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Fool economy
- Thread starter Nickodell
- Start date
O
odl21
i'm sure its still safer than any sunbeam...
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odl21
funny thing is, i have a seriously overweight collegue who owns a toyota 'pius' and thinks my 5.0 v8 is so irresponsible.
difference is, i rarely drive and cycle my one mile comute. he drives absolutely everywhere and actually spends significantly more on gas each year than i do.
he'd be better for the environment if he lost some weight and bought a v8...
difference is, i rarely drive and cycle my one mile comute. he drives absolutely everywhere and actually spends significantly more on gas each year than i do.
he'd be better for the environment if he lost some weight and bought a v8...
65beam
Donation Time
safety of the sunbeam
take a look at the photos of the crash tests done on alpines in the 60's.the nose bent but from the scuttle back it was in great shape.one of my friends put his series 2 over a hill and smacked a tree head on in 1968 and walked away.i feel secure until i pull up beside a hummer and look under it.
take a look at the photos of the crash tests done on alpines in the 60's.the nose bent but from the scuttle back it was in great shape.one of my friends put his series 2 over a hill and smacked a tree head on in 1968 and walked away.i feel secure until i pull up beside a hummer and look under it.
O
odl21
i wouldn't want to see what happens to an alpine in a side impact.
to be honest, its not easy to look at a couple of crash pictures and see what would happen and, further, a single isolated example of someone being ok doesn't say much because every crash (even ones that look similar) can be very different.
a modern car is designed to crumple as much as possible without infringing on the passenger's space and '60s cars just didn't have that technology. lets not kid ourselves that sunbeams are safer than any modern car in any way.
to be honest, its not easy to look at a couple of crash pictures and see what would happen and, further, a single isolated example of someone being ok doesn't say much because every crash (even ones that look similar) can be very different.
a modern car is designed to crumple as much as possible without infringing on the passenger's space and '60s cars just didn't have that technology. lets not kid ourselves that sunbeams are safer than any modern car in any way.
Nickodell
Donation Time
Wasn't that the car driven by one of the late popes?
A pal of mine does drive a Prius, and for a joke had a local company sand-cast a script similar to the Prius one, but reading Priapus. He thought people would see the joke, but even with the Cialis and Viagra commercials mentioning the dangers of priapism, almost nobody understands it. When anybody asks him what it means he now tells them to look it up in Webster. I suppose you could call the joke a flop (pause for laughter).
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odl21
its not funny because its got nothing to do with the car
pious on the other hand nicely fits the stereotypical owner (must i explain...).
anyhow, i don't want to come over as a planet basher. as i said, i'm actually pretty environmentally conscious.
skywords
Donation Time
Hey I resemble that remark. All I have to do is look at food and weight piles on. Up till age thirty I was a lean musclular machine 165lbs, Now well.....
When I ride my bicycle people tell me I look like a watermelon on a razorblade.
Infact I think my Alpine going straight looks like I am cornering hard to the right. Maybe should torch the R/H springs
Install one seat on centerline? Five psi tire pressure Starboard. Maybe I should mount that Quad 4 on a slant? Weight problems are in my family. The gaurds at the TWA facility where my Dad was based used to have a running bet as what his weight was. When he found out about it I think it hurt his feelings alittle but he joined in all the laughter. He is and always will be my greatest hero.
Nick - that joke was rather flaccid.
Nobody has mentioned the obvious danger in a rear end collision with the Alpine, especially with the Series 3 through V Alpines - twin tanks and a single connecting pipe would guarantee fuel all over the crash scene, just waiting for a spark to get the party started.
skywords
Donation Time
Nick - that joke was rather flaccid.
Nobody has mentioned the obvious danger in a rear end collision with the Alpine, especially with the Series 3 through V Alpines - twin tanks and a single connecting pipe would guarantee fuel all over the crash scene, just waiting for a spark to get the party started.
My biggest fear in a rear collision is the seats failing and my head hitting the back bulkhead. I have seen that movie having had my head go thru the rear window in my Ford F-100 pickup after being clobbered by another truck going 45 mph. The vertical tubes on the early Alpine seats are pretty whimpy. My guess is that in any hard rear end crash most modern SUV type vehicles are going to climb right over the top of you and fire will be a no factor in your survival anyway.
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odl21
then let us be thankful for crap brakes. reduces the chance of being hit from behind...
Why is it that we discuss the safety of our Alpines, in comparison to modern cars all the time?? This has been a pet peeve of mine. These cars are fourty years old, for Pete's sake. They have survived that many years, because they are well built. If you aren't careful when you drive, you can get killed in any new car too.
I really believe that many people get into accidents because they get careless, thinking their new car is a tank, so they don't need to pay attention to their driving. If we are going to worry about our Alpines being unsafe, why do we own them? I have owned Alpines since 1975. Have driven them every day, for years. I have crossed the country twice in them, traveling at speeds that were over the limit, yet felt completely safe doing it. The Alpine is a good handling car, so can avoid situations that might catch other less capable cars.
