Technical Crash Protection/Upgrades...

[aquamarine]

Now before I start, I'll caveat:

1. I'm not an engineer!!
2. My mind tends to wander to lofty and impractical considerations

...but, taking on board the Practical Classics comment ("non-existent crash protection"), has anyone thought about improving the protection of the Panda shell?

Reason I ask? My Mk1 project needs a lot of welding to the sills (basically needs sills replacing) and I started to think about strengthening the sills, perhaps by including a bar or strengthener within the sill itself (almost an in-built cage). Daft idea, but has this or any other improvements crossed anyone else's mind?

David

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

...but, taking on board the Practical Classics comment ("non-existent crash protection"),

Not sure what they class the section from below the windscreen to the edge of the bonnet, or the seatbelts as then?

TBH I'd have said leave as it is, sometimes addings things could be worse, cause it to crumple in ways it shouldn't etc.

 

[Liquid Knight]

Any welding you do should be seam welded for added rigidity. I wouldn't mess with a MkI though.

 

[Giacosa]

Its an interesting question. I used 0.9mm steel along the length of the passenger sill rather than the original 0.5 or 0.6 mm that still on the drivers side. The car definitely flexes more on the drivers side. When you jack it up the drivers door is harder to open than usual. The passenger door open the same jacked up or not.

 

[Dragon Man]

from crashed pandas i have seen the roof tends to fold inward. in a head on collision the car effectively looks like it broke its back. if it was to ever structurally upgrade a panda i would start by adding metal box section to the rear foot well just under the rear seat so you get a bit of side impact protection. then focus on the fold effect the roof gets. strengthen the A and B pillars with some tubing or box section and along the sides of the roof add some more box section from the A pillars to the B pillars.
the sills already seem not too bad but there is plenty of room in them to run some box section or tubing down them. however i am not sure how that would effect the crash style of the car.

my aim would be to build a safety cadge to prevent the car folding/crumpling in on you.
i would not touch the front of the car or the boot space, thus turning them into an effective crumple zone.
adding extra box section to the fire wall and around the doors would help stop say the engine crushing the firewall into the front foot wells.

things to keep in mind though is that the more structural reinforcement you add to the car the more heavy it will become.
also that because it has been modded in such a way it may have to go for a test to make sure that it is "safe" to be on the road.
also it could effect how you would get insurance on the car.

my best advice would be to just not drive around looking for an accident. not that you do. i know from recent experience that theres too many variables on the roads these days.
just drive as safe as you can, get a dash cam fitted they save a lot of hassle should anything happen. if my dad had one on his bike we would have known exactly what happened. sadly he did not so the police are just left with guess work.

just keep safe out there.

 

[firstcar-Y10]

strengthen the A and B pillars with some tubing or box section and along the sides of the roof add some more box section from the A pillars to the B pillars.

Now that does sound mighty like a roll cage to me..

 

[Dragon Man]

yeah, but it is about all i could see you can do to prevent the roof from folding in :/

 

[pandamaniac]

Do you think the external style roll cages as fitted to Suzuki 4x4 off roaders are the answer instead?

 

[Liquid Knight]

External roll cages can be a pedestrian hazard and thereby illegal. Internal roll cages take up space and both with add weight, therefore momentum and your insurance will potentially skyrocket.

These modifications will also devalue a quality MkI Panda.

OMP used to sell bolt in cages for Pandas but if the kept the plans you'll be looking at £800 or more for one now.