vcbjhj

Wow, are we going to have to organize an intervention ??

hernanca

My belief as well, gaugeman.

Hacker, not 928's, but here are some modern set ups that seem to work well. a couple of Alfa Romeo's ('88 and '93 - one's not Deep Corn, but is close), a BMW e46, a Honda Integra, and a couple of Miata's. The Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce's and the BMW e46 can claim heritages going back to the 60's, but not the Miata nor the Integra (I don't think). The matching wood shifter helps tie things together in these examples. I also noticed that they all have black and tan interiors. I don't know what your current interior colors are.

Nicole

I don't have a problem at all with wood in cars - be it on steering wheels or other trim. It's the exposed metal spokes that make these wheels so out of place - they are from another era long before the 928 hit the market.

Car manufacturers switched to padded spokes during the 70ies for safety reasons: If you ever get into an accident, and your head hits the spokes, you will be grateful for every bit of padding.

Before you dismiss this as impossible, remember that under the forces of a serious accident, your seat belt and body will flex and stretch in ways you cannot normally imagine. Ask me how I know...

James Bailey

Guys just google any crash test video without airbag....... then decide who is the dummy

Dave928S

^^^ This

I'm 6' 1" and have my seat at the rear extent of travel in most cars, with my arms extended to the wheel.

I've already referred to my experiences but I'll detail them ....

I had an accident decades ago, with a correctly adjusted inertia reel seat belt. The slight unwinding of the belt, before it locked up, allowed my head to hit the top of the windscreen. I was not happy that this could happen at the time, and so contacted the manufacturer (GMH), and fearing a lawsuit, they tested the belt, inertia reel, etc, etc, and found no fault.

Fast forward to almost three years ago (Toyota 4WD). Head on with a tree at 70 - 80 kmh. I didn't move a fraction of an inch forward in my seat, as the pre tensioners went off and actually forcefully pushed me into the seat. I had a bruise pattern across my pelvis and diagonally across my torso to show how well it worked. The impact was so forceful that the shoulder which was not restrained by the seat belt was dislocated. I have no doubt at all that, if not for the pre-tensioners, I would have been much more seriously hurt, or dead.

My work DD replacement (Later Toyota 4WD) has air bags and pre-tensioners, and a steel cargo barrier to restrain my work equipment (I was lucky to not be killed by equipment missiles last time).

Sit in any car and see how close your head is to the top of a raked back windscreen, and how close you are to side and front glass and pillars .... then see how that little bit of give before the belt locks up allows you to travel.

Don't underestimate what happens in a collision, because you are just a passenger at that stage, and can't do much to protect yourself.

James Bailey

basic rule for race cars where you are 5-6 point strapped in tight is your HEAD can hit anything your hands can TOUCH....

9two8

.., guess there,s no hope for us non airbag standard Porsche wheel cars then ??

hernanca

Going to start a new thread on "Safety in a 928" (if one does not already exist), since I feel partly responsible for the derailment... Will add link here after I start the thread. That said...

My belief is changing...

And I imagine the body will flex much more than the seat belt...

This I keep in mind, but many folks seem to overlook. Anything not secured in (or to) a vehicle can become a deadly projectile in an accident.

When I read Nicole's comment about the steel spokes, I went out to my car to see whether my head could hit the spokes. An arc pivoting at my hips (assuming they stay in place...) lines it right up.

Knock on wood, my one accident (not in a 928) was at less than 45 mph. I did not hit the steering wheel (or, at least, it did not leave a mark), but I was surprised at how much I moved with the "lock-up" type seat belts.

...After a while I realized I wasn't wearing my glasses. I went back to the car and found them on the floorboard. I didn't even remember them flying off.

And private planes (and motorcycles), even less. Most private planes have lap belts and no airbag and usually need at least 80 mph just to get airborne. In 2011 there was a Federal report to the NTSB recommending airbags in newly built private planes, but they are not yet mandatory (last I checked). I follow this because my dad was a small plane pilot and had a serious accident (only occupant, engine canopy broke loose and punctured the oil cooler, seizing the engine about 10 minutes after take-off, Cherokee Six). He survived but was critically injured - despite all the instruments, there is about zero safety in these popular used private planes.