How safe are speedster replicas???

Howdy all. I will be getting a new Vintage Speedster tomorrow and looking foward to enjoying this new ride! I am wondering about safety----no air bags, no steel in the body, no third rear light, no headrest in the back of the seat, and maybe more than I'm aware of.

Anyone had a crash in a replica and how did the car do----and how did YOU do?----Jack, Hot Springs

I have driven a cobra replica (Superformance) and now this IM replica. These replicas are some of the most unsafe vehicles on the road today if your in a collision, but no more than any old car or motorcycle. If safety is a concern, call whomever you are buying the car from tomorrow and cancel, I mean that in the nicest way possible. Some will argue that its as safe as the driver, but that is simply not the case where I live anyway. There are unavoidable idiots driving Hummers out there that would run you over and probably not notice till they were wondering what the screaming was coming from the wheel well the next day. Of course, you don't see many accidents in replicas for one reason or another, but in my opinion thats because the majority of our driving in only perfect weather and we are ultra aware of our surroundings.

Anyway, others can chime in, and yes, I have the popcorn ready.

James

Keep munching the popcorn. It's a four wheeled motorcycle.

I drove a speedy for years and I ride a Harley almost every day, I felt only slightly safer in the Speedster, I now drive a Ghia convert and feel safer only because the windshield is part of the body and may not colapse on top of me in a roll over.....
Wear a Helmet..........

even asking the question suggests you are not a good candidate for a Speedster, and I mean that in the best way also. From a safety standpoint they are a deathtrap, and the Spyder I drive is worse. If you want "safe" buy a Hummer or a Volvo. If you want fun, and a much much higher risk, get a Speedster or Spyder. As others have pointed out none of us get out of here alive anyhow.....and making a Speedster / Spyder "safe" would make it into a Hummer or worse anyhow....

I have been hit once by a van...he didn't see me (too low and I was stopped in front of him) No more than a several hundred dollar love tap....but it goes to the point that small cars and motor cycles are frequently not seen until something goes crunch!

Jack, crash safety is a topic that has come up a few times before. For some additional comments, use the SEARCH function using "crash safety" as a search argument which will display many threads.

For my part, I think that the four-wheeled motorcycle analogy is somewhat accurate, but still I would rather be belted into my Cabrio than flying off my Beeza if somebody ran into me.
my 2 krona
Hoss

There's not much to add to those who've already posted above, except - when driving a replica Speedster or Spyder, you need to create and maintain a much larger-than-normal "safety cushion" around you in traffic. Being an excellent and safe driver will only help you so much.

The obvious danger is from the yahoo, 30-something mother-of-three who's stirring her smoothie, yelling at her kids, and gabbing on her cellphone while "driving" her Chevy Suburban 75 mph on the freeway next to you.

You're a great driver. The lady in the Suburban? Not so much.

Bottom line? The fun is worth the risk - if you just remember what you're potentially up against in traffic.

In light of all the preceding sage advice from my astute SOC colleagues, one of the first additions I did to our Speedy was install an air horn that is LOUDER THAN F**K!!

I've used it MANY times (with impunity!). Particularly for that soccer mom backing up with NO CLUE I'm behind her, or Mr. Junior Executive on his cell-phone-Bluetooth-crap-hanging-off-you-ear-look-at-me-attention-getting-I'm-almost-someone-important not paying attention to WTF he's driving!!!

11 years of daily driving our Speedy, 85K Kilometers on the speedo and not a single traffic incident (yet)!

Did I forget to mention that most of my driving is in SoCal - nuff said!!

Peace - Out!

All---wonderful info and just about what I thought would come back.

I drive a BMW R-80 so four wheels will be a safer ride, I would think.

I do keep an extremelt safety zone between me and other drivers and have often thought that to get me, they will really have to try damned hard! I'm like "hit me if you can"! Cause I'm the hell outta there if someone invades my personal comfort zone.

I do worry about the amazing incredible deals where some goober swerves into your lane at the last instant----or the one who comes flying accross the median and nails someone who was minding their own business and where no one could avoid that kind of incident.

I know you pays your money and you takes your chances! I anticipate that the fun of driving this great Vintage Speedster will far outweigh the- button-holes-in-the-seat syndrome.

I just wanted to hear what knowledgable Speedster drivers had to say on the subject.

I do intend to get the air horn (thanks---GREAT idea!) and the third tail light. Those things I CAN do---I was looking for other such things that you-all are already using.