For those that are nervous about driving an Alpine, you might want to consider buying a Mazda Miata, with all the bells and whistles of safety equipment. That way, you wouldn't be worried about your car killing you.
Jose
I really believe that many people get into accidents because they get careless, thinking their new car is a tank, so they don't need to pay attention to their driving. If we are going to worry about our Alpines being unsafe, why do we own them? I have owned Alpines since 1975. Have driven them every day, for years. I have crossed the country twice in them, traveling at speeds that were over the limit, yet felt completely safe doing it. The Alpine is a good handling car, so can avoid situations that might catch other less capable cars.
For those that are nervous about driving an Alpine, you might want to consider buying a Mazda Miata, with all the bells and whistles of safety equipment. That way, you wouldn't be worried about your car killing you.
Jose
Jeff Scoville
Donation Time
When I got hit head-on a couple years ago on my Harley, I probably would have been injured much more severly had I been in a Sunbeam.
As it was I cleared the cab of the truck and only tore something in my shoulder as I landed, had I been in the car, I would have been eating dashboard.
So is a Harley better in a crash?
ANY vehicle in a CERTIAN crash is a deathtrap.
Only God will decide how many wheels there are on my coffin.
My wife won't let me take my daughters in the Sunbeams yet, or a bike for that matter. And to be honest I can't put both girls in at the same time anyhow so there's not much oportunity.
At this point they are 3 and 6 yrs old so we have plenty of time. I just hope their mother doesn't make them wait til they're 21 to drive thier own Alpines!
Didn't this whole thing start about mileage?
My truck gets 8mpg (8.1 litre)
The Alpine around 30 (1.6 litre)
Sold the bike so that doesn't matter.
I need to find a way to have both girls in the Alpine safely!
As it was I cleared the cab of the truck and only tore something in my shoulder as I landed, had I been in the car, I would have been eating dashboard.
So is a Harley better in a crash?
ANY vehicle in a CERTIAN crash is a deathtrap.
Only God will decide how many wheels there are on my coffin.
My wife won't let me take my daughters in the Sunbeams yet, or a bike for that matter. And to be honest I can't put both girls in at the same time anyhow so there's not much oportunity.
At this point they are 3 and 6 yrs old so we have plenty of time. I just hope their mother doesn't make them wait til they're 21 to drive thier own Alpines!
Didn't this whole thing start about mileage?
My truck gets 8mpg (8.1 litre)
The Alpine around 30 (1.6 litre)
Sold the bike so that doesn't matter.
I need to find a way to have both girls in the Alpine safely!
Jeff Scoville
Donation Time
Oh, for the record, I feel safe in either vehicle.
Except when the top is up, yuck!
Except when the top is up, yuck!
husky drvr
Platinum Level Sponsor
Jeff,
You need a Rapier convertible.
RootesRooter
Donation Time
I just removed the roll bar from my Series V after many years. If I had ever been hit in even a minor rear-ender, my head would have hit the bar hard, and it could have been lights out for good, even with padding. The odds of the car rolling over are minute compared to a rear-end collision, and the show bar probably would've only stayed intact for one good thump anyway.
Dick Sanders
Dick Sanders
Nickodell
Donation Time
pious on the other hand nicely fits the stereotypical owner (must i explain...).
.
The pope joke was because you spelt it pius (not pious). You know, as in Pius 12. Oh never mind.
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odl21
alpine_64
Donation Time
The alpines long front goes some way to helping in a crash, but they are a stiff car and ultimately the first ting that will crumple in an accident is you. The fuel tanks in the back are a big issue, and i wouldnt be waiting for the spark to start the fire, but the hot exhaust that the fuel will be dripping on.
As for accidents, i was lucky to walk out of a big one in an alpine in 1999. I got t-boned at an intersection by someone running a red light. They did not break and hit the left rear wheel square on at an estimated 80kph (50mph). The alpine was spun round twice and into a traffic sign.
The car that hit us (a nissan 91 pintara) had its roof crinkled and its frount strut turret bent round almost 90 deg. The alpine had a roll bar and modern seats. It was rebuilt but the back needed to be straightened and it did actually rupture the tank (SII) The other car was written off.
I had a bruised spine and the passenger was thrown out of the car, we were both VERY lucky to get out without worse injury.
As for accidents, i was lucky to walk out of a big one in an alpine in 1999. I got t-boned at an intersection by someone running a red light. They did not break and hit the left rear wheel square on at an estimated 80kph (50mph). The alpine was spun round twice and into a traffic sign.
The car that hit us (a nissan 91 pintara) had its roof crinkled and its frount strut turret bent round almost 90 deg. The alpine had a roll bar and modern seats. It was rebuilt but the back needed to be straightened and it did actually rupture the tank (SII) The other car was written off.
I had a bruised spine and the passenger was thrown out of the car, we were both VERY lucky to get out without worse injury.
Nickodell
Donation Time
means the same thing ... oh never mind.
Doesn't. (Not according to Webster or the OED). So there.