[opeldean]

has anyone thought about improving the crashworthiness of the GT?

1- door reinforcements for side impacts?(73 style doors?) internal frame?

2- bumper heights/bracing( I have seen a bar that connects the vertical rubber bumperettes)

3- rupture proof rear gas tank

4- air bag in front steering wheel.

could any of theses things be done?

 

[RallyBob]

has anyone thought about improving the crashworthiness of the GT?

1- door reinforcements for side impacts?(73 style doors?) internal frame?

Not too hard to do, any competent welder can fab up a bar and weld it in place.

2- bumper heights/bracing( I have seen a bar that connects the vertical rubber bumperettes)

Same as above, except it goes to the chrome shop afterwards! A better addition would be to make bumper 'frames' from DOM tubing, and use them as a base for the thin sheetmetal bumpers to mount to.

3- rupture proof rear gas tank

No such thing as 'rupture proof' in the literal sense. A fuel cell would be the closest thing to being rupture proof, and will cost about $1200 for a true fitted 'bladder' type cell.

4- air bag in front steering wheel.

I suspect this could be done, but you'd better damn know what you're doing since these things can really do as much harm as good. You'll need the steering wheel, bag, sensors, and computer from a donor car. And time...

could any of theses things be done?

Almost anything can be done, it just takes know-how, time, and money.

Bob

 

[Old Hippie]

One of the things I've thought about was putting the little bumper "shock" mounts found on the 80-90 GM's. You'd have to cut off about 6" strip of skin from the back to reinforce the u-channel and weld in some nut-fasteners. Also of making the rear bumber solid across or a open chrome box where the bumberettes are. Haven't put much thought into the front, YET, but will be this winter.

 

[GTJIM (R.I.P.)]

Academic!

At the 100mph plus that GTs get driven all those "safety features" that they did not originally have would make p-all difference!

 

[soybean]

One thing I have thought about for the engine compartment and the gas tank was some type of fire suppression. I found this site http://www.firecharger.com/ The bottle could be mounted on the tray above the gas tank, the plumbing wouldn't be hard. How to trigger it, I haven't figured out. Just a thought. Jarrell

 

[ging]

I keep trying to figure out how to put some sort of cage across the windshield (you know, for all those pictures of GT's running under the rear of the vehicle in front) but there's that whole problem with being able to see... .

 

[bear]

Having lost my first GT being #5 in a 10 car pile up on the I-5 here in CA, I can attest that the best way to make you car more safe and survivable is to not get in that situation in the first place. In my particular instance, I was at a dead stop behind the car in front of me, about a foot away. Then 5 more cars pile drove me into the car in front of me. Nothing, save 1/2" plate steel or thicker surrounding the car would have made any difference to the outcome. As each car behind me hit the one in front of it, I saw the front bumper coming closer and closer to the windshield. Because of that accident, and a few other personal mishaps, I've decided in order to be able to live forever, I have maintained what was a major motorcylce safety campaign from Honda, my own personal "Circle of Safety" on the road. I don't tailgate, I don't go above the posted speed limit on surface streets, but I have fun getting there, and on the freeways, I drive fun, but still within my own little Circle. And I don't get caught up with what the other "looney toons" on the road are doing. I will take notice of them and almost half the time, I will see them again, further on down the road, either upside down or in front of the CHP pursuit vehicle. The point here being, they passed me, but I will be ahead of them further on down the road. O.K. off the soapbox.