<VV> modern car crashworthiness: No Corvair

[Wrsssatty at aol.com]

Well, since the discussion has veered into this territory I'll share this  
tidbit:
 
Local paper (Jersey City, NJ) carried a photo recently of a crash involving  
a very expensive ($100K+, I think) Mercedes coupe.  I'm not up on my  Mercedes 
models (who am I kidding?  MY?) but this one has a V-12 and is, I  think, the 
only true hardtop sold  these days in the US, if not the  world.  As I hope 
most everyone on this list knows, a hardtop does not have  a B pillar so one 
assumes little in the way of roof support.  Anyway, a  tractor trailer drove up 
on to the Mercedes hardtop coupe and stopped with it's  two front wheels 
resting on the roof of the hardtop.  The frameless glass  in the doors shattered.  
Otherwise, no damage.  They opened the doors  and the driver of the Mercedes 
walked out.  He went to the hospital anyway  because he said his shoulder hurt 
a little bit.  A rescue squad worker at  the scene said it would have been a 
great ad for Mercedes.  Corvair  content:  a member of NJACE (NJ Assoc. of 
Corvair Enthusiasts) trains  student mechanics at MB of North America.  I sent the 
newspaper clipping to  him.
 
~Bill Stanley