[DeTomaso] Show Car Crashed...

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/22/10 2:24:45 PM, pantdino at aol.com writes:

> My understanding is that the spare tire was moved to the rear because in 
> the DOT crash tests having it in the front led to force being transmitted 
> to the base of the windshield in lesser crashes.
> 
Uhhh, no. What happened in the first 1970 crash test was, the unrestrained 
collapsible spare wheel/tire popped open the front hood and CAME THROUGH THE 
WINDSHIElD! So horrified Ford engineers fixed it twice- by moving the 
assembly to the rear trunk tub and by adding a bolted tie down. The second crash 
test with a rear mount spare was successful. Photographs of this ancient 
test were around for years but dunno where they might be now.   FWIW- my 
collapsible spare is up front- with a bolted tie down. And if you've added 'big 
brakes', a stock collapsible spare will not fit over large calipers & larger 
than 11-1/2" rotors. Cheers- J DeRyke