Wolf,

I really don't know exactly how the accident happened. I drove up shortly after it happened in the line of traffic backed up while the Polizei were on their way. I've always wondered about what broke it in half myself. It was about 33 years or so ago, so I don't remember alot. There was no bridge abutment anywhere clos, unless it was behind me. I don't remember seeing another vehicle. I mainly just remember seeing both of those pieces.

In those days there was much less traffic on the Autobahn than there is today, and there were very few areas with speed limits, so people ran flat out a lot. The difference between then and now is that most of the cars on the road in those days probably couldn't go 100 MPH. Now a very high percentage of the cars on the Autobahn can do at least 125MPH. I expect that the 1250 Fiat couldn't go more than about 100.

It was definitely one of those things that will stick in your mind. I do remember that it was a Sunday night and I had alot of driving to do to be in Kaiserslautern that night. We had played a ball game that afternoon and I had jumped in my car and left without showering and changing because I had a pretty long drive to make. I was still sweaty and in my baseball uniform and wanted to get to a shower.

It's funny what you will remember about certain things.

MS Fowler,

I guess Audi's have gotten a little better. My friend in Milan was really proud of the fact that he had driven an A4 Quatro to 200,000 Kilometers. I did not tell him what I really thought about that. An MB usually is only barely broken in at that mileage.

Have a great day,

Go over to Open Discussion and there is a link to the site with all the pictures of the wreck. Speedo is stopped at 90 KPH. It was a tree on the side of a straight road. Part of the car was still wrapped around the tree.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Here's where the car hit. The tree is right next to the road.

Was this a stolen car? That doesn't look like a key in the ignition.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

Wow, what a mess-

the only time I saw a car cut in half was in Honululu in 1980.

We came on it right after it happened. A mid 60's Cadillac centerpunched a Datsun B-210, and the Datsun was sheared completely off just aft of the driver's seat back.
Since the speed limit is 45 MPH, the Caddy must have been doing twice that.

The tree in the photos came out better than the Caddy did--

__________________
Nate Stanley
(Currently Benzless)
1985 F-250 6.9l 170K
2009 SCION XB 36.5K
2003 LS430 78K
2012 Kubota B 2320

A mid sixties Cadillac hitting a B210! That's just a simple case of proof that a tack hammer can't win a fight with a sledge. Simple physics.

Have a great day,

The previous owner who owned my '51 Cadillac totalled a VW with it. The front bumper was barely pushed in on the Cadillac while the VW was a disaster. I would have been curious by what the PO meant by that.

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

That is the key in the ignition. Most modern VW/Audis have switchblade keys (since around 98ish), the key in that Audi is just the key minus the key fob assembly.

Someone mentioned they only like Audis with VW diesels in them. This one appears to have a VW TDI in it (4500 RPM redline and the engine cover is exactly the same as in my 1.9L TDI).

As far as VW/Audi reliability yeah the electronics are questionable. I have had a few electrical one time brain farts in my Golf, they have not reoccured though. Other then that no problems (other then ones caused by me).

__________________
Adam,
2003 Volkswagen Golf GL 24,000 miles. 1.9L I-4 TDI 5spd.

1986 300E. 115,000+ miles. 3.0L I-6 1st daily ride, around town only. (Gone)

This is an interesting story,

A Dodge Intrepid hit a '67 Buick head on at 75-100 mph, head on.

More here:

Old Iron Saves a Life

I know this guy through the car collector hobby... quite a guy.