Think Roll Bar? Think Again! A safe one.

[brfutbrian]

He was a she!

Alan

and she wasnt the owner of the car. later, brian

[RJacobsen]

This is a picture of csx3178 it has a different design to the roll bar, I think it is forward braced as well.

[Justin Upchurch]

I have to say that this accident scares me. I can't think of any reason this car should have gone over other than the center of gravity is just to high in the car. From what I can tell in this video the outside wheels are already up in the air when the car lands on one of the tires and continues to roll.
Alan, it sounds like you are familiar with this accident, is what happened similar to your crash?
Looks like Unique's roll bars are ok.

Justin

[ralphscott]

Based on Tony's observations I looked at the video on my big computer screen and it looks like the driver's side front tire is flat when the car flips on the asphalt. You can see it flapping when the car is sliding upside down. Hey it may just be my imagination but it looks that way. Rim biting into the asphat makes sense to me.

Ralph

[diegokid]

My eyes aren't the best anymore but on my computer screen it looks like there is a more than normal buildup of tire rubber on the track in that turn. Could that have been the reason for loss of control in the first place?

[RJacobsen]

OK here is my take on the flip. As the car entered the turn the rear tires started to skid (either from a miscalculated down shift or the wrong brake bias) causing the car to swap ends. At that point I don’t think that the front wheels ever locked up because as the car continued to spin the front wheels (that had been turned to the right to correct the skid) were now steering the car (now rolling backwards) from the back into a hard left turn. With the tires still rolling they had enough bite to flip the car. If you have ever driven something that steered from the rear (forklift maybe) you would know how unstable they can be. Just my 2 cents.

[Naumoff]

juan, why is your wife so freaked out? do you drive like youre on a racetrack when she`s a passenger? no more danger than riding in any convertible.

tony, why so cryptic? i think most folks on here have heard the tale of that crash (off the internet). i heard what happened and who was involved at least three months ago. im willing to bet you have the right person in mind. i heard the culprit in this was cold tires more than anything else (if my memory hasnt failed). later, brian

Hey Brian,
I came across this video and I am 99% sure of who's car it is but not 100% sure.
I talked to him on the phone about going to the Run 'N Gun in September and he told me his car had been wrecked at VIR with someone else driving. The driver is ok. I have not contacted him to confirm that this is his car.
I figured if I hadn't seen him post anything about it anywhere I just wouldn't mention his name.


Our cars are very predictable. A long sweeping turn on the street is very dangerous. It builds confidence and we tend to build speed a little too quick and when you run out of road and let off the throttle you unload the suspension and on a cold or damp pavement it is all over except for the crying.

As far as Juan's wife being freaked out I think that is just a natural reaction.
We guys are always seeking thrills. We can't help it.

[weaver]

When I flipped my car at Charlotte it was a combination of wrong tires, turned out to be auto cross tires and we were making 20 lap runs, when the tires went away in a turn it rolled off the rim, dug into the asphalt and flipped, the car slid about 100 ft on its roll bar, hit the 3rd turn wall upside down then slid down onto the apron. I walked to the ambulance on my own and only had a few cuts, I was sore for a week or two but was able to go to the Nascar race in Atlanta the following week, I was talking to Dale Earnhardt about it and he said I was only the 2nd car that had ever flipped at Charlotte, Geoff Bodine was the other. I still drive that car today.

Alan

[weaver]

In my post I said it was a combination of things but I forgot to say what, wrong tires and a loose nut behind the wheel, thay call me Crash Dummy.

Alan

[Naumoff]

In my post I said it was a combination of things but I forgot to say what, wrong tires and a loose nut behind the wheel, thay call me Crash Dummy.

Alan

You're like the guy who invented the bullet proof vest.
He shoots himself when he is wearing a vest to prove it is a good product.

[gasman]

These clips are the only reason I would like to sell my car. Without a hard top and full body roll cage, I just don't trust my surroundings enough to push the car to the limit.

Juan, I'm sure you don't push your car with the wife in it, or maybe you do and that is why she won't ride with you. At any rate, your car is too cool looking for a roll bar on the passenger side. Tell her you will think about her as you have a blast.

[Naumoff]

Steve,
I can't push my F250 to the limit either but I am not going to sell it.

I think you are just having to much fun e30 spec racing.

[weaver]

Lots of chat on Club Cobra about whos car, what driver, why and did they survive.

Alan