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PDXWesty Samba Member

Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 6342 Location: Portland OR
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:36 am Post subject: Real Life Crash Test |
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I was in a offset head on collision last fall and walked away un-injured...unlike the passengers of the other van. Both cars were traveling 45 mph. I'm a true believer now in German Engineering! The frame has considerable reinforcement and diagonal bracing that absorbs impact pretty well and dissapates it properly. You can see the entire cab bent upward.
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aguabonita Samba Member
Joined: November 27, 2005 Posts: 267 Location: Monterey, CA
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:46 am Post subject: |
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Holy cow! _________________ '87 Westfalia, GW 2.2, and some other goodies
'90 Volvo 245 |
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wbx Samba Member

Joined: April 11, 2005 Posts: 1254 Location: Monterey, CA
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:50 am Post subject: Re: Real Life Crash Test |
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PDXWesty wrote: |
I was in a offset head on collision last fall and walked away un-injured...unlike the passengers of the other van. Both cars were traveling 45 mph. |
Wow. A 90mph (relative) crash, and you walked away? Were you really uninjured (no whiplash or anything)? Even on the drivers side... wow. Those photos make me sad to see such a nice van all crunched up, but i am really glad to hear you made it out OK. What happened to the passengers in the other van? What happened in the footwell of your van?
Again, glad to hear you're doing fine. I would assume someone was seriously hurt in that crash. _________________ '84 Westy (first owner).......but my daily driver has pedals
My "perspective" mantra:
A Volkswagen Vanagon is just a material thing,
As such, it is of the earth,
And if i need to, I can let my Van go. |
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Yellow Rabbit Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2005 Posts: 1155
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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Glad you are OK! |
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Bubs Samba Member

Joined: January 31, 2006 Posts: 330
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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Bummer that that nice van had to be ruined, but the most important thing is that you are O.K.  |
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firebug Samba Member

Joined: February 07, 2004 Posts: 123 Location: Lubbock, Texas
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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Where did that "Extra" loose wheel come from? _________________ Firebug AAC
www.aircoolers.org
'72 Super w/ (2234w/ dual IDF 48s) |
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Escorial Syncro  Samba Member

Joined: May 02, 2004 Posts: 449 Location: Manitou Springs, CO
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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Let me echo the "holy cow" or something more profanity laced. I'm amazed at how the door acted as a brace...think of the force it took to "accordian" that door. If the door latch popped open I'm sure there would have been more collapse of the driver's cabin. Wow. That's all I can say. Glad you are okay, sorry the others got hurt. _________________ Joel Lane
1985 Vanagon converted to syncro, ALH TDI w/GTB2056 turbo, Reimo clone top with Westy interior
2002 Toyota Tundra 4x4
2002 Jetta TDI |
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?Waldo? Samba Member

Joined: February 22, 2006 Posts: 9907 Location: Where?
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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Heilige Scheiße
Andrew |
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ChesterKV Samba Member

Joined: February 07, 2005 Posts: 1725 Location: El Cerrito, CA
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Thank GOD the rear hatch struts are O.K. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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ChesterKV Samba Member

Joined: February 07, 2005 Posts: 1725 Location: El Cerrito, CA
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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Hey, wait............so who's fault was it anyway..... ?? |
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Karl Samba Member

Joined: January 29, 2001 Posts: 6170 Location: Coos Bay, Oregon
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klucz Samba Member
Joined: February 14, 2006 Posts: 1062 Location: Chicago, IL
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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Damn...glad to hear you're OK, and hopefully everyone else too. |
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weinerwagen Samba Member

Joined: May 10, 2004 Posts: 1548 Location: Monterey, CA -Laguna Seca--Coats, Kansas
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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Did ya salvage the engine and alloys? _________________ Retired attorney--Tort King. |
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qt4u Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2006 Posts: 15
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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Karl, do you know how fast that Pick Up was going? |
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bigdood Samba Member

Joined: May 17, 2005 Posts: 191 Location: Bay Area, CA
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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wow....your legs took no damage? insanity.
don't forget to take the rims before they salvage it, and the interior tables. _________________ **http://nitsuj.tumblr.com**
"We should all be having more fun. A lot more of the time. " -Randy in Maine |
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aviatorjames Samba Member

Joined: March 01, 2005 Posts: 232 Location: Half Moon Bay, California
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Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2006 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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I'm glad you're OK!! _________________ ...some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints... |
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tin-box Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2005 Posts: 33 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2006 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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can I have the rear bumper?
Seriously, it is good to see that a vanagon did so well. I'm glad you're ok too. Although I love the Vanagon's driver view, I never get quite used to the idea that i'm so close to the front bumper. Again, good to see it worked out well for you! |
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qt4u Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2006 Posts: 15
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Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2006 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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VW really did thier homework when it came to the Vanagon's safety. It was a top priority for them. the Vanagon met or exceeded all requirements for passenger car crash standards-which was not required of vans at the time. When the Vanagon was introduced to the press years ago, the press was shown a head on crash test of a Vanagon and a full size Audi. The press was uninanimous in that none of them would have wanted to be in the Audi |
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[email protected] Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2004 Posts: 243 Location: Sunny AZ
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Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:11 am Post subject: glad you're okay |
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I saw those pics on the gallery first, and thought this was a recent accident.
glad you made it okay.
I was sitting at a stop light and got rear ended in my 62 ragtop bug by a lifted 4x4 doing ~40mph. Put the engine in the backseat (literally), pushed me into the car in front of me. Totalled his car and pushed him into the car in front of him.
I walked away with a bruised knee and elbow. |
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lovedavdubs Samba Member

Joined: April 30, 2004 Posts: 1597 Location: New York, NY.
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Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:51 am Post subject: |
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Rally up men we've found the culprit Just joking. Glad your ok. That’s a tough loss. Were the other people hurt in the accident or the subsequent beating you gave them for wrecking your Westy. Again…just joking. Some stupid jerk hit my 82 this weekend an split the scene and I’m just venting frustration. At least she’s still drivable
_________________ 82 Air-cooled Westy (Lola)...My other vehicle is a subway. |
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