Doesn't really matter where the airbag sensors are located. They work by inertia. It's not the impact that sets them off. It's the sudden stopping of forward motion. Usually to set off front impact bags the direction of impact has to fall within 15* either side of the centerline of the vehicle.

J

ding ding ding....We have a winner!

A few more pictures from today. I'll be pulling the motor out tomorrow.

The first three pictures are of the right front suspension and front differential. I was kind of surprised when I pulled the lower shielding off to find the inner stub axle pulled out of the front differential. :eek:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326155454.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326155475.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326155496.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326155532.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326155550.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326155568.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326155589.jpg

Wow!

Yea, wow. !!

That has to be the luckiest guy on the planet to walk away from that.

The radio looks okay, he can reuse the gauges.

I wonder what that did to the inside of the motor, if it hit hard enough to break all that other stuff.

Actually, we stuck a battery in it this morning and fired it up. We only ran it for a few second because it was pouring power steering fluid out of a ruptured hose. It started immediatly and ran smooth. It smoked a bit at first. Not surprising though because the car was upside down for awhile before being flipped back onto its wheels.

When I see an engine like this, I worry about how long the engine ran while upside down (oil starved). Is that logged by the car? Is it shut down by electronics? If it is shut down by electronics, when did that feature start showing up?

Probably not very long - the gas tank is upside down too and it'll start sucking air pretty quickly.

These motors are dry sump so they are a little less affected by gravity than wet-sump set-ups. Still, they weren't designed to work as well upside-down.

That's internet lingo for: I was being an idiot and Fuched UP!

There's no way to know that.

Jeezus, Dan; put a towel around that compressor - you'll scratch the paint!!!!!

I have several stray thoughts I just feel the need to express:

Safety by design. Built to avoid dangerous situations, built to withstand devastating blows. I have seen several after accident photos on this site and it amazes me how so many people are walking away from horrible wrecks. I wonder if they would have faired as well in a lesser vehicle?

What is the force required to break those parts? I've broken many things in my life, never something forged like that!

Lots of expensive metal for scrapping to recover some cost, some good bits left to recover costs.

I hope the engine is good, wonder if anything can be saved from the transmission?

Gogar,

I might agree with you but from the photo it looks like he MIGHT be scratching some leather back there! That is just wrong!

I would be willing to bet that the motor was killed upon first impact or very soon after.
One of the nice things about taking a car apart that is not going back together is you don't have to worry too much about scratching it. Of course, I have protected all the good parts as best as possible. Where the compressor is laying the interior has already been removed. :)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326229706.jpg

More progress...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326229762.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326229783.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326229810.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326229831.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326229851.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1326229874.jpg

So, ya gonna weld up the case and use the tranny? I think I would.

saw this peach in person today.. what a shame. reminded me a bit of the strip of my car for the racecar transformation, 'cept all the dents n dings...

Gotta see if anything is bent in it first. If its straight I would be surprised.

While the driver's description is interesting (and insurance co safe), I find it hard to believe that legal speeds could cause the forces necessary to break some of those parts.

You'd be very suprised, evidently, at how easily those types of things break when they're the only items that can 'give'

Try hitting a curb at 20 mph and see if your cast aluminum uprights or control arms stick around