Re: Audi 100 Gives up the Ghost for Owner

[Wolff <quattro200@earthlink.net>]

You will find that 4 feet of engine crush zone is a much better thing
than 6 inches of door travel. There's no way to beat physics. You just
do not want to be "T" boned. Additionally as it turns out, the human
body can take more g's front to back than it can side to side. Again you
are much better off being the "T" boner than the "T" bonee. 
    Also it is a fallacy that a stronger car is safer. You want the
passenger area to be strong to be safe, but you want the ends of the car
to crush in an accident to absorb energy. For example, look at the
bottom of a modern engine hood and you'll see that there is a weaker
area across it about half way back. This is so the hood will fold,
rather than push back through the windshield and decapitate the driver.
(BTW, I don't see this soft spot on any of my 4 Audis, has anyone seen
one folded?) The type 44 cars have a hood that is designed to slide up
the rails next to the windshield if I remember correctly.
    The older US built cars typically had frame rails running the length
of the car. These were very strong and did an excellent job of
transmitting the maximum amount of g force to the passengers in a wreck
since the frame did not crush. This is a bad thing. 
    Also be aware that car vs. car is obviously bad, but car vs. tree is
really bad. Trees just don't have much of a crush zone.
Wolff


> I like to see the damage difference between 2 cars.  Compare a american car,
> which 'supposely' is safer and stronger than any Japanese car and some German
> cars.
>