crashworthiness

TR7Aaron · Postby **TR7Aaron** » 01 Apr 2012 19:47

My wife and I went for a drive last night and she confessed to me that she doesn't like my TR7 because she doesn't feel safe in it (and not because of my driving habits). We turned down a long downhill highway entrance ramp and I ran it through the gears with a little spirit. She tensed up and started saying 'slow down' and I could tell she was getting scared. We hit maybe 70 mph at the end of the ramp, though I do realize in a small low-to-the-ground sports car it felt faster. I've gone down the same ramp in other cars and hit 110 - 120 at the end and she never said a word.
We got to talking and she doesn't think the TR7 is crashworthy. I had to agree with her - a collision with anything bigger than a shopping cart and we would probably get maimed or killed.

So my question to you all is: what is your opinion or experience with being in a car wreck in a TR7? I know that can't compare to modern safety machines, but what's your gut feeling?

Aaron
1976 TR7 FHC (an ongoing project)

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 01 Apr 2012 20:30

I bought what later became 't Kreng as an accident write off.
She attacked a much larger Ford Scorpio head on, which was completely written of.
When I bought the car after as a spares donorthat I drove it to the shed without any problems.
So yes, they are pretty strong cars, especially for their age.

But the best crash protection is to be cautious and not to crash into anything [:p]
The bigger (some people call that safer) the cars people drive in,
the more careless they get ...

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

TR Tony · Postby **TR Tony** » 01 Apr 2012 20:33

Well Aaron, I hope not too many on here have had actual experience of a car wreck in a TR7!

I have only ever seen pictures and a report of one accident here in the UK & that actually involved a TR8 which met a group of teenagers in some "hot hatch" head on when they were driving on the wrong side of the road - the two occupants of the TR8 walked away, the front of the TR did not look good but the design did it's work to protect them.

If it is any help in persuading your wife, remember that the 7 was designed & built to meet the US safety standards of the time. Apart from the very strong body shell the car included many features such as the side impact bars in the doors, anti burst door locks, the bonnet hooks to ensure the bonnet does not come back at you through the windscreen, fuel tank in just about the safest place it could be, engine mounted so it slides under the car in the event of impact, and no doubt other features.

You are right, you can't compare to a modern with all today's safety features, but "back in the day" the TR7 was as safe as any car of it's type.

Tony

1981 TR7 FHC Cavalry Blue
1980 TR7V8 DHC Jaguar Regency Red - sadly sold!
1977 TR8 FHC EFI Factory development car Inca Yellow

John Wood · Postby **John Wood** » 01 Apr 2012 20:34

Take it easy. You can't legislate for other road users and being a victim, but try not to be the cause of an accident.

The car is a good structure if it's not a rust bucket but a doubt it would be anything better than an NCAP rating of 1 in modern standards. Being a monocoque construction certainly makes it safer than a separate chassis vehicle though. I think the safest thing to do in any old car is adapt your driving style to suit.

1975 TR7
1977 TR7 Sprint

Odd · Postby **Odd** » 01 Apr 2012 20:55

Well, those of us who have seen Graham Little's pictures of the (Triton green btw) TR8 after that 2003.07.27 head on collision,
and read the story behind the pictures, have gotten a much more relaxed view of the crashworthiness of the Wedge body
and I nowadays think the engineers at Triumph really knew what they were doing. No napkin designing there, that's for sure.
/Odd

My two 1980 Wedges...

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 01 Apr 2012 23:44

Never been in an accident but came close as an oncoming car turned right in front of me. No time for brakes but I was able to drive around him as he stopped in my lane as he saw me. Certainly wouldn't have been able to avoid him if I'd been driving the Toyota and the Integra... who knows. Something to be said for maneuverability in accident avoidance. I've had two people tell me when they've seen my TR7..."my friend had one and crashed it". They walked away from it.

