Daily Driver Dolomite - An observation

[Robert 352]

The concern I would have with an older car is safety, not reliability. If you compare the strength of the body shell on my Rover 75 to a dolly, the Rover would go through the dolly like it was a wet paperbag. Virtually every car on the road with you will be heavier and stronger. A modern car will treat a classic car like it is an additional crumplezone.

Cleverusername has offered his opinion. My own experience is that the Dolomite shell is a lot stronger, and safer, than he believes.

A large commercial vehicle ran into the rear of my car recently when I had stopped at the traffic lights. The car has sustained some damage which will require a panel beater to pull the rear end back to its original shape. It survived the accident remarkably well and is testament to the sound design and the clever use of the materials from which it was constructed at the time.

I am relieved that the car did not incorporate any of the modern safety features, such as air bags for they would have discharged, destroying the interior of the car and my hearing as well.

I am and will continue to use my Dolomite as a daily driver for I believe it to be a safer car to be in than anything constructed since that time. The only concession which I made during the restoration of the car was to fit the most up-to-date safety belts now available.

Robert

[GTS290N]

In winter 1983 I rolled my 1850. Heavy snow, ice underneath, car slid at 40mph and hit some brand new kerbing, rolled and landed on it's wheels. My passenger had a bump on his head, I was unhurt. The windscreen had gone. The next day in daylight and with a plastic 'emergency screen' (anyone remember them?) I drove it from Huntly to Lossiemouth, a bit awkward as the rack had gone.
A replacement windscreen and rack from the scrappies, the car passed it's next MOT despite the dents in the roof, much to the disgust of the MOT tester.

Do that in a modern!

[dollyman]

I remember those plastic screens, brilliant things when your screen shattered Wipers did'nt work so well though Glad you were both ok.

Tony.

[cleverusername]

The concern I would have with an older car is safety, not reliability. If you compare the strength of the body shell on my Rover 75 to a dolly, the Rover would go through the dolly like it was a wet paperbag. Virtually every car on the road with you will be heavier and stronger. A modern car will treat a classic car like it is an additional crumplezone.

Cleverusername has offered his opinion. My own experience is that the Dolomite shell is a lot stronger, and safer, than he believes.

A large commercial vehicle ran into the rear of my car recently when I had stopped at the traffic lights. The car has sustained some damage which will require a panel beater to pull the rear end back to its original shape. It survived the accident remarkably well and is testament to the sound design and the clever use of the materials from which it was constructed at the time.

I am relieved that the car did not incorporate any of the modern safety features, such as air bags for they would have discharged, destroying the interior of the car and my hearing as well.

I am and will continue to use my Dolomite as a daily driver for I believe it to be a safer car to be in than anything constructed since that time. The only concession which I made during the restoration of the car was to fit the most up-to-date safety belts now available.

Robert

There have been tests comparing modern cars to older ones and there is no comparison. The modern cars are much safer. It isn't just about strength, it is about how the energy of a crash is dissipated. Modern cars are designed so the passenger compartment is strong and doesn't deform. The impact energy is absorbed by the crumplezones. The crash damages the bits of the car that aren't going to hurt you, not the case in a Dolomite.

The reality is a modern car is much safer than a Dolomite. I am not saying you shouldn't drive one, life is about informed risks, but any claim a Dolomite or other 70's car is as safe as a vehicle built in the last 10 years is simply not true.

[Carledo]

The simple answer is DON'T CRASH IT!

Drive aware, drive defensively and keep a safe distance from the car in front! (Yeah, I know, just like I do! Insert sarcasm smiley here! If I wasn't good, I'd be dead by now! )

When our cars were built, everyone KNEW they could kill you and drove accordingly (unless they were p155 or asleep which often happened) Now most folk expect to survive even huge crashes because of the improvements in car safety tech. So they drive as if they were immortal! We can't AFFORD to drive like that, so we have to give the modern driver a wide berth. It's more to do with peoples attitudes to the tech, than the tech itself!

