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Date:         Fri, 24 May 2002 21:30:40 -0700
Reply-To:     Paul Mayfield <paulmayfield@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Paul Mayfield <paulmayfield@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Hung in the middle (where else?) - Bumper drawings
In-Reply-To:  <200205241538.17bnHp35Y3NZFjX0@robin>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Remember the Safety Bummper from the '70s?- a huge ugly black bumper that was filled with water. Since water is about 8lbs/gallon, I would not want to have that weight hanging out there. How about a leaf spring?

Paul '87 WhiteWestie

> Date: Fri, 24 May 2002 14:13:37 -0700 > From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET> > Subject: Re: Hung in the middle - Bumper drawings > > Way back in the mid-70s, there was much outrage at auto manufacturers > charging a few hundred bucks extra for crashworthy bumpers. > > One of the engineering schools (Cal-Tech, perhaps, but probably not) made > the design of a better bumper cheaper a semester project. I don't recall > the exact parameters of the project, but do remember that the winning design > used a redwood 2x6 mounted to the original bumper brackets, two rows of full > beer (or soda pop) cans glued to the lumber, and another 2x6 glued to the > outsides of the beer cans. In a collision, the cans exploded, but in doing > so, absorbed a bunch of energy. > > I'd like to propose that someone take this design and incorporate it into > the fancy and expensive Projekt Zwo-style bumpers. No, not a bunch of beer > cans, but possibly some sort of a valved hydraulic system, like horizontal > shock absorbers between two sections of bumper. > > This does nothing to protect you from the vagaries of our legal system, but > it might tend to protect our beloved Vanagons a bit more than simply > attaching cow catchers to them. > > Karl Wolz > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Phil S." <napszeerf@YAHOO.COM> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > Sent: Friday, May 24, 2002 10:47 AM > Subject: Re: Hung in the middle - Bumper drawings > > >> Mannnn, a month ago I studied the drawings and >> discussed this bumper in wreck scenario with some >> welders of The List,and welders that I work with. >> >> IMO I have concluded that this bumper is great for >> protecting the front from tree branches, grocery >> carts, wheelchairs and bicycles. It is NOT as stout as >> it looks. The way it bolts to the front end and frame >> members is too MickeyMouse for a REAL head on 40MPH >> collision with another car-IF THIS IS WHAT ITS PURPOSE >> IS:) >> >> For this bumper to give any significant collision >> protection, it needs to be welded to the frame members >> >> and the top and bottom tubes should be re-enforced >> some how some way......but i am no welder and please >> correct me if im wrong! >> >> Phil >>


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