Date:         Mon, 15 Apr 2002 15:22:31 -0700
Reply-To:     phil stanhope <napszeerf@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         phil stanhope <napszeerf@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon crash safety
In-Reply-To:  <f05100302b8d84718ee85@[210.55.242.95]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

In the event of a head-on collision, what happens when
you suddenly hit the brakes on the vanagon? The front
of the van drops four inches and the front bumper's
safety apex is lowered. In looking that "Vanagon Vs.
Volvo" crash test, i dont think the Vanagon hit its
brakes. If it DID the aftermath of the crash might
have looked ALOT different.

Today I did some mild panic brake tests at 45 mph. My
front end lowered greatly 4-5 inches perhaps more.
Maybe my westy needs some new springs/shocks;)

Phil ***84' Westy Tiico "Millenium Falcon"
***84' Westfalia Wolfsburg edition GL--Rolling
chassis(has NO engine)-FOR SALE/SE VENDE!!-Florida
Title/2nd owner. AC, PS, 4spd. Deluxe Instrument
panel(tach/digi-clock) Super clean interior/cabinets,
all in good condition. captains chairs,  removable
bench seat for 6 passenger capability. 2 tables/arms.
Nice Curtains Body has rusty seams but none on top of
front bumper. Nice Pop Top/Canvas. Sony Stereo. Could
be perfect for a conversion project-Tiico? Subaru?
***60' Morris Mini1340CC(Also for sale)





--- Andrew Grebneff
<andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ> wrote:
> It's not about MASS. It's about RIGIDITY vs
> controlled crumpling
> rates. An iron anvil doesn't crumple easily, so
> gives ZERO protection
> in a head-on.
>
> The body of a car (passenger variety; of course
> vans, SUVs etc are
> cars, car being a contraction of carriage) is
> designed to ABSORB
> collision speed by progressively crumpling in a
> controlled way,
> bringing the vehicle to a more "gentle" (relative
> term, that!) halt.
> Of course head-on accidents usually occur at a
> higher combined speed
> than the crush zones of any vehicle can hope to cope
> with, so if you
> have a decent head-on you're almostr certainly dead,
> no matter what
> you drive, including Incursions.
>
> The VW T3 has no engine and only a short body length
> in front of the
> driver, so it must trade crushability for rigidity.
> The chassis and
> body metal is designed to maximize rigidity and
> bending resistance,
> with a small crush built-in. These vehicles have
> proven themselves
> well in frontal (and rear-end) accidents; they are
> extremely strong,
> and use the other vehicle as a crush zone. However,
> as with a tank
> like a LandCruiser, a vehicle lacking crushzones
> will transfer the
> full brunt of impact to its occupants, hence the
> danger. The vehicle
> itself may survive... but the passengers may be
> nowhere near as
> well-off. Say, strained through their seatbelts
> while having their
> skulls shattered against the dash (despite being
> belted in).
>
> >*Any* front-engine vehicle has *much* more
> protection -- not
> >necessarily intentionally engineered -- than a
> Vanagon does.
> >
> >Look at how much mass is between your knee caps and
> the other vehicle
> >(bridge abutment, etc.). Any other vehicle has an
> entire engine and
> >probably transmission, which is anchored to the
> chassis, and 4 feet
> >of double-fender and hood mass, etc.
> >
> >It's all about mass. Yes, the Vanagon has huge
> mass, but most of it's
> >behind you. I'm sure that in a head-on collision
> our Vanagons' rear
> >bumper would come out better than any other
> vehicle's, but I'm not so


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