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mmmcmax Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2007 Posts: 39 Location: Leeds UK
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:37 pm Post subject: Should I worry about safety? |
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Hi All. I'm new. Thinking about buying a 1970 microbus...However my girl and my parents are worried about safety...probably not for me but for my 7 month baby. I'm not intending to go hell for leather on the road but can the 1970 take a knock or two...or will it crumble (the one i'm looking at looks fairly solid)!
Cheers |
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VWBusrepairman Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2004 Posts: 4726
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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when it's your time to go, no vehicle will save you. Live a little and get the bus and make sure the infant is restrained correctly and hope for the best. Those child seats are affective in saving children.
Get the bus and welcome aboard! |
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jtauxe Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004 Posts: 5782 Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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We've had long and contentious discussions about this in the past. Use search to find them.
My personal opinion is that buses ain't safe. If you want safe, get your parents to help you buy a nice new minivan with airbags and everything. Then get a bus for fun. _________________ John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD
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mmmcmax Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2007 Posts: 39 Location: Leeds UK
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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parents buying me stuff...I wish.
Anyway...found probably the most scary discussion about crashing...don't read if you want to keep driving. I am beginning to feel very very scared and put off (pussy i hear you cry)
this is the link
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=54606 |
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60's Burnout Samba Member
Joined: December 10, 2006 Posts: 424 Location: SF Bay Area
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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Buy a motorbike and ride that. Then they won't be bitching about the bus. Live at Leeds? How far away? |
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Glenn Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001 Posts: 77214 Location: Sneaking up behind you
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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A 70 is a Bay... not a Micro Bus.
It's safe until you get into an accident, so don't get into one and you'll be OK. _________________ Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
#BlueSquare
עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51393 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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Funny someone should bring up motorcycles, You have to drive a bus like it's a bike (like you are invisible to other motorists) No bus is completely safe no matter what year, the 70 has the bonus frame rails under the front so it's a little more solid than an earlier one but the bottom line is you must drive it defensively, be aware of the road and assume everyone is going to try to hit you and your odds will improve dramatically.
You could get T boned by a monster suv in a new minivan and the outcome wouldn't be much different, why not drive the cool vehicle.
Get the bus, how can you deny your kid the opportunity of being dropped off at school in the coolest ride in the lot. Give my kids the choice and it's the bus any day.
And think of the coin you'll save on speeding tickets. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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fusername Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2006 Posts: 2897 Location: Boston MA
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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I could be very wrong, but i don't belive the reinforcement came in untill 73, with the introduction of Y braceing. Basicly the trick to surving in a bus is DONT GET HIT HEAD ON. you're much better off rolling off the road and into the trees on your side than hitting the car infront of you head on. I do belive amskeptic put it quite succinctly when he said
"These cars will do the glancing blow-triple rollover-backwards through the hedge-up the embankment-down the ditch-collect a few mailboxes-take out the fence type crash with aplomb.
Anything But Head-On. " _________________ [email protected]
Need something custom bent up? shoot me an email, maybe we can make it work!
FORSALE: Thrust cut T4 and 1.9 main bearings
obnoxiousblue wrote: |
Maybe Ben Pon's ghost comes and vomits NOS stampings for your bus, but not mine! |
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noino1966 Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: Venice, CA
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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is there any major improvements between the last of the bays and the early (say 71) bay... |
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Bart Dunn Samba Consiglieri
Joined: May 09, 2004 Posts: 2354 Location: Sea level (Mid Atlantic)
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noino1966 Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: Venice, CA
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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does anyone want to swap a 71...for a post 73? |
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60's Burnout Samba Member
Joined: December 10, 2006 Posts: 424 Location: SF Bay Area
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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noino1966 wrote: |
is there any major improvements between the last of the bays and the early (say 71) bay... |
They're all death traps. Just vary in degree. Buy a bike, not a pedal powered thing, something with a motor. Ride that. It's just a little bit safer than a bus. You're not going to live forever, however much you wish. You a Democrat? |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51393 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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After having spent WAY too long welding under a 70 and having looked at countless donors I can say for sure that the frame rails have an added Y that goes out to each door post, 69 and earlier don't. 73+ have the added bumper like structure welded to the front behind the bumper but underneath they are the same. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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noino1966 Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: Venice, CA
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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60's Burnout wrote: |
noino1966 wrote: |
is there any major improvements between the last of the bays and the early (say 71) bay... |
They're all death traps. Just vary in degree. Buy a bike, not a pedal powered thing, something with a motor. Ride that. It's just a little bit safer than a bus. You're not going to live forever, however much you wish. You a Democrat? |
No...Im a Socialist...I therefore believe everyone should have a Bay...
I have owned a Vespa (old one) for nearly a decade though so I know the perils of other peoples driving "techniques"... |
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mmmcmax Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2007 Posts: 39 Location: Leeds UK
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:57 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for all the tips and links guys...just woken up in the UK and seen all your comments.
So the 70 Deluxe Micro has this Y frame underneath??
I was originally going to get the bus lowered as part of the deal...is this a bad idea??? |
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Tylinol Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2006 Posts: 541 Location: TN
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:58 am Post subject: |
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mmmcmax wrote: |
Thanks for all the tips and links guys...just woken up in the UK and seen all your comments.
So the 70 Deluxe Micro has this Y frame underneath??
I was originally going to get the bus lowered as part of the deal...is this a bad idea??? |
If you're cocerned about safety, lowering is a bad idea. It drops the crumple zones out of the accident area and makes them effective only if you happen to run into a squirrel. _________________ 75 Deluxe Microbus - Finally alive and kicking!
72 Fiat 850 Spider - Finally alive and...oh wait, never mind...wait there it goes!...whoops, false alarm...oh - wait wait...nope, nothing. |
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VWBusrepairman Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2004 Posts: 4726
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 7:19 am Post subject: |
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mmmcmax wrote: |
Thanks for all the tips and links guys...just woken up in the UK and seen all your comments.
So the 70 Deluxe Micro has this Y frame underneath?? |
negative.
mmmcmax wrote: |
I was originally going to get the bus lowered as part of the deal...is this a bad idea??? |
lowering is an interesting look, but if you're a larger person, you will no longer be able to lie on the ground and reach under the bus to do a non-invasive oil change, unfortunately. |
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mmmcmax Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2007 Posts: 39 Location: Leeds UK
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 7:24 am Post subject: |
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I'm not talking real low...just one spline at the back and an adjustable bar up front.
After reading all the safety stuff you feel like never leaving the house...damn it I'm a snowboard that blast down reds at full pelt...no airbags or safty cages for me there!
Gonna call the bloke up this afternoon and put my deposit down!
Its a 1970 deluxe bay window microbus - 7 seats - anyone got anything bad to say??? |
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noino1966 Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: Venice, CA
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:44 am Post subject: |
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mmmcmax wrote: |
I'm not talking real low...just one spline at the back and an adjustable bar up front.
After reading all the safety stuff you feel like never leaving the house...damn it I'm a snowboard that blast down reds at full pelt...no airbags or safty cages for me there!
Gonna call the bloke up this afternoon and put my deposit down!
Its a 1970 deluxe bay window microbus - 7 seats - anyone got anything bad to say??? |
you get a lot of powder in Leeds then? |
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mmmcmax Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2007 Posts: 39 Location: Leeds UK
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:48 am Post subject: |
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only talcum powder. The French Alps are only a couple of hours away...mind you the snow is the worst its been for years.
1970 deluxe bay micro bus - anyone got comments? |
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