mako
Part of things
Posts: 271
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Let's say, hypothetically, that your girlfriend would become pregnant and she would insist you to get rid of a Corsa and buy something safer than that. What would you get? I'd be looking into the MB 123 series myself and box-Volvo's don't really ring my bell, but what else is there in the world of relatively accident safe daddy-retro's? Biggish and slammable late 70's / early 80's 4-dr sedans / wagons is the name of the game here so flame me with 'em piccies!
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'77 Datsun 100A, '79 Mitsubishi Sapporo 2000 GSR
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Safe retro's?Deleted
@Deleted
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Merc 126, or a Ford Granada. Both are 20-25% more safe than other cars the same age Volvo 240\740 is a safe choice too, or a saab 99\900
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Old cars and safe don't realy go together, I presume say a 5 series beemer of that period is going to relatively safe compaired to its competition at the time but it wont be as safe as the corsa, nothing of that period will be as safe as an early 90's car (although they were still making the mini in the early 90's)
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I would really really hate to think what would happen if i hit anoher car in my imp, with no crash structure, a one piece steering column, and the fuel tank right in front of my legs end of the day the more mass you get around your self, the more energy that is going to be dissapated by the other car or object, so i say go big, really big, 7 series? of the merc of course! J
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I bought a Mk1 Triumph 2000 of a man who had 2 baby seats in the back, it was his daily driver and he reckoned it was safer and stronger than modern stuff. 2500S estate
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Going looking for one of these next year for transporting junior, love a 6.9, can afford a 280
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filmidget
East Midlands
Mostly Lurking
Posts: 1,652
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For the very same reason we bought our first 7 series Volvo. Found we liked them so much we are now on our third (actually a 940). Wife finds them easy to drive, despite their size. The second one we sold to a very pregnant lady Wish I could find the pictures somebody posted where a 740 had tangled head-on with a Range Rover. And won. Buy a 2.3 turbo and IMO they are a bit Q-car. They are so uncool, they are almost back around to cool again EDIT: Though my alternative choice would be a big old Merc, or poss BMW.
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Last Edit: May 30, 2006 8:28:44 GMT by filmidget
'79 MG Midget 1500 - Still patiently awaiting attention '02 Vauxhall Astra 1.8 Elegance(!) - Better than you might think '03 Mazda MX5 - All new and shiny looking (thanks to Antony at Rust Republic) '09 Renault Clio - Needs to go.
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Sorted. Failing that, Mk1/2 Granada, Merc, Volvo or Bluebirds seem to be unstoppable as bangers. Whatever you find that's the least rusty is probably best. Hypothetical congratulations, too.
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This question always troubles me, as I have 2 kids and a love of Hillman Imps. I accept that they are never going to be the safest car out there, but I'll still take one of them in the front when we need to only move one at a time! It's a bit of a logistical nightmare sometimes as neither of the Imps have rear seatbelts. I guess I could buy a modern car, one with a 5 star NCAP safety rating, but I think as with all risk, you have to decide where on a sliding scale you choose what's acceptable. I always see Imps as safer than motorbikes (or sidecars in the case of little children ) but not as safe as moderns. FWIW I think a lot of the early Volvo saftey image was marketing more than fact. I also think it's really important, whatever car you drive, to strap your children in properly, with properly fitted and fitting car seats and good maintained seat-belts. You'd be amazed (or horrified) if you start looking at how a lot of people transport their children in "safe" modern cars! As for choice of car, I'd choose something with the most physical space between the rear seat passengers and any side of the car. Something with strong doors in case you get T'ed and nice and big so something would have to crumple in a long way to get them from front and back. And professionally done rear belts, of course! Graham
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paul4be
Part of things
'86 Capri Laser, Frontera 4x4
Posts: 395
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As has been said, Merc 123, Volvo 200 series or a Rover SD1 if not rusty.
