<VV> Corvair's 'crushable' giant metal 'airbag'

[Charles Lee]

I can attest to the fact that the Corvair's 'crushable' front end 
(effectively a giant metal 'airbag' ?) saved me in a 60 MPH impact into a 
1958 T-bird (you can see the imprint of the right rear light housing in my 
hood.

http://www.properproper.com/Corvairs/Tbird.htm

The owner was standing to the side of the parkway on Long Island, waving his 
arms frantically, and while I looked to see what the problem was, I hit the 
car he was trying to warn us he had left in the center lane.

I had been traveling at a 'reduced speed' of 60 MPH (because the fast lane 
was not letting me relax and enjoy the drive)  when I hit the T-bird at full 
speed, no time to brake (watching the owner waving)

The doors were 'pinched' shut from the engine trying to move forward, the 
top was only slightly wrinkled, and the windshield pillar that took the 
force was only slightly bent back.

Had I been driving my Camaro, I don't think I would have fared nearly as 
well, having the engine in my lap and much greater G-forces to injure me ?

Charlie


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Corbin" <airvair at earthlink.net>
To: "Charles Lee" <chaz at ProperProPer.com>; <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 12:34 PM
Subject: Re: <VV> Medical waivers - making Corvair safer


Actually, the Corvair was tested in a (at the time, more modern) frontal 
crash test. It proved to have a safety rating equivalent to a full-size 
Pontiac Parisianne (same car as the Chevy Caprice).

First, there is no engine block in the front, which is important because 
what you want is crushability, thus absorbing energy at a controlled rate.. 
The car should absorb the G-forces, not the passengers, and an engine block 
doesn't absorb energy very well.