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Make a 240z safer.

asuly

By asuly
in S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z

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asuly Newbie

asuly

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It is to my understanding that the early z' s are not exactly very safe in a collision, due to a bad crumple zone,lack of airbags,etc. Let me know if I am incorrect. I am coming close to becoming 16 and I want to make sure that a 240z isnt to bad of a choice saftey wise, as a possible daily driver. I have heard that putting roll cages in street cars can be even more dangerous then without because you can hit you head on a metal bar. Will frame reinforcments, harnesses, rollcage(with padding?), racing seats,other ideas? help icrease the saftey of the car? if not is there any possible way to do this on a budget? Thanks alot let me know.

 

Alex

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rturbo 930 Apprentice

rturbo 930

Posted
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It is to my understanding that the early z' s are not exactly very safe in a collision, due to a bad crumple zone,lack of airbags,etc. Let me know if I am incorrect. I am coming close to becoming 16 and I want to make sure that a 240z isnt to bad of a choice saftey wise, as a possible daily driver. I have heard that putting roll cages in street cars can be even more dangerous then without because you can hit you head on a metal bar. Will frame reinforcments, harnesses, rollcage(with padding?), racing seats,other ideas? help icrease the saftey of the car? if not is there any possible way to do this on a budget? Thanks alot let me know.

 

Alex

The 240Z is a 40 year old tin can. Safety-wise, it is a horrible choice. Also, "budget" and "safety" should never be in the same sentence.

 

If I wanted a safe car, I'd get a Benz or a Volvo.

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Tony D Rookie

Tony D

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You are misinformed. It has crumple zones---anybody with collision experience will attest to that. I personally have witnessed a 280Z at 70mph punt a late model Dodge Neon about 100 feet off course and be back driving the next morning (Neon was crushed to the point of unuseability!)

 

If anybody says the Z doesn't have a crumple zone, they haven't done a 5mph run into a concrete pole and saw how they crumple!

 

 

It takes a lot of EXTREME driving to do THIS:

 

ErikssonCrash2s.jpg

 

The culpable party is standing proudly by his carnage... That car had a roll hoop as safety equipment. A freakin' single hoop over the driver and navigator's head. No cage, no tubular frame...

 

ErikssonCrash1s.jpg

 

Looks damn durable for what it went through!

Edited by Tony D
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getoffmyinternet Newbie

getoffmyinternet

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What's so special about a volvo? Seems like any car will take quite a beating if hit just right. They may not all blow up if rear-ended, but still... The only thing I'm worried about is being T-boned right in the door, not much room to give there. But this fear isn't limited to z cars, I've seen plenty of late model cars instantly become super-compacts.

 

If airbags equate to safety then good luck with your classic car interest. Small cars might have less to work with though; I would feel less safe in a mini cooper, airbags or not. Obviously roll cages etc. help any car or people wouldn't be using them. The character in deathproof seemed to make out alright. Well, up until the baseball bat.

 

I've heard, and am wondering how true this is, that unibodies are inherently safer than body on frame. My thought is that the entire care becomes part of the structural integrity and rigidity as opposed to most of the strength being in the frame under the car where it can't really help you any.

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johnc Newbie

johnc

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From a related post:

[modern safety design in the S30] Well, yes it does:

 

1. Collapsible steering column.

2. Reinforced door bars and door jams (280Z).

3. Controlled crush zones front and rear.

4. Padded safety dash.

5. Padded steering wheel.

6. Safety glass.

7. Rollover anti-spill fuel tank.

8. Dual brake circuits.

9. DOT side market lighting.

10. 5 mph bumpbers (280Z).

11. Engine and trans designed to move down in a head on impact.

12. Lap and shoulder harness (intertial reel in the 280Z).

13. Reinforced seat backs.

14. Anti-whiplash head rests.

15. Seat mounts designed to move inwards in a side impact (280Z).

16. High strength steel in the roof structure (280Z).

 

And that's just items off the top of my head that are in the S30 and modern cars.

 

S30s are not death traps. There are lots of guys here who were in big crashes in S30s and walked away.

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19762802+2 Newbie

19762802+2

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The driver is a big part of the safety of the vehicle too. If your an aggressive driver and put yourself in situations where you could get in an accident (running red lights, speeding, etc., etc.) then any vehicle can be dangerous even if it is more modern and has a lot more safety features. If your a defensive driver and try to do everything you can to avoid an accident you are more likely to be safe and survive a crash. Sure their are certain scenarios where its out of your control and there isn't much you can do about that except always be alert and cautious. People have died in modern vehicles also just because they have airbags and all the extra stuff doesn't always mean they are safer, People have been killed because of airbags as well.

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asuly Newbie

asuly

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Thank you very much for all of the respponses, the pictures and videos were nice too. I feel that i am still very much interested in the early z's and after reading your responses and further research I think a 280z (although I like the 240z more) with a light roll bar (with heavy padding) , 4 point harnesses,disc brakes,racing seats, and maybe some sort of side nerf bars? I am not exactly looking for a safe car, I am just trying to make an older car safer.

 

I feel that I will be a fairly defensive driver as I will be spending money that I have been saving my whole life on this car, but who knows, I have never actualy driven on heavily populated streets.

 

Im still learning this stuff although I have been interested in Z cars for a while. I have a 280zx that was given to me for free from a friend and I was able to get it running and now I am selling it to get money for an earlier z.Let me know you opinions on my plan.

 

Thanks alot for the help.

 

Alex

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cygnusx1 Newbie

cygnusx1

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Volvo = safe, is the product of one of the best marketing campaigns in automotive history.  Volvo was at a disadvantage in it's early days because its cars were too damn heavy for their time.  A genius marketing wizard equated "heavy" to "strong".  The rest is history.

 

 

 

 

So many people come up to me and talk about that nasty accident that they had, in their S30, back in the day.  Most of them claim that they walked out.  I know a few personally.  I even remember an interview with some hair-band where the lead singer...or guitarist recaps his experience with flipping his Z several times on the highway, at ludicrous speeds. 

Edited by cygnusx1
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