Having had all 3, they are all well solid. The only 1 I crashed in was the SD1. Somebody pulled out in front and left me nowhere to go. Wrote his car off, I drove the Rover home with a bent bumper, smashed headlight and slight dent to the bonnet, top job!!!
Merc and Volvo are probably the safest from the period though.
Think back to the Top Gear test where they crashed 3 old cars into a wall. Only the Volvo 700 stood up and drove away, despite crashing at a greater speed than the others.
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Styuff like Landrovers are not safe. Sure the vehicle holds up well in an impact but the occupants take all the force of the impact. You want to see what a falicy the "big car = safe" argeument is, then pick up a book called Historic Car Wrecks in Photos. Its a book of police scenes of crime photos from about 1945-1965 in the US. One I remember was a formerly very pretty lass who was practically decapitated in a late 50s Buick convertible. Steering colum is all one piece and had hit her square in the throat when she'd left the road after a blow out.
With the big cars you are safe if you hit something smaller / softer. If you hit something hard (tree, phone pole, ditch, etc) you have all that extar energy to disipate and the soft squishy bodies inside take the brunt. Thats one of the reasons some of those big 4x4s have such poor safety records.
Cars I remember as having very good safety records (pre NCAP I saw some Scandanavian Insurance company data on safety and likelyhood of sever injury). The very best stuff was Mercedes S class, Vauxhall Astra Mk1, these were the only two in the A+ class. The very worst cars were: Ford Sierra, Ford Escort Mk4, Seat Ibiza (System Porsche type), Fiat Uno. These were rated "red" in group E. Even the 2CV, Reliant Robin and Fiat Panda got into group D....
This data was based on severity of injury of people involved in accidents in these cars rather than what happened to a test dummy.
Other good small cars were the VW Golf Mk2, VW Polo Mk2. The Astra Mk2 was middling, which is odd as the Mk1 did so well. Something to do with the way the panels are stressed on the Mk1 causes more energy to be dispiated bending them. Most of the Volvos were in group C, the safety thing being a bit of a myth there...
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Mr Vincent
Part of things
Hiding In The Shed ......
Posts: 605
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Mk3/4/5 Cortinas, cheep as chips (Mk5`s) Mk2 Grandads, built like tanks,
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Rusty`s Motorcycles
OLD SKOOL RETRO CAR CLUB
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I wonder if I will change my opinion when I have kids (i.e. never), but up to now I have never paid the slightest attention to the ‘safety factor’ of whatever old heap I’ve been driving. As alistairK says, a lot of these big tanks that people wrap themselves up in on the grounds of ‘safety’ are not necessarily going to look after you in a mishap. Also the mushy reponses, huge bulk and big fat vision-blocking screen pillars of many of the safest ‘moderns’ must count against them when it comes to avoiding accidents, although they are doubtless better places to be when an accident does finally happen. I say bo11ox to it, you could argue that cycling was ‘dangerous’ because you are not encased in steel while you do it, you’ve just got to look after yourself as best you can, hence my contribution to road safety is to wear a seatbelt and not drive like a cock, but that’s about it really.
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1972 Fiat 130 1985 Talbot Alpine 1974 Lancia Beta Saloon 1975 + 1986 Mazda 929 Koop + Wagon 1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica 1977 Toyota Carina TA14 BEST CAR EVER!!!!!!!! 1979 Datsun B310 Sunny 4-dr 1984 Audi 200 Quattro Turbo 1983 Honda Accord 1.6 DX GONE1989 Alfa 75 2.0 TS Mr T says: TREAT YO MOTHER RIGHT!
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K5
Part of things
Drives Vauxhall Ampera and Kadett E GT and sometimes camp out in our 1988 Classic Hymer
Posts: 579
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May i point you to one of these? Good safety record in their day. Get a solid one and they are very reliable as well. The car in the picture is mine and has not failed me since i have owned her.
