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As a classic car enthusiast I do realize the safety hazards but I do It anyways because I love it. Motorcyclists take an even larger risk but they still do it because they love it
I'm grateful the OP takes my comments as what they are: context. I like to think about FE matters iin the line of, first, Smart Spec that the vehicle is well-chosen and equipped for actual duty (not fantasy, as with so many 4WD pickups) and, second, through Smart Use where one of the pages of how to drive for economy concerns itself with routing. A DHS study released a few years back describes Americans driving as (approximately) going to 90% of the same places 90% of the time . . and a page from UPS/FedEx is to design a route which eliminates left hand turns altogether. Not only is this FE concious, but safety-concious. One is most likely to be severely injured/killed in a broadside hit.
Has an airbag ever prevented an accident? I think they make them more likely.
I believe this applies more to radial tires and anti-lock brakes than to a passive safety device. Case in point: One of our men was in a 65-mph head-on collision yesterday on the main oilfield highway with another tractor-trailer. Total vehicle destruction of both rigs. In a couple of phone calls to other drivers this is how I described it . . and the response was the likelihood that the drivers were dead. No, both walked away with bruises.
The tractors were so badly damaged that two of our other drivers passed the wreck and did not recognize our own vehicles. Believe me, this is significant. Truck spec is highly company-dependent.
Three point belts are great, yet the airbag is the saving grace.
It isn't skill, but risk minimization that matters in these things. We do as well as we can with Spec, but it is in Use that it all comes together.
Control freaks makes a front subframe kit for this car. It's a tubular type subframe that also converts to rack and pinion and updated coil over suspension. And I believe disc brakes in the front as well. If its not in that kit scarebird makes the conversions. That's probably about the farthest I'd go.
I do hope you make this a reality. No-slop steering is the indirect FE benefit (corrections per 100-miles a measurable concern) and any/all motions that minimize driver inputs over time/distance to maintain lane-centered is to the good. A very high "good".
EFI is great, but R&P steering is greater, IMO. Same for 4-whl disc (plus high tech radials).
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Last edited by slowmover; 11-03-2013 at 01:32 PM..
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