This is a great site--thanks to those of you willing to help a newbie!----Jack Crosby, Hot Springs, AR

I think the best weapon we have is common sense, but beyond that, a REALLY loud exhaust helps people know you are there. Also good bright lights, the third brake light, and a loud horn are all great safety additions to any custom car. I have all these things and still wouldn't put my 3 year old son in the car with me on the best of days. Also, life insurance is a great thing to have lots of.. but thats not something that will do YOU any good...just allows my wife to keep that pool boy coming to the house in the event I slide sideways into my casket...wait... we don't have a pool...

James

Great posts; the 4 wheeled motorcycle analogy is perfect; even my uncle (an experienced motorbike rider) said so when I took him out on a ride in my car. A loud exhaust, nice loud horns and a fast and responsive drivetrain (in case you need to evade careless a-holes) are a definite plus. As someone said before, in these cars there's 1/4" of fiberglass between you and eternity. Maybe that's where the "Live Fast, Die Young & Leave a Beautiful Corpse" motto in the old SOC badge came from.

One thing you mentioned - the third brake light - can be easily added. The others, well, just consider what the other responses have said. When people ask me about mine, I describe it as either a motorcycle with an abnormally large plastic fairing, or a go-kart with leather upholstery.

Remember the box car racer you made as a kid? Not much different. But you do look much cooler in this one.

Jack,

When you search, type in roll-bars too, and see what comes up. I think that is about as safety conscious as you can reasonably get. The high brake light is going to help, and the idea from MUSBJIM (God, I love that man -- in the nicest way possible, of course.) about the horn is one I had not thought of. Why not? Great idea Jim! The key here is: visibility, which these low screamers don't have much of.

The roll bar should be firmly welded to the frame and be padded. I believe you can incorporate a cushion into a clever design that will serve as a whip-lash head restraint. I am still working on this exact design, but the basic roll bar thing has been done many times in several ways. Look through the personal galleries here, and you will see several. Again, they need to be hooked solid into the frame, enough so that you could pick the car up w/ a strap hooked through the roll bar. Some are done just for looks, and bolt to the body or pan. This will not get it. One I especially like is attached.

Some anecdotes were offerd a while back about crashes. I am betting that some have died in these cars, but have no specific knowledge. One gotcha was reported w/ a BMW sedan: the Speedy drove away and the Bimmer had to be towed. Evasive action: Ask Cory Drake how that works; he had a close encounter w/ the aforementioned SUV, and missed certain doom by hopping a curb.

One thing you might consider in the calculations is this: How many accidents of any kind have you already had? That might be the best indicator of what the future may hold. I know the insurance companies think this way . . .

Roll-bars that are placed behind the head of the driver can be a huge liability in a rear end accident. Serious injury will occur if the occupants head can strike the roll bar. Since rear end accidents are far more common than roll-overs and safety is a concern, it would be prudent to check the distances from skull to roll bar.
-=theron

When I bought my IM it had the rollbar installed, and it was done correctly as it was bolted with 4 bolts at each point directly into the frame. The problem was exactly as you described and my noggin would hit it if I leaned my head back. I am a big lover of rollbars if they are safe, and in my opinion this one was not safe for me at least as I need the legroom and would be right against it with my head, so I removed it thinking the exact same thing... I have only ever seen one rollover accident personally in my whole life, but probably 50 rear end collisions. I am thinking of having it modified to tilt a little to the rear, but even that would remove some of the ability of that bar to hold the car up if it rolled. Great points from everyone here...

James

I hate to be a downer, but the main reason I sold my speedster is because it was a rolling deathtrap. I wanted to get something that had steel & weight to it.

Not going to argue the point, but steel cars with more weight only make you FEEL safer.. example below.

James

you can't argue the point with a 3,000 lbs steel car with seatbelts compared to a 1500 fiberglass car.

That is NOT a big tree.....

Big enough.

I wonder how fast they were going.

You can only worry so much about this kind of thing. A month ago
I had a 48 yr old friend who was; a safe, competent defensive driver. Worked in the aviation biz and made safety a part of his day to day concerns. He was helping someone lift something into the back of a p.u. truck. Once in the bed he sat on the edge for a rest. Foot slipped on something in the bed, slowly rolled out of the bed, struck his head just so---Gone. Obviously you want to stack the cards in your favor but sometimes it just doesn't matter.
If you don't let the hairs on your neck stand up once in a while
your not living much anyway(imho).

WAY faster then they should have been going...I think the airbags and antilock brakes saved them.. NOT!

