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

[HallGrenn at aol.com]

Charlie,
 
The key to your survival was that the impact didn't start low enough to hit 
 the steering box.  Had the box been hit things would have been much  
different.  My first Corvair--a '65 Coupe--was totalled at similar speeds  and 
the impact was lower, but in the center so the forces on the steering box  
were not head on.  My steering wheel collapsed as it was supposed to (I  
collapsed it) and the steering shaft came out of the mast jacket 4 or 5  inches.  
I spent a week in the hospital for serious eye injuries, facial  
lacerations, cracked ribs and massive bruises.
 
But that trunk crush zone saved my life.
 
Bob Hall