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

BodhiBenz1987 · #1 11-11-2006, 11:44 PM

You guys HAVE to look at this crash photo. This is UNBELIEVABLE.
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061111/NEWS/61111012 Click the pic to enlarge it. Poor woman. I hope the find the dragsters and beat the bejesuses out of them.

This is the newspaper I work for, and when I came in to work tonight, everyone immediately informed me that a Mercedes had been split in half (knowing my bizarre Mercedes obsession). I assumed it was a newer model (post DC merger), and when I saw this photo I went "Oh my God it's a 126!," which caused my co-workers to laugh at my nerdiness. They really groaned when I said "It's definately an early or mid 80s model; look at the bundtcake wheels." The I wondered allowed if the engine was viable, and whether it might be a diesel or not. No wonder they think I'm weird ...

But really, what an absolute nightmare. After seeing that, I won't sleep tonight.

#2 11-11-2006, 11:48 PM

That is too clean, it looks like it was CUT in half (Probably by the rescuers).

speedy300Dturbo · #3 11-11-2006, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

That is too clean, it looks like it was CUT in half (Probably by the rescuers).

Either that, or the car was a "cut and shut" job - when two "good" halves of a wrecked car are welded together.

Brian Carlton · #4 11-12-2006, 12:14 AM

I agree. There is no possibility of shearing the vehicle in two pieces as shown in that photo, no matter how fast the opposing vehicle was travelling. The unitbody construction won't allow a failure of this type.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's a reconstructed vehicle from two good halves.

BodhiBenz1987 · #5 11-12-2006, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

I agree. There is no possibility of shearing the vehicle in two pieces as shown in that photo, no matter how fast the opposing vehicle was travelling. The unitbody construction won't allow a failure of this type.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's a reconstructed vehicle from two good halves.

I can't imagine anyone would sell a car composed of two halves welded together ... but I guess there's no accounting for morals...

I suspect it's more likely that our reporter got it wrong, or the police report was wrong. It just doesn't make sense, unless it was hit by an Amtrak Accela train. And how could the dragster drive off after that much impact? It does seem a weird way to cut open a car to rescue someone, but maybe she was thrown from her seat and into the middle of the car, and they needed to get her out from the middle. This news broke early today, so I'm surprised there isn't more detail by now in terms of how the car got that way.

It doesn't take a physics major to sense that something is off about the dynamics of the crash ... which is why I'm totally WOWED by this one, for now at least.

BodhiBenz1987 · #6 11-12-2006, 12:26 AM

One thought, though ... if they did indeed cut it open, why would they move one half of the car so far away from the other? That's heavy stuff. Maybe it really was a "FrankenBenz" chop job.

megadiesel · #7 11-12-2006, 12:42 AM

Hello everyone I just joined the site. I have recently purchased a 1983 300sd. Thats pretty scary how people can just weld 2 diffrent cars together. Any clues to look for to check for this kind of stuff on the 126 ? Thanks.

compress ignite · #8 11-12-2006, 12:50 AM

Yeah,

There's more to this pictoral story...Even with a magnifying glass there's not
enough parts to make a complete W126.

Have you ever seen any Mercedes "separated" as this one is by impact?

H-townbenzoboy · #9 11-12-2006, 12:56 AM

Just sad. I hope they find that Nissan that was involved. They're probably gonna charge that Saturn driver with vehicular manslaughter, well, at least I hope, and that Nissan driver needs to be charged with something as well.

pawoSD · #10 11-12-2006, 03:10 AM

Thats just bizarre, there is not any way in earth a flimsy saturn ion could slice a W126 that weighs 2x as much, in half like it was a plasma cutter. If you look at the edges where it was "cut" it looks waaay too clean, I agree also that this car was probably a hack-job welded together vehicle...pretty horrifying. Had it been a normal 126 it'd have just buckled a little bit on the side, and the interior would have been intact...and said saturn ion would be smashed beyond recognition.

I want to know what the forensic anaylsis finds on the MB once they've inspected it.

Shorebilly · #11 11-12-2006, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodhiBenz1987

One thought, though ... if they did indeed cut it open, why would they move one half of the car so far away from the other? That's heavy stuff. Maybe it really was a "FrankenBenz" chop job.

G'mornin',

As you work for a news organization, perhaps you can get a reporter to pull a carfax on the Benz? It would be interesting to know if, in fact, it was a "Frankenbenz"......and if it was, it may make a neat story relating to shops that do such work......it's not illegal as far as I know......

SB

JimmyL · #12 11-12-2006, 09:31 AM

Do you know if they snapped a photo of the Saturn?

Brian Carlton · #13 11-12-2006, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodhiBenz1987

I can't imagine anyone would sell a car composed of two halves welded together ... but I guess there's no accounting for morals...

I suspect it's more likely that our reporter got it wrong, or the police report was wrong. It just doesn't make sense, unless it was hit by an Amtrak Accela train. And how could the dragster drive off after that much impact? It does seem a weird way to cut open a car to rescue someone, but maybe she was thrown from her seat and into the middle of the car, and they needed to get her out from the middle. This news broke early today, so I'm surprised there isn't more detail by now in terms of how the car got that way.

It doesn't take a physics major to sense that something is off about the dynamics of the crash ... which is why I'm totally WOWED by this one, for now at least.

Actually, it's quite a common practice. Two vehicles that are trashed can be put together and one vehicle with some value is the result. If it's done "properly" then the vehicle is perfectly acceptable. However, properly welding sheet metal so that it has the same strength as the parent is not an easy task. Proper doubling strips are required along the entire length of the joint.

If it was hit by a train, it would not shear in half cleanly as shown in this photo. In fact, I'd bet that the train might crush is badly from one side, but the resultant wreck would remain largely intact.

The vehicle that drove off, the Nissan, was not involved in the accident. That vehicle was drag racing the Saturn.

The rescuers would never cut an entire vehicle in half to rescue someone. It would take them way too much time for this. As you mentioned in a separate post, they certainly wouldn't cut the vehicle in half and then move one section 30 feet from the opposite section.

Nope, this vehicle was most certainly assembled from two halves or the story is fabricated.

Ken300D · #14 11-12-2006, 10:39 AM

I'd like to see a picture of the Saturn that hit it hard enough to split a W126 in half.

The first thing I thought was that the chassis must have had a lot of rust, but I don't see much visible.

Ken300D

catmandoo62 · #15 11-12-2006, 10:53 AM

buddy of mine has just such a unit,it's a 2000 buick park ave ultra.it was assembled from 2 cars from the same wreck.a 2000 buick rearended a 2000 buick so they cut the front off the one and the back off the other.the body shop that did it does lots of em.