side impact protection on old car?

dondarnell · 03-31-2012, 08:52 PM

I have a 1966 Alfa Giulia Sprint GT, which my soon to be driving son has an interest (he has no interest in Porsches - too conspicuous for his tastes). I am concerned about the safety of this car in general, but mostly about side impact protection, which would be about nil in any car made in 1966. Considering installing some kind of side protection, but I don't want a full cage because I think its a bad idea to have anything near your head unless you have a helmet on (not looking for a debate on this topic).

Wondering if anyone has considered the same issue. I am thinking of some sort of a harness bar behind the seats with a bar or two between the seat and door tied to the harness bar (kind of a low hoop), and then brace it in front of the seats, just under the front of the seat, tied into the floor at at least four points. My thought with the side bar is that it would be below the hip, because I don't want it to impact the driver in an accident. Anyone done this have any thoughts on this?

island911 · 03-31-2012, 10:59 PM

Don't get T-boned . . . don't slide sideways into a tree.

IMO, there is not a lot you can do structurally (not much room, and an extra ton of weight might be difficult to get to and from speed. . . a harness bar might help a little bit.) So, get him to be well aware of the fragile old box housing his fragile body. ...He'll be driving a ping-pong ball. Stay away from paddles.

Rick V · 04-01-2012, 01:30 AM

How about a roll bar, and not a cage? One that bolts in at the lower B pillars and rearward. It would also help with body flex.

onewhippedpuppy · 04-01-2012, 03:31 AM

Your son has fantastic taste in cars, weren't we just talking on here about how kids don't have an interest in cars anymore?

You're not going to ever make an old car "safe" by modern standards. That nice little Alfa was built before anyone had even thought of crumple zones, airbags, padded dash, collapsible steering columns, side impact protection, etc. Short of protecting him with a full cage there's not much you can really do to replace decades of safety engineering. Think of it this way - it's still safer than a motorcycle.

Instrument 41 · 04-01-2012, 04:03 AM

Its neat that he has interest in old European cars. But one for a daily driver? For your son? Is he mechanically competent to handle a breakdown or a flooded carb? Are you ready to climb out of bed at 2 AM because it won't start? Let him have it as a toy and out him in a boring but reliable honda civic.

Steve Carlton · 04-01-2012, 04:05 AM

I know a guy who at 16 years of age slid his dad's '71 Alfa Spider sideways into a '67 Mustang in a residential neighborhood. He was driving way too fast and came up over a rise with "good tires, but not great tires." The car had less than 10,000 miles on it and was in the body shop for a long time after that. I felt really bad about that.

Christien · Christien's Garage

Subscribing, not because I have anything to add, but because I'm interested in this discussion. I've often got our 2 young kids in the back of the 911, and I do worry about safety, with the car being that old. Like others have said, I figure it's critical to avoid accidents at all costs, so I do take steps to do so, though of course some accidents are unavoidable.

Steve Carlton · 04-01-2012, 04:15 AM

Exactly. Especially with Michelin MXVs.

onewhippedpuppy · 04-01-2012, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

I know a guy who at 16 years of age slid his dad's '71 Alfa Spider sideways into a '67 Mustang in a residential neighborhood. He was driving way too fast and came up over a rise with "good tires, but not great tires." The car had less than 10,000 miles on it and was in the body shop for a long time after that. I felt really bad about that.

Good advice here. Not to mention the beating that cars take in a high school or college parking lot, and the fact that inevitably he's going to hit something. Repairing the cheap Civic is going to be much cheaper than an old Alfa.

gprsh924 · 04-01-2012, 04:37 AM

I drove an 87 924S as my first car. Knowing it had zero safety features puts a certain amount of respect into you.

And it's going to be cheaper to drive and fix an existing car than it will be to buy another car, even if it's a cheap one.

dondarnell · 04-01-2012, 06:49 AM

He won't use the Alfa as a daily driver. I have a 2004 crew cab 4x4 Colorado that he will use daily. Not a babe magnet. Its perfect for a teenager - slow, ugly, reliable, and safe.

dondarnell · 04-01-2012, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick V

How about a roll bar, and not a cage? One that bolts in at the lower B pillars and rearward. It would also help with body flex.

I'm thinking of a low bar behind the seats, but my main concern is side impact protection. He is a very cautious person, so I am less concerned about what trouble he will create, and more concerned about the conduct of others and a possible t-bone.

I know it can be a heated debate on the safety of roll bars in street cars, but I tend to agree that you don't want a bar that has contact with a human head with the range of possibilities, however remote.

recycled sixtie · recycled sixtie's Garage

I agree the bigger the vehicle the better. However the #1 thing in my mind is how good a driver is he? Hopefully he is patient. Fortunately my 23 year old daughter has been accident free and has driven 6 years and she is extremely patient. His safety largely depends on him. Just how good a driver is he?