<VV> More Rope Tow

[Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per]

Not having a rope, but having seat belts, my brother and developed the 
quick-release tow rope by wrapping each end around one on the bumpers, and 
then "buckling" them together.

It didn't seem very safe, but what's the worst that could happen ? The 
buckle might break ?

Nope, and we found out when my brother just had to test it after towing a 
couple of miles successfully.  (Not a lot of slack, and I figured we'd get 
stopped for tail-gating, but no, we weren't (?)

Anyway, "testing" the setup, he simply decided to hit the brakes in the owed 
car, and, well, took the slack up real quick.

The "V" of the LM's front bumper was now much more accentuated, about 90 
degrees, and the EM's rear bumper was almost untouched !

The unexpected result was that the seat belt buckle was not damaged at all, 
and we could jump on the tensed belt between the cars like a trampoline, and 
the buckle opened fine (when we released the slack.)

BTW, the rear of an EM is STRONG !  In a separate incident, when my brother 
did something he NEVER does.  In the middle of the night, he stopped at a 
red light, and I rammed him from behind because he NEVER does that !  (I 
stop at all green lights, though, because he could be coming the other way 
!)

Anyway, the Chevelle was pushed in at least a foot, but, NOT a dent in the 
rear of the Vair !  Nothing.  That car was built to last !

To paraphrase someone's comment earlier, I can't help but wonder how we 
lived this long ?!?!?  Something about alternate universes comes to mind, so 
I must be in the universe in which I was NOT killed ?  There must be many 
universes in which I was not so lucky.

<<<< End of rant >>>>

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Smitty Smith" <vairologist at verizon.net>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2007 10:56 AM
Subject: <VV> More Rope Tow


> Smitty Says;  Back when I thought I could save every Corvair that was 
> free, I took the long suffering wife and went about 35 miles from here to 
> bring home a wagon.  I was using a nylon rope about 30 ft long.  Nice and 
> stretchy and forgiving of mistakes as long as the towing person didn't try 
> to get up to 30 before the slack went out.   ...