Quote:
Originally Posted by Can't Know
Not if you understand physics. Once the car's basic structure is undermined -- as in hitting a tree sideways at a high rate of speed -- those big pieces can and do separate and they can also travel quite a ways. Loss of structural integrity + big mass + intertia = get out of the way.
Back in the olden days (after the advent of rubber-cushioning motor mounts, but before things like safety/restraining motor mounts came along) it was not unheard of that after the motor mounts had failed, one could launch the engine and transmission into the radiator, smashing it with the grille into the front bumper...simply from a panic stop. And in the event of an accident from even a moderate rate of speed, they could end up in the street pretty easily. Obviously things have improved quite a lot, but you still can't overcome the laws of physics.
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I do get that, I think maybe the lack of other pieces around it makes it just look odd in the pictures. Its not the fact that it happened for me, its the cleanliness of that assembly sitting there all alone. After all, crush zones are meant to crumple rather than stretch as they would in a wraparound like that, think this might happen more and more as cars get smaller, lighter and emphasize cabin cages (like the smart) with crumple zones.
My guess is the guy was freaking out and either killed himself or may have been under some influence. Purely speculation though.
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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.
Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth
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