Re: [DML] Need help

[ComposerZelgadis@xxxxxxx]

Haha.  I'm almost convinced that, from a structural standpoint, "boat  cars" 
from the 60s were safer than what we have today.  Simple law of  physics: When 
two things collide, the heaviest wins.
 
As for the DeLorean being safe / unsafe, there is sound proof on both sides  
of the argument.  Go look at the crash test videos on Tamir's site 
(_www.entermyworld.com_ (http://www.entermyworld.com) ).  At a 40 mph  impact, the car 
falls apart.  Yet the cabin is relatively  unharmed.  At 36, the damage is far 
less severe (but still  catastrophic).  And the only thing I can think of to 
explain the damage  done to the front, is that there's no solid engine block in 
the  front there to take the brunt of that blow.  It's all going to the  
frame, panels, etc, etc.  Which, given this design, that is *exactly* what  it's 
supposed to do.  Ideally speaking, if you were to get into a very bad  wreck, 
that impact energy has to go somewhere.  It can't just peter  out.  So, you have 
two options as to where that energy is going to end up:  on the car, or on 
the driver & passengers.  Needless to say, we want  the car to absorb the 
energy, and leave the people inside unscathed.  Which  the DeLorean has an 
*excellent* track record for doing.

There have been reports of DeLoreans getting into horrible  wrecks.  And 
we're not talking about 15 mph accidents in parking lots here,  we're talking 
highly serious crashes.  And each one of these wrecks that I  can recall, the 
driver walked away unscathed, or with minimal injury.  I  believe it was All State 
who helped fund the safety-portion of the DeLorean  project.  Seems to me 
that they would be in the know as to how to make a  car safe enough.
 
Perfect example, there was one car where the trailing arm bolts in the rear  
of the frame sheared off.  From what I understand, the car partially fell  
apart while moving, and flipped over.  Driver walked away.
 
Another example, I heard of one DeLorean being *driven over* by  another car 
with the driver still inside.  Roof of the car collapsed, but  not 100%.  
Driver walked away.
 
I don't think either case had a passenger, just a driver.  But I could  very 
well be mistaken.
 
All I can say is, if you wear your seat belt, the car is essentially  safe.  
:)  This goes for *any* car.  And safety, really, is  relative.  All wrecks, I 
don't care at what speed, or at what angle, or  what car, they *all* have the 
potential to kill someone.  A car  with all the latest safety equipment is 
100% useless unless that equipment is  being used.  Does your friend wear his 
seat-belt all the time?  If  not, I bet safety isn't what he's really grabbing 
for.  If you really  want, install an airbag system in the steering wheel.  
And, if feasible,  perhaps on the passenger dash as well.  You could also install 
a 5-point  seatbelt harness system, like they have on those hyper-cars and 
racing  vehicles.  There's a lot of rice-boys out here who have those installed 
in  their Civics, so I can't imagine the harness being *that* expensive.   But 
alas, I haven't done my research on that part yet.  Yeah, it's  rice.  But if 
you want safety.....
 
>From what I understand, the frame is designed similarly to a Formula 1  
racer.  Back when the cars were being made, I believe DMC made the claim  that the 
driver could survive a 60 mph head-on impact.  However, the word  "could" 
doesn't always lend itself to probability.
 
At the end of the day, he's just jealous that he doesn't own one, or can't  
own one.  Some people, when they get jealous, get hostile.
 
It might also help that at one point the car was dubbed the "DSV-12" or  
something to that effect, which meant "DeLorean Safety Vehicle."
 
Just one man's $0.02.


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