And yes, to a certain extent, a Dolomite or other classic car is more likely to survive a low to mid range speed accident that will write off a modern. This is the downside of crumple zone tech (if you can call it a downside) The car takes the brunt of the impact so you don't have to and gives it's life to save yours! I suppose this is a good thing, but i'm a bit more of a Darwinian, I think the best safety device you could put in a car is a big spike sticking out of the steering column!

Steve

[soe8m]

I trust on Volvo bumpers.

Jeroen

[Carledo]

I trust on Volvo bumpers.

Jeroen

I've seen, back in the late 70s, a head on crash between 2 Volvos with a combined impact speed of close to 80mph. Both car's screens were unbroken and both drivers walked away with only seatbelt bruises. Even in the days of the 140, Volvo were at the forefront of safety tech!

Steve

[yorkshire_spam]

Volvo developed and patented the 3 point seat belt..... and then let EVERYONE IN THE WORLD use the design for free!

(Unlike Ford who patented the front heated screen and then were asses about it)

[soe8m]

And their dual circuit front calipers....

Jeroen

[cleverusername]

Volvo developed and patented the 3 point seat belt..... and then let EVERYONE IN THE WORLD use the design for free!

(Unlike Ford who patented the front heated screen and then were asses about it)

To be fair if they had developed it, why should they give it to other companies for free? Heated front screens are a luxury, not a safety device like a seatbelt.

It isn't like any other company couldn't have developed a similar system first.

[Carledo]

And their dual circuit front calipers....

Jeroen

I remember well those Volvo dual circuit brakes where each circuit controlled half of each front caliper and 1 rear one. I also remember what a pigs breakfast they were to bleed out! Brilliant when they were working properly though!

It doesn't look like they did YOU much good Jeroen, or you'd have MISSED that Pug instead of using IT to stop you! From the damage to it, it looks as if you drove right up the bonnet!

Steve

[soe8m]

And their dual circuit front calipers....

Jeroen

I remember well those Volvo dual circuit brakes where each circuit controlled half of each front caliper and 1 rear one. I also remember what a pigs breakfast they were to bleed out! Brilliant when they were working properly though!

It doesn't look like they did YOU much good Jeroen, or you'd have MISSED that Pug instead of using IT to stop you! From the damage to it, it looks as if you drove right up the bonnet!

Steve

Well I wasn't landing in that Peugeot and didn't run over it. It is very difficult to "fit" the Volvo shape in the Peugeot bonnet but the Peugeot owner was very surprised to see his car had that much damaged as the Volvo was reasonable intact.

Jeroen

[TrustNo1]

The simple answer is DON'T CRASH IT!

Drive aware, drive defensively and keep a safe distance from the car in front!

Easy enough to say that but what about when you are cruising along the motorway at 50 mph and overtake a slower car who then decides to turn right (yes from lane one of a motorway) causing you to Tbone him, not something that the worlds safest driver could predict is going to happen but it happened to me last month. I'm glad I was in a truck and not my triumph though.

[Carledo]

The simple answer is DON'T CRASH IT!

Drive aware, drive defensively and keep a safe distance from the car in front!

Easy enough to say that but what about when you are cruising along the motorway at 50 mph and overtake a slower car who then decides to turn right (yes from lane one of a motorway) causing you to Tbone him, not something that the worlds safest driver could predict is going to happen but it happened to me last month. I'm glad I was in a truck and not my triumph though.

Well that's true, you cannot anticipate everything! But where would the fun be if you could? A little bit of adrenaline is good for the soul, if it wasn't, we'd all be looking forward to self driving cars, instead of dreading them!

But if you don't help yourself stay out of accidents, nobody else will do it for you!

Steve

[dollyman]

Well that's true, you cannot anticipate everything! But where would the fun be if you could? A little bit of adrenaline is good for the soul, if it wasn't, we'd all be looking forward to self driving cars, instead of dreading them!




Steve
[/quote]

Not good for your undie's though

Tony.