- - - - TR7 Spider - - - - - - - - 1978 Spitfire - - - - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - - Yellow TCT

Hasbeen · Postby **Hasbeen** » 02 Apr 2012 00:29

Unlike all the "mad pommies" on here I don't do body work. However I have a very experienced bloke who does all mine for me.

When he took all the small dints out of my current 7 he said one day, "if ever I have to be in a crash, I hope I'm in this thing". He reckoned it's one of the strongest, toughest, safest things he's worked on.

His business, buying statuary write offs, & rebuilding them. If anyone knows how strong a thing is likely to be, it should be him.

The only thing I worry about is the height of the front bumper. I saw one 7 that ran up the back of a Land Cruiser, both under heavy breaking at the time. The bumper & grill were untouched. They had disappeared under the back of the cruiser. Apparently they had some difficulty getting the 7 out from under the Cruiser, it had pushed so far under. No one was hurt however.

Hasbeen

stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 02 Apr 2012 05:08

Here are the pictures

If you search you find the story sorry i have no time at the moment

(on my way out to work)

i will search later for it if nobody has done so

I know i would have rather have been in the TR

(Sorry to Graham if this is bringing back bad memories }

in saying that , may be it will spur you on to get your tr up and running and on the road

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If it's not broke don't fix it.

http://www.smallbiztranscripts.co.uk

stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 02 Apr 2012 05:19

[url="http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=5642&SearchTerms=graham,Little"]FOUND IT HERE[/url]

to Administrators of site:

Good work on the search function now works great top marks...[8D]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If it's not broke don't fix it.

http://www.smallbiztranscripts.co.uk

John Clancy · Postby **John Clancy** » 02 Apr 2012 08:45

One of the strongest, most over-engineered bodyshells ever produced. Built to meet US legislation that never appeared in the draconian fashion that was feared. The TR7 was Years ahead of its time and as a result I feel safer in mine than I do in any modern car I drive.

Your wife is on edge because she is not used to sitting so low in a car. Because of the sports car driving position everything feels faster.

<center>[url="http://www.triumphdvd.co.uk"]Triumph TR7 and other car documentaries on DVD here[/url]</center>

HowardB · Postby **HowardB** » 02 Apr 2012 08:51

The photo of the pranged 7 is quite impressive and shows a very good use of crumple zones to protect the people inside. Its notable that the very strong front bumper has spread the impact load across the entire shell which gave a much more controlled crumple zone.

gslittle · Postby **gslittle** » 02 Apr 2012 11:00

Hi Stevie

No worries about bad memories of the big crash. I just wish I still had the car, damage-free, as it was a fine example.

Hey-ho, I still have my 7 drophead and one day it will run again.

To get back on topic, I can vouch as per the evidence that the TR7/8 is a reasonably safe bet to have a crash with but I wouldn't recommend it.

Cheers

Graham

1979 TR7 TCT DHC 16V
Formerly...
1980 TR7 FHC
1980 Factory TR8 DHC
1980 Factory TR8 DHC Automatic
1977 TR7 FHC Parts Car
1980 TR7 FHC Parts Car

stevie_a · Postby **stevie_a** » 02 Apr 2012 11:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by gslittle

No worries about bad memories of the big crash. I just wish I still had the car, damage-free, as it was a fine example.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thanks Graham

I just find the photos fascinating

as said such a good example of the crumple zones of the car. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If it's not broke don't fix it.

http://www.smallbiztranscripts.co.uk

Cobber · Postby **Cobber** » 02 Apr 2012 13:01

There are many cars that are more worthy of being crashed than a TR-7/8! [:D] Take any GM J car for-instance, these horrors are more than worthy for crashing, in fact crashing is the only thing that they're worthy of! [:D] 

80'Triumph TR7, , 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
85'Alfa 90, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100

jeffremj · Postby **jeffremj** » 02 Apr 2012 20:19

IIRC, the TR7 was the first car in the world designed using finite element analysis. Also, given this, Mercedes bought one to pull apart to check out the work.

Anonymous

crashworthiness

crashworthiness

Who is online