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--- Jim Adney <jadney@vwtype3.org> wrote: > > How do those thin-walled tubes that go down at an > angle from the bumper > > actually function in a collision?? > > When the bumper starts to collapse, it forces that > U-tube back against the > front axle beam. The axle beam IS a heavy strong > piece that is gripped by a > major structural member of the body, so this > transfers a LOT of force to > something stronger. The actual front bumper > brackets, like the rears, are also > just bolted to thin sheet metal and have very little > strength. I can't remember where I saw it, maybe on a classified in the Samba, but I recently saw a picture of a Squareback or Fastback that had been in a serious front-end collision. I was pretty surprised at how the front end folded "properly" (though not as "perfect" as a modern car, with its neat little crush zones), leaving the driver/passenger area basically intact. Now, I obviously don't know the details of the accident, but still, I was impressed. ===== -------------------------------------------- 1971 FI AT Squareback http://www.tiserves.com/VW/ vw_variant71@yahoo.com -------------------------------------------- __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List info at http://www.vwtype3.org/list | mailto:gregm@vwtype3.org