People sitting on cars

The message from "Rob Kirk" contains these words:

Not if you're a fat bastard like me.

Just went to a BP shop today to get some grub. Saw a black Ford Fusion, hence must be fairly new; at least compared to my 1993 but still shining Saab. But I was appalled by the amount of surface scratches on that car.

You'll notice they're older cars. Back then, they were made of alot thicker stuff.

Hmm. Cars have put on weight over the years. VW Golf I was 800Kg, latest Golf 1400 Kg.

This isn't the panels though, which are very thin. Its the basic structure, plus weight of safety kit, airbags, aircon, trim, etc etc etc

Look at, say, a 1990 cavalier (new shape at the time) next to a '95 version - open the drivers door on each. later car's is heavier, Ithink 'cos they put some side-impact protection in the door. it all mounts up

Whenever a new model comes out, the manufacturer will often claim that the torsional stiffness is up by 50% or so. This has gone on as long as I can remember. Say, 10 model generations over 50 years, that would make the car

58 times stiffer than the original model. Wonder what it must have been like to drive a 1955 model.

I'm of the opinion, rightly or wrongly, that you should not wash a car for the first six months of its life with anything other than jet wash. I seem to recall that paint isn't completely hardened for ages. Also some topcoats seem more resistant to scratches than others - the Zafira is covered in them, and has never been through an automatic wash, the Volvo went through mothly and was fine.

The message from "Tim S Kemp" contains these words:

Flapped about uselessly and banged into lampshades?

It saw the light...

All that means is it doesn't twist as much.

Once back in 1991, a MK4 Escort jumped some traffic lights and hit my MK1 Rover SD1 as I was turning right.

Escort:

Front end completely demolished. Drivers side strut pushed into passenger footwell. Engine up against bulkhead. Car a write off.

Rover SD1: Offside front corner of the bumper flattened a bit.

I drove off home as he was explaining to Police why he only had a learner licence, no L plates, no qualified passenger and no insurance and also trying to figure out how to get out of paying for the car he'd just written off in a test drive.

That's cellulose. If it's painted in 2K and baked, it'll be rock hard as soon as it leaves the paintshop.

Yup. And all of it useless shit such as 3ft deep dashboards, thicker seats, safety bags, 10 miles of wiring, etc etc etc etc...

A model friend does alot of work with modified cars (sitting on them and looking pouty kinda thing) general practice is to obviously not wear anything that might scratch so no jeans with studs kinda thing and don't be shuffling around when on there, move slowly, gently and deliberatly. also stay the hell off carbon fibre panels.

-- Mark.

"nec aspera terrent"

................................................................ Posted via TITANnews - Uncensored Newsgroups Access >>>> at

I had twice someone driving into the back of my Saab 9000, this car is amazing. No noticeable damage to my car as the rear bumper is mounted in special concertina shock absorbers. Sadly, they don't make them like that any more. Needless to say, considerable front end damage to the other cars.

Oops.

At about the same time I was turning right on a green filter arrow and a Datsun 120Y smashed into the front corner of my Mk II Escort.

Me - bent bumper, wing, smashed headlight.

Him - wheels separated from car, no recognisable trace of the front end back to the windscreen, engine *on* passenger seat. Lucky lucky bloke only got a sprained ankle.

twisty, you can watch the dashboard move about on a bumpy road.

Some cars such as my ones do dent VERY easily. My bonnet has a small dent just from where somebody pushed on it to close it. When you close it you need to be very gentle to avoid denting it. There's no way I would want anybody sitting on it!

Must admit i'd not let anyone, even aforementioned skinny-article, sit on my bonnet, not on the Jaguar anyway, the old Land Rover i clamber all over myself and i weigh twice or more what she does.

I do have a habit of sitting/leaning on the rear wings of the jaguar though but it feels jolly sturdy thereabouts.

-- Mark.

"nec aspera terrent"

................................................................ Posted via TITANnews - Uncensored Newsgroups Access >>>> at

If you don't own a Volvo, the best way to shut the bonnet is let it drop. Ever since I was forced to relinquish my "fleet" of Volvos and downsize to horrible little french diesel stuff, I have been very conscious of the skin thickness of the car. A hard scrub while washing it would be enough to bend it.

-- Stuart