Re-chroming bumpers

[Paul Mossberg]

Seat belts MUST be anchored to steel and NOT to the fiberglass. Even with the proper strength bolts and large washers, they will rip right out of the fiberglass if they ever really need to be “used”.

For the body shop to infer that seat belts can be “properly attached to fiberglass” is irresponsible at best.

The choice we each have to make is, if we are in an accident in these little plastic cars, and that accident is serious enough that we need to rely on the seat belts, will it really matter how the belts were anchored?

I don’t want to sound fatalistic, but we are almost as exposed as a motorcyclist. And in some ways, more exposed (steering column aimed at our chest, no helmets, perhaps even a false sense of security).

So as, Rob said, “live free or die”.

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Peter C. King]

I’ve been a microcar fan for years. One statistic about cars like Isettas is that they fare better in accidents than you would expect. It appears that their light weight allows them to bounce away from an impact while a heavier car would stay involved. Small, light cars also duck better. The TD is not as exposed as you might think.

The lack of a top is another story. Has anyone engineered a roll bar that fits under the top? Perhaps it should be integral with the top. It wouldn’t be as good as a tall racing bar, but still better than a windshield frame and 3 ash bows.  

I was on a rescue squad for several years back in the day. We discovered two statistics about seat belts.

1. We never unbuckled a fatality.

2. If they weren’t wearing belts and the car had to be towed, so did the people in it.

Seat belts don’t do much in the big one. A crushed car is a crushed car. It’s the little accidents that you need the belts for. They keep people in the seats until the wierd noises stop.

 

 

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