James

I agree with all of you...but I would also like to add that you must "choose your battles" with the car. I live in Scottsdale (Phoenix), where I would say the traffic is getting as bad as LA. Plus, throw in your 6 months of "snowbirds", which are poeple who live here part-time from all parts of the country, and you really have mess.

Therefore, I don't drive the car on the freeways, and I avoid major streets during rush hour or congested times. My theory is that if I am going to be hit, I want to get hit by grandma doing 25 puttin' in her dentures than a Mack truck doing 95 on the 202.

Just my two cents...

I look at it this way the newest cars are almost always crumple up in a colision and are almost always totaled. They are designed to absorb force not to survive.

I have seen a geo tracker that was sandwiched and the drive got badly hurt.

I have seen a new ford focus Cut slap into . Nothing is perfect. and yes drive safely.

I did make some structial up grades to my car as I built Again nothings pefect. bars in the doors and the winshield is bolted in steel suports. I feel at least as safe as I was in the Tracker.

I sold because it had emission probelms that dogged the heck out of me. These are farely simple!

I'm keepin the Speedster D If its my time. Its my time. And nothing on earth will stop that.

Enjoy what you have while you can, For you could just as easley die in your sleep or from canser.

I spent many months looking at 'real cars' before deciding that I couldn't afford THE car that I wanted.

Believe me ... spending over 50K for a 'real car' was more than I wanted to spend. Notwithstanding the fact that I have a couple Porsches in my garage ... but, they are modern cars. 993 and 997 models. (I have no kids, so don't hate me, please)

I wanted an IM car and nearly bought one (twice !) before I ever sat in one. I think the IM cars are the Gold Standard of the replica 356 cars. Others may differ. But, I found them noisy, deplete of safety in a modern way (yes, I know 'real cars' are even worse), lacking the fit and finish I desired (this does not apply to the newer IM cars), and such. Just sitting in a roadster, altho fun to drive for a while, made me uncomfortable in a safety sort of way and the car was pretty uncomfy.

I traveled several hundred miles several times to view/drive a decent 356 replica car. I was not impressed with them. Just my opinion .... from many respects. But, we decided that IF we were going to purchase a roadster, it would be a more modern chassis ... with safety features that would provide some sort of 'cocoon' if we were impacted by a truck like my 5500 lb F150 4x4, but still be fun to drive and be reliable.

I chose a 2002 BMW 3.0i Z3 with 30K miles .. $22K with a year of BMW warranty left. Yes, it's a "parts off the bin car" ... so what. So are the replicas. But, it has air bags, crumple zones, ABS, good handling, a top that pretty much doesn't leak, weighs about twice what the replicas weigh, zenon lighting, good (hated) seats/head restraints, AC, good heater, DIF, electronics, motor, steering, suspension ... and all that stuff made by a REAL car company (BMW).

When I was 'hot to buy' a 356 roadster and had some concerns about the components (and more stuff), I was told in a PM to buy a Mazda Miata. Something like, "It's cheaper, more powerful, better build, safer, doesn't leak, yada, yada" .... or some such. Ya know .... he was right, except the BMW Z3 is a better choice. I don't care for Miatas.

I know this is a 356 replica board, and I'm sorry that I feel this way. I ride several motorcycles (for over 40 years ... and yes, they are unsafe, too), but given the choice I made vs the choice I wanted to make .... I'd choose the BMW nearly every time today.

And, on a different day in Carlisle, PA ... I might be driving a not so safe 356 replica coupe or Speedy. But, I'm happy with my decision.

They are not for everyone, thats for sure. That also makes them a very cool car that almost everyone loves to see themselves driving. The Z3 is a great car..I drove one a couple times but it was just not my cup of tea..same with the S2000 I owned for a couple of years. If I could afford the divorce I would be driving a Z06 right now. Glad you ended up with what makes you happy and feel safer as well. Might I ask why your slummin it here on the speedster owners website though?

James

His 'Bagger Bagger' pretty much says it all don't ya think?

DOH

Is there a fly on your screen too..... :)

I just read Bagger's whole post.
This must be what it's like to be a psychiatrist.

