Steve and list:
I think you hit on what "hit" me when I totalled my 74 a few years go. The
aftermath was that I had and still have back problems. Without belts, I'd
have flown over the B@#$% 18 year old clueless female (apologies in advance
to all women everywhere that DO know that you are not supposed to make a
left hand turn into oncoming traffic!!!!!!! Especially pretty little TR
cars - pissed off? ,me? no, never). I would have been wearing the brick
wall of a Belgian pastry shoppe that day and pushing daisies today.
My head DID hit the mirror despite the belt, which make me suspect the
inertia belts in a TR may be past their prime despite functionality. I DO
recall being twisted toward the center of the car and pulled downward. My
injuries were to the lower back - apparently a bruised "nobbily" on one of
the spine thingies that then interfered with a cyatic nerve - ugh. This
impact had me on the brakes - as soon as the car crossed the centerline as I
was entering the intersection - and maybe down to a 25 to 25 mph impact. I
have several comments about the TR's and their crashworthiness, but first a
story about a racing accident in the GT6 (again, bear with me)
Short form... AH 3000 spins at 80 mph, crosses my path backwards as I am
passing at 11/10ths in a race...Boom... more severe damage to both cars than
to the TR6 that did my back in. I was wearing full indycar gear including
the 6 point harness of 3" webbing. Despite toalling both cars, I cam away
with a feeling as though someone punched me in the chest hard, once. End.
My neck was sore for a few days, but that may have been due to the 6 hours
under the car changing the blown up diff the nite before. No other
injuries.
There is the contrast between a proper racing harness and a 3 point in a
TR6. The comp rules are very clear about the angle of the belt over the
shoulder being as flat back as possible (GT was a 90 degree to my spine) and
I think that made the difference. In the old days before modern roll cages,
only lap belts were used. Even a 3" lap belt in a TR6 is, to my thinking,
preferable to a 3 point belt.
If you install a roll bar in the car, it would be possible and desirable to
mount the upper point above the shoulder. But then, you must ensure the
rollbar is capable of absorbing the G forces of your body deceleration in
addition to the rollover forces. What would happen if the bar gave way
while you were upside down?
There are documented cases of people's spitfires being mashed into little
balls of tin with surviving drivers. These cars are generally safe, but
they are old and small. There is no side impact protection to speak of,
and precious little room between you and the door. Some day, somewhere, you
will have your go at a bad one and, God willing, it will not be in the TR.
The money spent on a good defensive driving/skid school./race school may
just save your life someday. Remember that there is now way to do battle
with a Chevy Subdivision being driven by "mom" with a screaming baseball
team in back with ANYTHING that TR ever imported to the US of A.
Take cars, drive safe, and talk to a racer about safety equipment and
accident avoidance. I've been there on both counts, sadly. Some things can
only be learned by experience, and some of those things are better left as
"theory".
Dave T
Winnipeg
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Myers <steve@mindtribe.com>
To: triumphs@autox.team.net <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Date: Thursday, June 17, 1999 1:25 PM
Subject: TR6--MAKING IT SAFER?
>
>
>Any safety nuts out there? Any insights on how to make a TR6 more safe?
>
>I'm interested in making my daily driver '71 TR6 as safe as is reasonably
>practical. The current setup is stock, with 2-point lapbelts and no
rollbar.
>Last week my roommate was involved in a 35mph head-on collision on her way
>home in a modern car. Not much was left of the car, while she had only a
few
>bruises on her arm from the airbag. I probably wouldn't have a face right
>now (or worse) if that had been me in my TR6.
>
>I'm thinking this involves installing 3 point belts and a rollbar for
>starters. A couple thoughts on each:
>
>3 point belts:
>This seems a somewhat simple matter--buy the seatbelts from TRF, drill a
few
>holes and voila. However, I've noticed that the upper pivot for the
shoulder
>belt would be a good 4"-6" below my shoulder, thus causing my back to arch
>forward on impact. I've heard this is bad for your back, and is why many
>newer cars have an adjustable pivot point. Maybe the belts could be bolted
>to a roll bar? Other ideas?
>
>Roll Bar:
>I own one, but took it out temporarily because it is the kind which simply
>bolts to the rear "package shelf" behind the seats. I know for racing that
>you typically weld one to the frame, which I'm not hot on because it's so
>permanent (albeit safe). I'm thinking I might make some steel backer plates
>which bolt underneath the package shelf to add strength? Any off-the-shelf
>solutions here? Other ideas?
>
>
>Any insights on this matter are greatly appreciated! Anyone else address
>these issues? Any houses that do this for you? I am looking to stay
somewhat
>inexpensive and "off-the-shelf," but want maximum safety even if that means
>paying for it.
>
>Thanks much!
>Steve Myers
>
>
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