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Retro Classic cars and parts found, bought and sold from Catalunya. PM me for more details.
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street
Posted a lot
6.2 ft/lbs of talk
Posts: 4,662
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May 30, 2006 10:06:07 GMT
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Thats a good point Mr.B. I always think to myself that crashing a 70's car in the 70's will be quite different to crashing a 70's car now. Stuffing your SD1 into a Cortina could be quite catastrophic, but stuffing your SD1 into a something your likely to run into today with all its crumple zones and plastic bumpers must be like running into a mattress by comparison. But of course, running into a brick wall in a 70's car is the same in any decade.
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BigWig
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,101
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May 30, 2006 10:15:13 GMT
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I was involved in an accident on the M25 on Saturday. I was driving a new shape Mondeo tdci and a Berlingo van drove into the back of me, you should have seen the Berlingo, it was in trouble, but the Mondeo didn't flinch. Rear impact beams saved the day. If I would have been in e.g. my 106 I would have been sent into orbit and the rear passengers would have been injured.
When I have a family I'm going to put them in a tank. Volvo V70's are brill as are 850's, have you thought about one?
I've been brought up around motorsport and salvage companies (old man is a motor engineer) so to say accidents put the $hitter$ up me is an under statement. As in what could happen, I agree about b posts though, modern cars are murder for them, I nearly missed an old dear crossing the road in Feb!
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May 30, 2006 10:17:00 GMT
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The trick is, as Mr B says, to not drive like an eejyit. One of the things with retro cars, is you've gotta accept they are not moderns, and you need to treat them as such. My view of moderns, is that people become dependant on the ABS, the air-bags and crumple zones, and so drive a little less carefully. I'm yet to see a mint classic stove into another car, but I've seen plenty of moderns do just that, as the driver has given themselves too little time to brake, or become far too reliant on the safety features, and therefore become a little lax with their driving. On topic Something with lots of room in the back and hard sides, so if anyone hits you, you'll bear up OK. German, something like an old Audi 100 Avant, VW Passat, BMW or Merc wagon. Brit ,Ford, Granada, Cortina maybee, VX Carlton Wagon? Senator? Old Rover (SD1 or similar) J Tin, a Laurel perhaps?, large Toyota?
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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May 30, 2006 10:34:19 GMT
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has to be a volvo really ;D
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once again rocking with 1117cc and 4 gears!
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May 30, 2006 10:41:27 GMT
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Have a look at a classic salvage auction some time... I have seen some mint classics wrecked. About a year ago there was a beautiful '56 Chevy with frnt and rear heavy got plowed on the motorway or something. Saw a mint HA Viva with heavy frontal quarter which mademe very sad. 30K original miles too. I used to love a certain '65 Galaxie but then I saw it on eBay as a salvage car, bent like a banana where the guy lost it and wrapped round a pole.
You also have to remember no matter how safe you drive that theres still idiots on the road.
I did an IAM course (failed the test though) but it was very good for teaching hazard perception. I think thats kept me out of trouble since. So many people I hear who have accidents "I never expected that..." or "how was I to know he was going to go straight on when he was signalling left" etc...
Although all this is a bit rich coming from me when I happily drive cars with no seat belts in them and so forth...
One of our Minis was hit in the rear by a Transit van and the rear screen didn;t even break. Stood up very well to the impact considering the van was hheavy and doing about 30-35 when it hit.
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Last Edit: May 30, 2006 10:42:26 GMT by akku
1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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GJM
Posted a lot
Alloy engines; like communism- great in theory.
Posts: 1,393
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May 30, 2006 11:01:51 GMT
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To some earlier posters, you shouldnt under estimate the Imps hardiness in a crash. Sadly witnessed crash involving an Imp, quite a large one and it stood up incredibly well to it. Nearly came off better than the 'modern' that was also involved and the Imps driver got off relitavely well. Having seen it i must say it actualy made me feel a lot better about driving my Imp.
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