Safety should be a concern for a lot of reasons; we tend to talk in life-and-death terms here a lot. What we don't really seem to ponder a whole lot is maiming injuries, which tend to look really painful and sometimes cost a lot of blood loss.
The roll-bar-into-the-head theory is a good one. I got sent to do some serious reading when I came up with the two-hoop DOM tubing idea for the Hoopty, and I made sure to take all the wisdom into account. There was a great bit of knowledge on roll bars in street cars on the PCA's website, with both benefits and detractors weighed in black and white.
The conclusion I reached was that the roll bar needed to be welded and gussetted behind the car's center of gravity, and that it needed to be two inches higher at its inside arch than the top of my helmeted head. They look a bit tall by themselves, braced to the rear as they are, but there's corresponding tubing of the same material right under the apex of the car's hood in the case of a rollover accident.
The point is that I would be protected over my head and knees if the car was upside-down, as well as the tubing being supported at three points -- and then I added door bars for a little extra side-impact protection.
All that reinforcement, as Kelly said above, worked in my favor when an SUV bore-sighted me this spring. By all means, take it seriously.
It's a good question, and one we all learn a little from every time someone asks it.

" When your numbers up, it's up, that's why I change mine every day "
Author unknown...

Give me death in my POS with a smile on my face... rather than a noose around my neck on my best depressed day.

My turn, I rode motocycles for years when I was younger, only one accident- cut a left turn at nite didn't see that 1 foot median, head over heels, lucky my buddy and I wore helmets, walked away from that one. My point is the highten awareness one must have when your cruizing the roads and hwys, my problem is when wifey wants to cruize with her girly friends it send chills up my spine, I've given her the prep talk, but that always leads to a misunderstaning(arguement). Be in the moment, pray for traveling mercies and be Saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Cabanaboy ~ Loving LIFE!!

"But, it has air bags, crumple zones, ABS, good handling, a top that pretty much doesn't leak, weighs about twice what the replicas weigh, zenon lighting, good (hated) seats/head restraints, AC, good heater, DIF, electronics, motor, steering, suspension ... and all that stuff made by a REAL car company (BMW)."

Ok, my car;

Doesn't have air bags
Actually it has the same thing as crumple zones, don't be such a fool
My car way out handles a Z3
My top doesn't leak
Weighs half as much
Has H4 Headlights which shine farther away then my stopping distance, so what's the point
Head restraints
A/C
Good Heater
Modern Motor
Rack and Pinion that is better then wife's Mazda Protege'
Excellent suspension considering the wheel base
But not made by a "real car company"

You can go to McDonalds and get a hamburger if you want, it's safe and secure and for most people it is the best choice. Of course most people are weak, uninspired, pussies.

Brian-I think I love you(in a guy kinda proud of what you said kinda way).
And along with Desi, we all have the urge to protect our loved ones before ourselves. I've ridden/ride motorcycles. I've done and do lots of (what some would call) crazy things on them. No passengers. Couldn't live with myself if I hurt someone else due to my stupidity.
Hurt myself, thats another subject.

Steve-O, I'm going to rewrite that on some very nice cotton paper with my best calligraphy pen, matte it neatly, and hang that McDonald's pussies quote in my bathroom.

Nice. You'll get proper attribution, I promise.

I have a couple of friends that really prefer riding in the Speedster, and they are safety experts. Both change careers to pursue safety. They were bull riders and now they are rodeo clowns. 8)

Jeeze ... I tried to write a post, but was told it was too long. I tho't this was proper message board. Guess not.

Since there is not a good way to 'cut and paste and quote' here ... or perhaps I'm just too stupid to do so, I guess I'll have to cut my post into parts.

Odd ... here we go ......... :)

John Leader wrote, "I just read Bagger's whole post.
This must be what it's like to be a psychiatrist."

Thanx, John ... that was helpful to the person who asked "how safe are replica 356s". I'm not a shrink, never been to one either. But, I'm not sure what your point is. Perhaps you should see a shrink to get over your confusion problems.

James Anderson wrote, "Might I ask why your slummin it here on the speedster owners web site though?"

Pretty simple, James. Someone asked a question regarding what folks felt the safety was with the replicas. I was giving my opinion based on what I know, and what MY opinion is. Seems there are plenty of opinions around here that are not really based on sound science either. Opinions are like ....well, I'm sure you know. Maybe a psychiatrist said that? Also, I've been looking at real 356 cars for quite a while. Not wanting to spend the coin to buy a real car that had "old tech" in it, I turned to the replica world. Interestingly enough, the real Porsche folks are about as cliquey as you folks. Just in a different way. Odd, eh. I have a right to my opinions regarding the safety of replicas as do you. So that's why I go slummin' 'round here, bro. And, I've been in this venue longer than you have, Grasshopper.