Anyone ever crash an 02?

[Gbare02tii]

Traded my white 73 2002 for a new motor install into a Sahara 73 I picked up buck when I was 19. (34) now.

My dad's good friend gave the white 73 to his 16 y/o son.... He introduced it to a tree near Lake Apopka...walked away with a cut nose...

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[Gbare02tii]

I've avoided a ton of accidents being in a light, nimble car with awesome visibility. Every time I get in a modern safe car it astounds me how large the blind spots are from the A pillars. I wouldn't want to be a bike riders these days.

I know what you mean...feels like i am wearing blinders

[Gbare02tii]

I've avoided a ton of accidents being in a light, nimble car with awesome visibility. Every time I get in a modern safe car it astounds me how large the blind spots are from the A pillars. I wouldn't want to be a bike riders these days.

I know what you mean...feels like i am wearing blinders

[DanOKC]

My first 02 was crashed into about 8 months after I got it in late in 1979. These pics were right after the crash. June 1980 a drunk driver hit me & it was gone, at about 45K miles, I was second owner at 17, Lucky I guess. Me & my only passenger walked away. The gas tank only had about 1 or 2 gallons & there was a few drips below it on the roadway. Fireman told me I was lucky, they usualy explode when they are near empty. Car body absorbed impact pretty good, all the way up to the front seats, the seat rails were no longer parallel after the wreck, but pushed apart at the back. Seats would no longer slide back & forth.

Guy that hit me was driving that early body style monte carlo with the long hood & chrome front bumper & was estimated at 60 to 70 mph & we were stopped.

My second 02 lasted about 18 years, got tagged by a kid on pain killers who pulled out into my lane, I didn't have a clear lane to swerve to avoid him.

I think they are safer than some cars of the same era because of the ability to absorb impact, at least front & back. Obviously newer cars with airbags should be safer.

Safer yet, sit in your driveway & make that vroom sound.

[Guest Anonymous]

Great stories guys. On topic, anyone ever try moding an airbag into an 02?

Or other safety upgrades?

[742002]

Suzuki Sidekick went right over the front bumper.

Tyrel

[Benz02]

I will gladly concede that a great many modern cars are safer than an 02, however, I still trust the 02 more than today's ecoboxes with wafer thin steel and an airbag. It is a tin can, but I gotta think it's a thicker "tin" than most small cars if you will.

[Guest Anonymous]

Great stories guys. On topic, anyone ever try moding an airbag into an 02?

Or other safety upgrades?

[gracer]

I just hit the wall at ORP with my H production 1600. I came out of the crash with no problems. Tha car will need a new right side suspension front and rear.

New front core support and both right side fenders. Also new wheels. An expensive hit. G

[Devian]

Years ago I crashed my 02 at 40 straight into a mountain. It came out of nowhere! Total assessed damage to the car: 1 dented hub-cap. Total assessed damage the the mountain: An 02 size hole in it for 6 months. I win...

[txmatt]

Yes, at an autocross event. Roll-over.

What happened that caused you to roll at an autoX? Mechanical failure? Hit fixed object?

[Guest]

I will gladly concede that a great many modern cars are safer than an 02, however, I still trust the 02 more than today's ecoboxes with wafer thin steel and an airbag. It is a tin can, but I gotta think it's a thicker "tin" than most small cars if you will.

Dude, you gotta be on crack. The '02 is about as unsafe as cars come. I don't often call BS, but your stories above are complete BS. 40mph side impact from a truck would send the driver into the passenger door in an '02.

Modern cars are incredibly safe, unfortunately I'm almost as paranoid things like a toyota matrix because I can't see a damn thing. However, I know if I were to get in an accident I'd have a good chance of walking away(and I could go buy another one the same day). Even "econoboxes" are very well engineered for safety(just not driving comfort or nice interiors). Some UK show wrecked a volvo 740, smart car, and something like a renault clio against a concrete barrier at 60mph in the last few years. The smart car survived the accident much better than the volvo, but the occupant would have died from the 40+ G's of deceleration. The volvo driver would have died from the tire in his lap, and the clio driver(econobox) would have survived after a short hospital stay.

Even econoboxes have more airbags than BMWs from the mid 90's which is good and bad. Cars now a days are designed to save the driver at the expense of the vehicle. Airbags cost 2-3000$ each to replace after deploying which is why you can find totaled cars at auction with relatively minor damage.

I love my '02s but they're not safe cars and I hope I'm never in any accident above 5mph in mine. If you are reading this and you're new to these cars, just remember this; these cars are NOT safe, don't let anyone try to convince you they are. I'll keep driving the 245, at least I know I'll be able to walk away from(or drive home) a lot more severe accident in that car...

[Guest]

I just hit the wall at ORP with my H production 1600. I came out of the crash with no problems. Tha car will need a new right side suspension front and rear.

New front core support and both right side fenders. Also new wheels. An expensive hit. G

Last weekend? Was it the corner right before/next to the pits? I was there for the ratrace two weeks ago...a few people came quite close after the tail stepped out.

[NickVyse]

If you are reading this and you're new to these cars, just remember this; these cars are NOT safe, don't let anyone try to convince you they are. I'll keep driving the 245, at least I know I'll be able to walk away from(or drive home) a lot more severe accident in that car...

they were safe in their day, and they were still pretty safe up until newer cars got that much stronger. If an 02 hit another one, then they'd both crumple away happily, sharing the impact. Now a new car comes along and the 02 takes all the energy as the new car needs more resistance to start deforming. So as new cars gets stronger our old cars will suffer more when hit.

[Guest]

they were safe in their day, and they were still pretty safe up until newer cars got that much stronger. If an 02 hit another one, then they'd both crumple away happily, sharing the impact. Now a new car comes along and the 02 takes all the energy as the new car needs more resistance to start deforming. So as new cars gets stronger our old cars will suffer more when hit.

I'm going to have to disagree, safe compared to maybe a Renault 2cv maybe, but that's about it. A safe car back then would have been a volvo 14x or 24x depending on the year.

If everyone drove around in an '02 we'd still die hitting trees and other '02s. Two layers of 22g sheet metal separated by 3" of air and glass doesn't constitute much in the way of side impact. Just because two '02s could get in an accident and be better off than if one car was an E34, doesn't make them at all safe.

I'm not too worried about newer cars, it's the 80's-90's 2ton lincoln town cars and any SUV/truck with even a stock height bumper that concern me. At least new cars have well designed crumple zones instead of massive steel frames with a body on top.