Edde Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I'm getting to almost expect people to walk away from these things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markhansenconquest Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 (edited) were the rails rusty? Edited March 24, 2014 by markhansenconquest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
importwarrior Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I have to chuckle as some of the guys saying this is a testament of the safety of the car. The firewall is completely ripped out of the car and the driver, by a lot of luck, walks away with mild injuries. I'd say this one is a pretty poor testament for the car because the containment cell didn't stay intact. If you look where it impacted, the tree took out the leading edge of the passenger door. I seriously doubt someone would have walked away if they were in that seat.I have to agree the car tore in half exposing the people. you would think the firewall would have stayed attached. Crazy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucw458 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Having cut up a few parts cars I know the strength points where the car separated. Most of that floor is sheet metal. The strong points are the frame rails near the door and the windshield pillars. The pillars can be cut through in around 5 seconds with a good sawzall. The frame rails take a bit longer to sever. Since this was a florida car there's a good chance there was rusty frame rails. If they were comprimized then shearing the front off the car is that much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87redcat Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Having cut up a few parts cars I know the strength points where the car separated. Most of that floor is sheet metal. The strong points are the frame rails near the door and the windshield pillars. The pillars can be cut through in around 5 seconds with a good sawzall. The frame rails take a bit longer to sever. Since this was a florida car there's a good chance there was rusty frame rails. If they were comprimized then shearing the front off the car is that much easier. This and the rust I have found on a few at the base of the A pillars/top of the firewall. (inside the cab) I could see the firewall ripping away from the rightimpactGlad he's alright though. Those other two yahoos probably didnt have seatbelt on and got banged up pretty good (good) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mopar jon Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Im going to agree with divine intervention on this one.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Kreal survived this one. http://www.enginemachineservice.com/quest.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
importwarrior Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 http://www.wreckedexotics.com/newphotos/bad/bad170.jpg Thanks Mark, I can never find that pic when I want to post it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTTY Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Yeah, he loved that car, now he needs another starquest asap to work on it.....Mad props for a great attitude after going through this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edde Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Kreal survived this one.http://www.enginemachineservice.com/quest.jpg This is what I'm talking about. I wasn't going to post it myself but recall it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screemin eagle Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I've seen ALOT of cars do this when small trees are involved. They shred cars like a hot knife through butter. Look at the Paul walker crash. Very similar side impact. Now his car was way more modern and strong. I had a friend who had a 79 z28 camaro. He was rear ended by a vette going high speed and pushed him sideways into a phone pole right behind the driver seat and it clean cut the rear of the car off. Now this was a car with a cage and frame connectors ect. I think sometimes they just hit the sweet spot and come unglued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burton Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Side hits at high speed are usually the best chance for shearing a car in half like this. Rusty framerails and firewall will help it shear even easier. I have a degree in Auto Body and have studied unibody strength and weaknesses. Add that to the fact I have cut up a few of these cars parting them, and I can assure you that the SQs are definitely stronger than the average car. MUCH stronger than the econoboxes of the same era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOHO Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I have to chuckle as some of the guys saying this is a testament of the safety of the car. The firewall is completely ripped out of the car and the driver, by a lot of luck, walks away with mild injuries. I'd say this one is a pretty poor testament for the car because the containment cell didn't stay intact. If you look where it impacted, the tree took out the leading edge of the passenger door. I seriously doubt someone would have walked away if they were in that seat. yes....if he would have hit 18" further back...he would have been killed. But I think that would be true in any car... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Seems like the beige/ gold ones have horrific endings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burton Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 The silver ones don't have the best of luck either.... http://www.26liter.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10087/stolen_esir.jpg That was from catching air at around 80 and landing into an 18" high brick retaining wall. The guy driving it wasn't wearing a seatbelt and walked away with a small cut on his arm from hitting the dash. Insurance totaled it, but according to Carfax it was put back on the road. Not bad, considering I've seen cars ripped apart and people seriously injured or even killed from similar impacts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbruneaux Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 You also don't know if the car had been correctly repaired at some point. I knew a girl who's dad pieced three different cars into one, I refused to ride in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSQuest88 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Holy crap! Seeing pictures like these makes me not want to take my car out and drive it for a while. Makes me wanna keep it in the garage so I know it's safe and sound and know it will always be there waiting for me. Very glad to hear the driver is ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burton Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 You also don't know if the car had been correctly repaired at some point. I knew a girl who's dad pieced three different cars into one, I refused to ride in it. That's true, a wreck fixed with shoddy work will be pre-weakened for the next wreck. That said, if cars are cut and pieced together properly, they can actually be stronger than from the factory. In college we cut an Escort at the A pillars and under the seats and put a new back end on it. Frame rails and pillars were sleeved, and the rest of the seam was welded double thick. After everything the car was measured and was well within all OEM specs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 You also don't know if the car had been correctly repaired at some point. I knew a girl who's dad pieced three different cars into one, I refused to ride in it. Sounds like the kind of stuff I see daily! No BS. I see "body shops" buy auction cars piece em together and then resell them on craigslist! I saw a guy cut the whole front clip of a Chevy Aveo to weld it onto a wrecked one. He literally cut from the below the steering wheel, behind the windshield! Then I saw his weld work! OMG! I have no idea how the heck they registered that car, front firewall vin did not match the rest of the car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Scotsman Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 wow, some impact, the other car that ran into the starion must have been travelling some. Looking at the pic, I would say the guy was more than lucky, the way it came apart was almost clinical. Shame about the car, I know it's one less on the road but he has walked away from what seems like the impossible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_C. Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 Once again, Burton shows to have a lot of good knowledge about critical subjects on these and all cars for that matter. I too feel very safe in a StarQuest. The doors are the strongest I've ever seen on a unibody car. Compare it to Camaros and Mustangs. The SQ has an extra pin up high, with a full frame wrap around the window. You really can't beat that for safety in the same OEM GT car class. Compare it to any other made in its class for years, and it ranks either top or very close to it for safety. The shearing also lessoned the G-Force impact on the driver's brain. If the car would have held up, a side impact like that can cause brain damage.I agree too that water drainage is very important. If rain water can't drain out as designed, rust takes over and severely weakens critical points.I've never seen a write up about how ours drain, and how to check / clear it out. That would be a good subject that all of us should check at least. And check for weakened critical points too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad2Rass Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 I think I know the owner of this car trying to get in touch with him. If so thats my dads old car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prototype78 Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af306/PROTOGENETIC2/20140401_162755.jpghttp://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af306/PROTOGENETIC2/20140401_163207.jpghttp://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af306/PROTOGENETIC2/20140401_163159.jpg Today I passed by where he has his car and snapped some pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbruneaux Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 That's amazing. Imagine the energy it took to rip and bend that steel, and somehow he walks away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Wow! Where did the transmission go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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