What's it like to be in a roadster wreck

[dbrick]

Alvin is right on many points, I agree on the reinforcements, seat bolts are just in thin sh*t, I mean sheet metal, really need a substantial, hard washer. Seatbelt s in my car are in the stock holes, so can't improve them much, but I have newer 747 seatbelts (FAA approved). I am going to make a collapsible column for the 64.

In reality, looking at passenger-miles in a Datsun vs. daily driver, the likelihood is greater in your regular car, but either way it's a crapshoot and the reality is you will probably not do as well in an older car, depending on what you hit or what hits you, as a modern one. It's simple physics. When I was a kid I was a backseat passenger in a 68 Ford Country Squire wagon, T boned by a 68 Pontiac Bonneville at 50 MPH. We all walked, no seatbelts, brother had a concussion, I still have a slight limp. That's not the usual outcome, so my luck is used up.

But If I have to be scraped off the dashboard, if I'm in (or in this case, ON the Roadster), at least I'll be smiling, and its WAY cooler than buying the farm in a SmartCar.

These are very enlightening
http://youtu.be/siT-SIfOnQw
http://youtu.be/1_ptUrQOMPs

[FoxyRoadster]

After doing body work on my roadster, I intend to do a few safety additions but they wont do anything more then prevent harm in a minor crash. Anything major and well, least I was in a cool car.

[GeoffM]

My old Lead Sled has a pretty solid frame.
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[Wikket77]

Rear ended at a stop light by a Nissan Maxima(speed unknown) . He just finish the car for 2 weeks.

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[notoptoy]

Bad Maxima! Bad, bad Maxima!

[FergO2k]

Alvin and Ken (pletch) are both correct. The 52 Ford truck is a sweet ride, but in today's careless driving habits, a drum brake heavyweight has limited useability, unless you go all pro-street on it.
I believe in loud horns and loud pipes. I regularly drive my roadster to work, and you have to be very conscious of giving folks the OPPORTUNITY to drive badly around you. I have a Monza tip on the exhaust (and no resonator) and it si a tad too quiet, am thinkng of removing the tip packing with a slide hammer, to give it more rasp.
Always be in a gear that has some punch. In the 2L, that means if there are cars around, back into 4th so that you have the volume and the punch to get somewhere, somewhere else, pronto.
Don't drive in blind spots, hang back until there is room ahead, then go right up there in a hurry so that the person sees you in the window (and when you do it in a hurry they HEAR you too).
Large fender washers on seatbelt mounts, and backing plates on rollbar bases. Alvin has illustrated many times the correct seatbelt mounting angle, (and that the stock angle isn't healthy) and that is the gospel truth.
The collapsible steering column is a must.

[Gregs672000]

I never drive with the illusion of safety in a Roadster. My only defense has been to be on the ball, on the brakes or on the accelerator as the situation dictates. I try to be very aware of others blind spots and anticipate traffic in front of others to see what they might decide to do... that anticipation has saved me numerous times. I have no horn unfortunately and no way to use a stock one, but a button might be a good idea. However, I'm more likely to use the time to change direction before I hit a horn because it has been my only choice! The Roadster is as safe as the driver can make it; it is best it does not hit anything. Go with its strengths: braking, nimbleness and acceleration. Still gonna drive it hard. Your time is your time.

[RC240z]

I can say that a racing prepared Datsun Roadster is quite durable. I have hit a tire barrier head on doing 55 miles an hour and walked away with significant but not structurally serious damage. I have been hit and turned sideways at 70+ MPH by a mini cooper with minor damage that was easy and relatively inexpensive to repair. Proper seat belts and safety equipment are essential, driving defensively a must.

[dbrick]

Oh, and the easy one LIGHTS ON all the time. Makes a huge, proven difference.

[Bigtaku]

I was hit by a drunk driver in my 68 1600 about 18 years ago. He was in a 70's Cadillac. I was making a turn into a residential area so I was slowing to about 15-20 mph. The caddy was going about 80 to 90 mph. Somehow I was not killed and the Datsun went airborne. The car was totaled... Oh ya he hit the car 4 more times just for good measure. Actually the car didn't look as bad as one would think but it took to many hits. Frame was bent an the engine was bent too. The cockpit was in almost perfect condition. Good ol car she was, saved my life. I had on my seat belt. 3 point with roll bar.

[mraitch]

That crash test showed (apparently) the frame/body bending - goodbye Miata.

Yup, I totally get (to an extent) compared with modern cars, we are driving death traps, and typically we (at least I) are often driving on the edge ( but RARELY ) on the freeway.

In the canyons etc. there is no one close to me, unless another roadster driver, and if I am unfortunate enough to find someone faster than I, and seriously is up to prove it, I am just waiting the next space to make some space.

On the freeway, in anything but light traffic, I am obeying the 3 second rule or more. I try never to hang out at the side of anyone, I always have sufficient space in front, and my first reaction when braking (especially hard braking - which frankly I credit to a lack of focus on MY part) , is to check my rear, and then my sides for exits.

Since this is almost an automatic habit, just like scanning the heat/oil gauges, I have little chance of hitting anyone, or being hit from the rear.

I have seen, in the past the result of a huge F (whatever) pickup riding over the back of a roadster, and clearly being stopped (only) by a roll bar (different story).

Back in 07, when I was driving back from my x-country trip, a roadster owner who had a 'conversation' with an elk/deer at night. The car, I believe, essentially survived, the windshield being GONE, but if he had had a passenger, so would he/she have been. I slowed down at night, dramatically.

I replaced my seats with Miata ones, and frankly was SHOCKED to see how spindly the roadster bolts are compared with the Miata ones, even though Nissan provided that questionable strip on top of the cockpit floors (then in fairness, this WAS 1970 and earlier. The Miata bolts are HUGE by comparison, and I did put some serious steel washers underneath the bolts anyways.

Same with seat belts, at least as far as the LAP belts are concerned. And as for the shoulder belts, in any standard position, watch out for spinal compression. I'm just looking for a roll-bar right now.

But, as someone shared earlier, if I am 'going' driving, then let it be in a roadster.

[DivinDave]

No crush zones
No door bars
No air bags
We die like real men..... (or women)

Seriously, with decades of vast improvements in vehicle safety there is no comparison to modern vehicles. If involved in a wreck it will be the dynamics of the incident that determine the outcome. We will typically loose out to more mass and the inability to absorb and disapate energy of the collision. Don't dwell on it but drive with a heightened defensive attitude and odds are you will never find out how good or badly your car will fair.

[Alvin]

You know, I think I'd rather take my chances in a roadster than in a Smart car, or even a Miata. The frames are pretty robust, and with a roll bar and harnesses, I'm inclined to think its more safe than a Miata.

More food for thought. This '59 Bel-Air and its 210" full length frame is "pretty robust", right?
WRONG:
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And more Miata, because we all know that the answer is always Miata!
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[C.Costine]

Be aware of the visibility from the driver's seat of large trucks. Pass quickly through the "NO-Zone" when passing. Start off promptly when the light turns green. You could be invisible below the front bumper of the truck, and the driver could forget that he pulled up behind a tiny car.

[Linda]

Pump your brakes at a stop signal to flash the driver approaching behind you, he might not see you.
LED lights are easy to add, which I finally did to boost visibility.
There are a few threads on light bars for the trunk and roll bar too.
I like a bright color for a small car, which is why I would never have silver as a color because I believe it blends in too much.
Lastly, I avoid the freeways. The beautiful countryside is where I want to be.
Linda