C3 Crash Tests

[SwaveDave]

Does anyone have a site on Crash tests done on C3's ?? Ive always been curious to know how my vette would stand up to a crash. Ive only seen fender bender accidents with Corvettes ; have you or someone you know been in a fairly big collision with a Vette ? If so, how did the car (and the driver) do ???

Thanks, Dave

 

[SwaveDave]

'C.D.L.' (crash dummy Len) ,

Can u tell us more about the accident such as : How fast you were going, point of impact, was the Mustang moving , any damage to engine , did the dash move backward toward you, did you get whiplashed, and dollar amount of damage to your vette ?

thanks. dave

 

[SwaveDave]

Well...im glad to hear you were not hurt badly. There couldnt have been much engine damage for $3,000 ; mostly body damage. Ive noticed , that, the paint jobs back in the 70's were lousy compared to today. Technology has changed, i guess. Nice pic. Im partial to 1970 's ; im on my second one.

Hope the insurance company treated you right. I have agreed value insurance on mine....seems like the safest way to go.

Dave

 

[AKRAY4PLAY]

$3000 in 1970 was quite a bit of money. didn't most small block Vettes sell new for around $6-7000?? if you use that as a price base, then the damage was half the value of the car. just another way of looking at a sad sad situation. lets hope nobody has to find out how C3's handle major impacts!! Brian

 

[Copdogcorvettes]

Hi there,
About two years ago a new Dodge darango pulled out in front of me and my 80 vette. I was doing about 35MPH when this 4X4 darted across the the road less than 50 feet in front of me. Didn't have much of a chance to do much. I hit it between the wheels at about the front door. The vette being low went under the darango half way up the hood. It sounded like stepping on a kids toy on the floor, only much louder. The Darango was flipped all the way over onto its top.
My main injury were a hyper-extended left thumb, bruised elbow and small bruise on my forehead from the sun visor that broke off. Most of this do to the fact that the seat belt did not lock up on impact. I still have problems with that thumb.
The only part of the front body that was intact was one turn siginal and a side light. The left front frame rail bent, but to my surprise the motor was still running. Motor and radiator were not hurt. The glass T-top did not crack and for the most part nothing was hurt from the firewall back except for a small crack in the corner of the drivers door from the fender coming back into it. My 71k miles stopless vette was totalled to say the least.
Being a Police Officer I've been to a lot of wreaks and I'm pretty lucking and the vette held up pretty good from my point of view. I wish I had the accident pictures on the computer to send you, but don't have a scanner.
Hope this is of some help. Oh the Ins. paid me $11500 for the vette; as I said it was stopless. I bought it back for $1300 and parted it out. I still have some parts that fit my '78. The lost of your first vette this way was hard.

Gary

 

[Tom73]

$3000 in 1970 was quite a bit of money.

Yes it was. A '70 conv started at abour $4800. That is about 62% of the price of the car. Compared to todays Corvette at $48,000 that would be about $30,000 in damage.

tom...

 

[Tom Bryant]

My Mother in law was t-boned in her '79 L82 several years ago. She was turning left into her complex when a drunk decided to pass everybody and slammed into her left side. She didn't wear seat belts much back then and she was pinned against the right door. This was one of those rare cases when not wearing a belt saved her life. Not sure what the drunk was driving but it was imbedded halfway through the '79. He was going around 50 at impact they thought. They had to cut the car appart to get her out. She had a fractured pelvis, broken ribs, internal injuries and a lot of bruising and spent a long time in the hospital.

Then later she bought a new '87 blue convertible. Pretty much wore it out and now drives a SUV but still likes Corvettes.

Tom