<VV> Re: How a Corvair stands up in a crash

[Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per]

I posted the pix of my Corvair on my site, to show that the Corvair is inherently safer that front-engined cars.

The Corvair is safer for three reasons :

The Corvair does not have an engine up front that would cause the car to decelerate more quickly (more G's) 

The Corvair has a welded Unibody construction that prevents the "crush zone" from "falling apart" on impact.  

The Corvair has its gas tanked nestled behind the front axle where it is very hard to hit in an accident 

The Corvair (after 1960 ?) has a rubber tank filler neck joint that prevent sparks.

The welded front quarters make for more expensive front sheet metal repairs for the welding where other cars can be simply bolted onto the car but welded panels are more secure.

Here is a link directly to the image that may not appear on the site.
http://www.foresightsoftware.com/Corvairs/CorsaTbirdCrash_files/image003.jpg

(Please let me know if you were you unable to see the pix on the site at all ? 
Most can see it, but I want to find out why ? )

Thanks
Chaz



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: JRVIDRINE at aol.com 
  To: JRVIDRINE at aol.com 
  Sent: Monday, October 23, 2006 7:41 PM
  Subject: How a Corvair stands up in a crash


  Fellows New Orleans Corvair Enthusiasts,

  I saw this on the Virtual Vairs site and pulled up the picture on the website shown in the body of the message.  The author relates how he survived an extreme crash in his 1965 Corvair Convertible.  Luckily I was never involved in any Corvair accident.  I have, as I'm sure you have all heard, horror stories about how badly people fared in Corvair head on accidents.  

  In fact the Corvair (uni-body) construction gave a tremendous amount of crumple zone which protected the passengers in most accidents.  I've had people tell me that Corvair's were prone to catch on fire due to the tank being in front.  In fact the gas tank is safely nestled behind the front suspension crossmember which protects it.  The picture and the writers recounting of the incident rebuts what so many believe about how a Corvair's crumple zone (in the front which doesn't have an engine to come back on you) protects and has protected their occupants.  It also rebuts the lie so often spoken about Corvair's being subject to catching on fire in head-on accidents.

  Copy and paste the website (in blue) onto your Internet browser and pull up the picture and text regarding this accident.  I printed it up (including the picture) and intend to keep it in my Corvair to rebut the b.s. that I hear from no nothings you often meet. 
  Randy Vidrine 


  Message: 10
  Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 17:51:43 -0700
  From: "Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per" <chaz at ProperProPer.com>
  Subject: Re: <VV> Re: GAS TANK PROTECTION in Corvairs
  To: <N2VZD at aol.com>
  Cc: Virtual Vairs <VirtualVairs at corvair.org>
  Message-ID: <0b6201c6f63d$6cd6c410$2f01a8c0 at Compaq2>
  Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
      reply-type=original

  Back in the old days, I saw a late model crash head-on into a telephone 
  pole, right up to the cowl, and the guy walked home from the accident.

  My own experience was similar when I rear-ended a 1958 T-Bird that was 
  "parked" on the Southern State Parkway (the driver took the "Park" in 
  "Parkway" too literally ?)

  Traffic was doing about 60-65 when I looked at the driver, who was off the 
  side of the road waving his arms like a nut, enough to distract me, and long 
  enough that I never saw his car before I hit it.

  All I remember was a big "Whoosh !" as the front end collapsed and took up 
  the shock.

  Had I been driving my 1968 Camaro, which would have pushed the engine back 
  who-knows-where, I may not be here today.

  The gas tank, nestled behind the front cross-member was never touched.

  http://www.foresightsoftware.com/Corvairs/CorsaTbirdCrash.htm

  You can see the imprint that the T-birds rear lights left in my front deck 
  lid.

  I had no injuries, and owe that "luck" to driving my favorite car (still 
  is).

  Chaz