In a message dated 8/28/1999 9:21:40 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
rpalmer@ames.ucsd.edu writes:
<< Doug,
Solid axle before I hit it, IRS after impact.
Speaking of rear end impacts, yesterday in San Diego a poor sot driving an
MGB made a bad move on the freeway and got rear-ended by a pickup truck.
The MGB's gas tank ruptured on impact and the driver was immolated in the
ensuing fire. How does the gas tank installation on an MGB compare with a
Tiger or Sunbeam?
Watching my rear in San Diego,
Bob >>
Dont' know about the MG layout, but . . . .
Our Sunbeams (Tigers and Alpine III-V's) have twin saddle-type tanks in the
wings, with a cross-tube just behind the lower rear valance. The tanks
aren't partially exposed, like the side-tank GMC pickups that have had so
many fires, but I'm sure they could be induced to rupture with a hard enough
side impact. The cross-over tube is probably the worst risk, as it, or the
hose connections, could be broken, or conceivable push the necks into the
tank(s) in a rear-ender. The filler neck is mounted high and to the side,
which might lessen some risks (vs. the early 70's Ford Pinto for instance) of
the direct rear-ender induced fire. If I recall correctly, the MGB's filler
neck is located just over the rear bumper.
One of the reasons often cited to explain Chrysler's discontinuation of the
Alpine were the then-imminent 1968 U.S. new-car safety standards, which some
have said would not have allowed, among other things, the saddle-tank design,
forcing a costly re-design. Bye-bye trunk space.
An aside: There was a Primetime news segment on NBC a few months ago on the
original Ford Mustangs, pointing out the numerous times that fire had injured
or killed the occupants after collisions, partially because of poor fuel tank
design and layout, but also because of the lack of a metal wall barrier
between the trunk and passenger compartment. (It ended with Lee Iacocca
telling viewers to get rid of their old Mustangs!)
A number of Tiger and Alpine owners, so far mostly racers I suspect, have
taken the time to fabricate a firewall behind the softtop well. Those in the
process of restoration, who aren't concerned with getting 100 points at the
next concours for originality, might want to consider installing one. If
done right, they're unobtrusive, and offer the additional advantage of
cutting down the decibel level in the passenger compartment.
Dick Sanders
Seattle
P.S. It would be interesting to be able to gather some real statistics of
how many Sunbeams have actually caught on fire as a direct result of
collisions over the years. The reports that have turned up on this list in
the past has been few, and often third-hand info.
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