can, if they wanted to, build a 1/2 ton truck getting 25 mpg hwy. if they were forced to, but chose not to.

One of the British car shows, not Top Gear, did this. They ran an 80's Volvo 240 GL wagon up against a 2006 Renault compact wagon at 40 MPH in an offset head on collision. They didn't impact the cars into concrete and compare the results, but impacted the cars against each other. The 240 GL was trashed and the lower bodies of the front seat occupants (dummies) were destroyed. The front of the Renault was destroyed, but the crew compartment was 100% intact and the dummies were OK. It's up on YouTube if you care to search.

Greenpeace did not make your cars lighter. NHTSA made your cars heavier by a LOT. '98-'02 Camaro SS curb weight - 3300 pounds. 2010 Camaro SS curb weight - 3900 pounds. This has been happening since the 1970s. I could look up more, but you won't listen anyway.

 

'98-'02 Camaro SS curb weight - 3300 pounds. 2010 Camaro SS curb weight - 3900 pounds. This has been happening since the 1970s. I could look up more, but you won't listen anyway.

How about bringing up the performance difference from '98-'02 to 2010. I bet he listens to that.

 

YouTube - Fifth Gear - Renault Modus v Volvo 940 Crash Test

A saw something like this a little while ago. Is this the video you are referring to? However, it is a Volvo 940 vs. a Renault Modus. Don't know anything about either car.

It is important not to equate apparent strength with survivability in a crash. Lots of the bigger, older, and unimproved vehicles transfer the force of the impact to the occupants. Not good. The new vehicles sure do crumple, but are less likely to cause injury. I'll take upset about my totaled vehicle while I walk away uninjured or minimally injured than severely injured in my tank. There aren't any absolutes, but automobile safety has come a long ways in the last several years.

ps. Just to be clear - I'm agreeing with you Skyssx...

One of the British car shows, not Top Gear, did this. They ran an 80's Volvo 240 GL wagon up against a 2006 Renault compact wagon at 40 MPH in an offset head on collision. They didn't impact the cars into concrete and compare the results, but impacted the cars against each other. The 240 GL was trashed and the lower bodies of the front seat occupants (dummies) were destroyed. The front of the Renault was destroyed, but the crew compartment was 100% intact and the dummies were OK. It's up on YouTube if you care to search.

Greenpeace did not make your cars lighter. NHTSA made your cars heavier by a LOT. '98-'02 Camaro SS curb weight - 3300 pounds. 2010 Camaro SS curb weight - 3900 pounds. This has been happening since the 1970s. I could look up more, but you won't listen anyway.

 

YouTube - Fifth Gear - Renault Modus v Volvo 940 Crash Test

A saw something like this a little while ago. Is this the video you are referring to? However, it is a Volvo 940 vs. a Renault Modus. Don't know anything about either car.

It is important not to equate apparent strength with survivability in a crash. Lots of the bigger, older, and unimproved vehicles transfer the force of the impact to the occupants. Not good. The new vehicles sure do crumple, but are less likely to cause injury. I'll take upset about my totaled vehicle while I walk away uninjured or minimally injured than severely injured in my tank. There aren't any absolutes, but automobile safety has come a long ways in the last several years.

ps. Just to be clear - I'm agreeing with you Skyssx...

Yeah, that was the one I was talking about. At least I got the car companies and general era right =P

The "body on frame > * " "steel > * " crew gets really old after a while.

 

had a 72 ford that was the same way. The new ones you can dent with your finger.

i have, mine by accident!!

 

Wow, seriously? I just got my first car- a 1992 camry sedan. It is alittle dented, but it is overall in great shape. The car seems like it has decently thick sheet metal, but it is only 18 years old. Have cars changed since then?

but then there is this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJrXViFfMGk

 

I remember going to parades with my Uncle when I was a kid...me and my 4 cousins would stand on the roof of his old 49 Ford PU to get a better view. Don't remember any dents. I dented the roof of my Tundra by leaning on it with my arm while washing it. Don't think I'll take the kids to any parades......

 

Good guess. That's about the average. I measured several spots where I could get a caliper on a single layer of metal and came up with anywhere from 20 ga (inner tailgate) to 24 ga (inner hood).

Did your measurements compensate for the thickness of the paint (on both sides)?

Btw, a caliper is not the best way to measure the thickness of sheet metal; a snap gage or micrometer would do better.

 

I believe the zinc plating of the steel panels allows the manufacturers to make the panels as thin as structurally possible without rusting out unlike the old days where rusting body panels was commonplace.

No one ever wanted to park next to my old 72 Delta 88 convertible like the one below since it was done up in primer and had doors that could swing out 5 feet.

 

I believe the zinc plating of the steel panels allows the manufacturers to make the panels as thin as structurally possible without rusting out unlike the old days where rusting body panels was commonplace.

No one ever wanted to park next to my old 72 Delta 88 convertible like the one below since it was done up in primer and had doors that could swing out 5 feet.

Wow!! All that and 6 miles to the gallon too!!! :devil:
Of course back the it was about 50 cents a gallon.

 

Wow!! All that and 6 miles to the gallon too!!! :devil:
Of course back the it was about 50 cents a gallon.

My 58 Ford in 1962 would get 18 MPG...it had no air pollution crap on the engine...you could actually see the engine...gas was $0.25 a gallon, and for a couple of bucks I could drive all weekend. My girlfriend, now wife of 43 years, had a '55 Chevy Bellaire that only got 15 MPG. My Ford could hit 90 MPH in 2nd gear. What a blast...no seatbelts, no air bags, a big backseats! Look at the bumpers on a '55 Buick if you ever get the chance...they must have weighed 100 pounds! Cars today don't even come close to the ones from good ole days.....

 

Wow!! All that and 6 miles to the gallon too!!! :devil:
Of course back the it was about 50 cents a gallon.

Come on...I at least got 8-9 mpg.
Besides, I only had it for a couple of years back in the mid-90s when gas was $1.30/gal. You could at least fit 8 people in that boat. Twelve, if you include the trunk space!

My 58 Ford in 1962 would get 18 MPG...it had no air pollution crap on the engine...you could actually see the engine...gas was $0.25 a gallon, and for a couple of bucks I could drive all weekend. My girlfriend, now wife of 43 years, had a '55 Chevy Bellaire that only got 15 MPG. My Ford could hit 90 MPH in 2nd gear. What a blast...no seatbelts, no air bags, a big backseats! Look at the bumpers on a '55 Buick if you ever get the chance...they must have weighed 100 pounds! Cars today don't even come close to the ones from good ole days.....

Yeah, I could probably stand in the engine compartment and work on it if I removed the hood. The bumpers were solid too and bolted directly to the frame. It's just those damn lap belts; minor fender benders did no damage, but a serious accident would scare me since I'd be doing a face plant into the steering wheel or dash!