Well, I guess the W126 ISN'T indestructable (MUST SEE) - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pwogaman · #31 11-12-2006, 11:06 PM

Here is an example of a rear 126 clip that was recently listed on E-Bay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1991-Mercedes-Benz-560-SEL-126-Rear-Body-Clip-Panel_W0QQitemZ290047002023QQihZ019QQcategoryZ6783QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The pictures of the "clip" look pretty much like the section of car left in the accident. It pretty much leaves to me to believe the car in the accident was a "clipper."

pwogaman · #32 11-12-2006, 11:11 PM

Since nobody else has done it, I'll post the accident picture. I fear the link to the paper might not last as long as the interest in this discussion.

pwogaman · #33 11-12-2006, 11:30 PM

Here are some other examples of clips in which I would not want to be caught! All off E-Bay of course.

BodhiBenz1987 · #34 11-12-2006, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwogaman

Here is an example of a rear 126 clip that was recently listed on E-Bay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1991-Mercedes-Benz-560-SEL-126-Rear-Body-Clip-Panel_W0QQitemZ290047002023QQihZ019QQcategoryZ6783QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The pictures of the "clip" look pretty much like the section of car left in the accident. It pretty much leaves to me to believe the car in the accident was a "clipper."

Unbelievable. Looks very much like the remains of the crash. Thanks for the photos. I just would not feel safe in a car like that, no matter how good the welding was.

pwogaman · #35 11-12-2006, 11:43 PM

Maybe, upon confirmation that the accident car was clipped, your paper could write an expose' on the hazzards of clippers. The only reason someone died in that accident was because of it (notwithstanding that the victim was 78).

I'd love to get the history of that car. I wonder if the body shop could face liablity for the job.

JimmyL · #36 11-12-2006, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwogaman

Maybe, upon confirmation that the accident car was clipped, your paper could write an expose' on the hazzards of clippers. The only reason someone died in that accident was because of it (notwithstanding that the victim was 78).

I'd love to get the history of that car. I wonder if the body shop could face liablity for the job.

I imagine the force of the impact was the contributer to her death, not necessarily the fact the car split.......

networkboy · #37 11-13-2006, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwogaman

Maybe, upon confirmation that the accident car was clipped, your paper could write an expose' on the hazzards of clippers. The only reason someone died in that accident was because of it (notwithstanding that the victim was 78).

I'd love to get the history of that car. I wonder if the body shop could face liablity for the job.

only if it didn't have a salvage title.
-nB

Ben12345 · #38 11-13-2006, 10:25 AM

Quote:

They really groaned when I said "It's definately an early or mid 80s model; look at the bundtcake wheels."

Its a mid to late 126... look at the later style door cladding and bumpers

BodhiBenz1987 · #39 11-13-2006, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

I imagine the force of the impact was the contributer to her death, not necessarily the fact the car split.......

I agree. I suspect it was a combination of her age and the violence of the impact jarring her around, since the driver's compartment remained somewhat intact.

Now, had someone been sitting in the back seat ... ewww.

Johnhef · #40 11-13-2006, 11:21 AM

Can someone repost the text from the article too? Everything is blocked for me here at work.

pwogaman · #41 11-13-2006, 11:25 AM

Here is the text:

Drag racer tied to fatal crash sought
Newark woman dies after car split in two
By KRISTIN HARTY, and ROBIN BROWN

Updated Saturday, November 11, 2006 at 11:27 pm

A woman driving this car on Elkton Road in Newark was killed when her car was shorn in half early today. (Buy photo)

Special to The News Journal/John J. Jankowski Jr.
NEWARK — Police are asking for the public’s help to find a street-racer who fled today after the car he was racing with caused a crash that killed an elderly driver.

The 9:15 a.m. crash at Elkton and Casho Mill roads sheared the elderly woman’s car in half. The driver of the other car in the crash received minor injuries.

Police described the woman, who died in emergency surgery at Christiana Hospital, as a 78-year-old Newark resident. Her name was not being released Saturday night, until her family could be told

Newark Mayor Vance Funk, who heard sirens from emergency vehicles while walking downtown with his wife, said street racing has been an issue in the city.

