SUV's account for 50% of new car sales, how can you pass that kind of cash up?
Postal Jeeps can no longer be sold to the general public upon retirement, why?
because they don't meet federal safety standards.
...more fuel for the fire...
<LOL>
--
James Nazarian Jr
71 MGB roadster
71 MGBGT-V8 in need of paint
01 Impreza 2.5RS
A complex system that does not work is invariably found to have
evolved from a simpler system that worked just fine.
On Sun, Jul 15, 2001 at 09:00:23PM -0500, Brent Schwartz profoundly declared:
> Will Brien wrote:
> <SNIP>
>
> > performance of my car. I do not want to go to jail. However, if they allow
> > pre-74 vehicles on the road that don't meet current standards, why would
> > anyone get upset if one wants to return the vehicle to it's original spec?
> > It's not like the small number of modified B's would turn the tide of safety
> > on the road. I know I'm being a little subjective here but I don't know if
>
> <\SNIP>
>
> What makes me mad is that the same nation that has killed many a small fun
>car
> from too restrictive laws, allows motorcycle riders on the road without
>helmets.
>
> The same country that mandates cars meet pollution controls, safety standards,
> fuel efficency standards, allows the SUV market to exist (and thrive). Ditto
> for
> motorcycles, trucks, minivans, etc....
>
> The same country that will let me build a replica car to origional specs and
> licence it as an
> origional will not let me retrofit my factory car to match the specs of a
> factory car from
> just a couple of years earlier. Even if it will only see limited road use
>such
>
> as pretty weekend drives in the countryside.
>
> The same country that will let a rusted out pile of junk drive down the road
>and
> be a hazard
> to everyone, will not let me import a very sweet and safe car for my own
> pleasure even if
> that same car had been imported by the factory in previous years.
>
> NOTE: I am talking about national laws not state laws.
> State laws are even more arbitrary and instane.
>
> If I want to build something and drive it on the road it should mostly be an
> issue between
> myself and my insurance company. I can see the government setting safety
> standards but
> those standards should apply to everything on the road not just to a select
> group. Also
> those safety standards should only apply to occupant health and not to the
> amount of
> sheetmetal damage. If there is a law that says a CBB is unsafe in the road
>then
> every
> car like it should also be declared unsafe on the road and special permits
> should be
> issued for their usage in parades and shows. No grandfathering: Is it safe
>or
> not?
>
> I also don't understand how a properly maintained CBB is less safe than
> a RBB. The RBB is heavier and taller, and earlier ones didn't have any
> engineering
> compensation for these changes. Therefore, it takes longer to stop, is less
> agile,
> and is easier to flip over. I do understand that if you bump into something
> with the
> RBB you will probably do less sheet metal damage.......So what?
> The bumper height theory only applies if you hit another car, trucks aren't
> required to meet
> this law and therefore will do just as much damage to a CBB as to a RBB.
>Also,
> You don't
> have any bumpers to protect you in a side impact and therefore both cars will
> have equivalent
> damage. And again, you don't have bumpers to protect you in a rollover and
>both
> cars
> will suffer similar damage. The majority of the crash protection in an
>accident
>
> that is life threatening has little to do with the bumpers and far more to do
> with
> passenger restraints and how the body of the car collapses (or doesn't) under
> the
> impact.
>
> Now that my inefectual ranting and raving at the world is done, I shall lurk
> some more
> and continue to look for ways to make my RBB more fun. I think lowering is
>the
> next
> modification on my list. (BTW: What was the statue of limitations on breaking
> the 55mph
> speed limit. Am I allowed to admit it yet, or do they still ship us
>dissedents
> off to siberia?)
>
> Brent
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