What would happen in a crash?

[Guest Anonymous]

So my friend just showed me these two videos which proceeded to make me ever so slightly scared of what would happen if a 2002 were to ever be crashed into a large modern car... Anyone have any reassuring remarks about this other than don't crash?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xwYBBpHg1I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu95gB04VC4&feature=fvw

[guzzy]

Yeap. It looks bad. Even before seeing this videos I had plan to install a safety cage on my street car project 02. My wife will not let our kids ride in the car otherwise.

I see a properly build cage as a big plus; for safety and chassis stiffness.

[Guest Anonymous]

yeah, I didn't mean to scare anyone, but with the 2002s being both old and small compared to everything on the road it is a concern. Safety cage could be a good idea, and hey extra chassis stiffness is always good.

[penth2o]

Get an SUV.

I feel that with as many old cars I drive there is nothing that can be done. I can't put a roll/safety cage in everyone. The seat belts are 40/50 years old. Some are running bias tires. Were running antiques down the road.

True I could take a model A and build a safety cage but it still wouldn't fair well in a crash. When the time happens we will have to see how I fair. It's the risk you take when you drive a antique car. (same as riding a bike)

You lesson your odds by having a daily driver & living in the country. (maybe not the country part as we drive faster on lone roads)

[Arshloch]

Just be vigilant to the actions of other road users and dont crush. Those are the foremost important things.

I am alert at %110 when I drive mine, and give the right of way to anything that is larger than 02. Moreover, I usually ride the well-known roots and stay away from accident prone zones, even though I drive assertively and have speeding tickets to show.

02 should do just fine if the one behind the wheel is careful enough, skilled and experienced, blah blah blah.....

After a near hit, I usually cheer myself by reminding of how bad the motorcyclists have it! At least an 02 is a step above the two wheel transportation in safety.

P.S. I must add that our cars are also corroded at times in all the wrong places adversly affecting the safety.

[dubois]

Safety is relative, I personally don't think 02's are "unsafe" per se, just not as safe as "some" modern cars. I am constantly aware of that, and end up driving for everybody else around me, and anticipating the unexpected, such as people having worse brakes behind me. There are some things that actually make our cars safer, eg: extremely good visibility (try driving an E36 for example) and the fact that going 80mph feels like you are actually going 80 mph. Most of us don't have to drive a 2002, we do it because we choose to. We play Russian roulette, anytime we get behind the wheel, is the risk worth the thrill?

[Colin]

Read the book "Traffic." There is plenty of published research which shows that you are far less likely to crash while driving an "older" vehicle...

[Arshloch]

Read the book "Traffic." There is plenty of published research which shows that you are far less likely to crash while driving an "older" vehicle...

if they wanted us to drive safely, they would have never installed the airbags in the vehicles capable of 100mph...

Oh yeah, and thrill is well worth it! Without the airbag

[ArdenK]

After breaking down a couple doors I realized that there is no side impact protection and the strikers probably will not hold if the door takes most of the impact force.

[JHG762002]

I look at the 02 as being slightly safer than riding a motorcycle in a multi-vehicle accident, drive defensively. At least I stay dry now.

[bingbong]

I think the 2002 has a very different frame to a 59 chev, in fact the 2002 was one of the first cars to have crumple zones with a strong shell around the occupants! Still its probably safer to just not crash

[M3M3]

don't put a cage in a street car!!!!

unless you are running 6 pt harnessess in all 4 seats, have sfi hard padding all over the cage and wear a helmet while driving all the time. a cage introduces a solid steel structure very close to your head. in even the most minor impact your head or other body part will contact the cage with bad results.

[JackF]

I use ballons with netting tied off to the seat belt attachpoints so they stay below sight lines. With the helium balloons you have to be careful as it kinda unweights the car. "02's are kinda light on their feet as it is so care must be taken rounding corners at speed. I like assorted colors of balloons as it makes me cheerful while driving an old car. Be careful when opening the doors as those pesky balloons like to fly too. Also, avoid running into things as they can escape then too. The good thing is that they are not that expensive to replace. For a while I was using one of the long thin balloons tied into a ring that would fit snuggly on my fat head, but I stopped that and accept the risk. People were laughing at me and I really have to agree that it did look silly...even to me, and that is saying something. I mean you can only go so far in the name of safety!

[c.d.iesel]

to answer the original question - you'll be fuched-up!

and to the guy thinking he'll install a 'cage' to keep his wife happy, and the kids alive - what a dope. The cage will kill everyone inside the car

because they're not wearing helmets, and lack strong harnesses,

and the original seat mountings will tear away from the tiny fasteners, and rotten metal flooring. .... and if your married with kids,

your should'nd be driving with your brain NOT-ENGAGED to put you in a crach situation to begin with.

light weight my be fast - but it will kill you (Lotus / C Chapman)

[gregp553]

What would happen in a crash? Big trouble. One of the reasons new cars are so expensive (one reason) is the safety equipment/engineering. But like c.d. said, the rusted floors and weakened structure will fold like that Chevy in the video. If you really want safety, you want a newer car.