“We’ve had drag racing problems in the past on Elkton Road,” he said. A year ago, state, city and county police were doing patrols on Elkton Road close to the Maryland line to try to stop it, he said, “but that was late at night. That’s usually when we had the problem.”

After today's accident, the front end of the local woman’s silver car sat on the grass near a scarred utility pole in front of the Casho Mill Professional Center. Nearby, the back end – sliced just behind the front seats – sat in the intersection.

Police did not release the injured driver’s name or any information about possible charges tonight. They would say only that the Newark police traffic division was continuing its investigation.

They released no details about the woman’s injuries.

The crash closed part of Elkton Road for 41/2 hours, Newark police spokesman Lt. Thomas LeMin said.

‘A high rate of speed’

The crash “occurred when two vehicles – a 2004 Saturn Ion and a silver Nissan 350 Z – were traveling at a high rate of speed, southbound on Elkton Road,” LeMin said.

The woman, who had been driving a 1984 Mercedes north on Elkton Road, turned left onto Casho Mill road and was hit by the Saturn in the intersection, he said.

Aetna Hook, Hose & Ladder Company of Newark, New Castle County Emergency Medical Services, University of Delaware emergency care and police responded to the crash, said John H. Farrell IV, Aetna’s public information officer

Rescuers found one of the drivers trapped in the wreckage, Farrell said, and were able to get the person out in seven minutes.

Both drivers were taken to Christiana Hospital, where the driver of the speeding car was treated for minor injuries, LeMin said. The 78-year-old woman was admitted in critical condition then taken into surgery, where she died.

The silver Nissan 350 Z that fled was believed to have a Maryland license plate that started with the letters TVW, LeMin said.

Roland Welker, who lives on nearby Chrysler Avenue, said he was home but did not hear the crash because he has learned to tune out the noise of the busy road where drivers often speed.

“There’s so many drag races, so many loud mufflers,” he said. “We hear that at night. I don’t even open the front door. You can’t hear the TV.”

Contact Kristin Harty at 324-2792

BodhiBenz1987 · #42 11-13-2006, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben12345

Its a mid to late 126... look at the later style door cladding and bumpers

Turns out it's a 1984, so I was about on-spot. I can never decide whether that's "early" or "mid." Technically, only 1985 is "mid," so 84 is early, no? I knew it was not a 1986 or beyond ... look at the headlights and the wheels. The 86headlights are flatter ... i.e., the 85 had had a headlight that was kind of sunken and set back from the foglight. I guess you could put whatever wheels on whatever car, but I've never seen an 86 with bundts. No offense to bundt-lovers, but I wouldn't voluntarily put them on any car they didn't come on.

Of course they updated the article with the year, but didn't specify which engine it has ... vital information ...

R Leo · #43 11-13-2006, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodhiBenz1987

I can't imagine anyone would sell a car composed of two halves welded together ...

That sure does look like a cut-and-shut...wouldn't be the first time. Anyway, if the rescuers cut the car in two, why are the two pieces sitting thirty feet apart?

FWIW, I knew a bodyman who made a damned good living in the mid 80s by connecting the two 'good' halves of 'totalled' Rabbits and Sciroccos. He used the front and rear windshields as positioning templates.

Ben12345 · #44 11-13-2006, 01:42 PM

The front section with the headlights and wheels could be an 84, and the back section with the cladding and bumpers could be an 86.

I dont know enough about the federal headlights, living in the UK, we had the same ones throughout. I've always thought of prior to 9/85 as early and after that as late.

retx · #45 11-13-2006, 01:56 PM

my uncle was a wrecker driver all of his life. he worked before there was even jaws of life available to every county. sometimes, it would be he and the cops and any locals there, cutting the car apart to help the victims. later when it became not so much backwoodsish and they had better equipment, and i was old enough to ride with him, i saw some pretty horrific stuff. saw an accident much like this. where the car had to be cut in half to help the trapped victims. this was a front end collision where the front seats back supports broke and left the driver and passenger laying flat on their backs and trapped by the crushed dash. and when they cut the car apart...they started to clear the road. which could explain why one piece of this 126 is 30 feet away. it could have been dragged clear so they could reopen the intersection. they still have the yellow police tape up. just a thought.