[Toyrolla]

Originally Posted by carbuzzard

What do you mean by "safe"? There's no way a 510 will provide the same amount of crash protection (if that's what you mean) as a 2006 car. Forget for the moment that we're talking about a machine with 30-plus years of metal fatigue, etc., the science of crash protection then is nowhere where it is today and, with all due respect, it wasn't the priority then as it is today. Today's cars have crush zones, side impact protection, etc., etc., beyond what was thought possible back then.

Don't get me wrong. I'm an original owner of a '72 510 two-door, BRE Mulholland suspension (2.5-inch lower), Bob Sharp spook and flared fiberglass fenders, etc, long since gone to iron oxide (did I mention that the steel just looooved to combine with O2?). A great car, tons o' fun, but when the '75 Civic tail ended me, his 5 mph bumper sunk into the trunk all the way to the rear wheel arches. True, the "frame" wasn't bent, but I'm sure glad he didn't hit me from the side!

While riding shotgun in my friend's 510, he was #3 in a 5 car collision on the highway in his '71 510...

Someone in front of him had a car with no working taillights and they slammed on their brakes. He slammed on his and luckily just tapped the car in front of him....

...then the person behind us slammed into us and sent the car spinning around into the left lane, allowing a minivan to slam into my side of the car, then another car slammed into the nose as we stopped spinning...

End result:

A truly f***ed up '71 510....

He was able to get out on his side.
I had to get out of my side through the window like the "Dukes Of Hazzard"...

.....but we were both Ok.....not a scratch....

Amazingly....no frame damage....

He won his insurance suit, got a check, and fixed the car....

3-4 years later.....the car was back on the road....