Date:         Wed, 23 Feb 2000 16:11:34 -0500
Reply-To:     Steve Macaulay <smacaulay@INFINTIUM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Macaulay <smacaulay@INFINTIUM.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon safety and design?
In-Reply-To:  <61E4C8506924D311A2CB006097326F3A05D88C@rtiserv1.relitech.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>
> Vanagons are supposedly safer when colliding with passenger cars since the
> driver sits *above* the crush area.
>
> And yes, Vanagons do "fold up like accordions" when hit...BY A
> MACK TRUCK! I
> feel sorry for any Honda Accord  or Toyota Camry that takes it on!
>

Hey there,

Search the archives for my "Vanagon 1 Toyota 0" post last March.  Some kids
tried to break into someone else's car and the owner caught them and started
after them.  The high speed chase ended when the Toyota slammed into my
parked Westy right in front of the driver's seat.  There were 110 feet of
skidmarks leading up to my car and the police estimated that they were
travelling about 65 mph on my 25 mph street.  The Toyota pushed my "in park"
automatic with the parking brake on back 19 feet and lifted the front over
the curb into my yard.  The front of the Toyota was crushed flat and stuck
underneath the front of the van.  There was over $5000 worth of damage to
the front of the van and it bent the frame where it attaches to the metal
bar behind the bumper.  The ONLY damage from the inside was a bent bracket
inside the rear seat box where the wood joints had gotten knocked loose.
You could not even tell from the inside of the van that it was hit unless
you lifted the back seat up.  Once the tow truck pulled the Toyota out from
underneath the car, it was driveable.  I had my local VW dealer check it out
to see if they saw any reason why I couldn't drive it to a planned campout
before I took it in for repairs.  They told me it was good to go.  Of course
there were some strange wind noises and the alignment was shot but it drove
okay.  It has since been repaired and the casual observer would not notice
that it had been in a wreck unless they crawled up under it and took a good
look.  These vans are stronger than they look.  Of course we discovered that
night that we were out of film so I was unable to get any pictures put if
you could have seen it, you wouldn't be too worried about getting hit in the
front (unless you were in the other car).

Steve

89 Westy