Does anybody own a C3 with airbags?
11-11-2018, 10:58 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Does anybody own a C3 with airbags?
I've seen various crash safety and test films showing 1973-1977 corvettes equipped with airbags. I know the Big 3 had them as an option for some cars for a short period, but has anybody actually owned, or seen a corvette with these optional airbags? Were they even on the option list back then?
11-12-2018, 01:47 AM
#2
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Dec 2009
Location: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Posts: 6,397
Received 640 Likes
on
463 Posts
No C3 Corvettes were ever sold with air bags. The videos you saw must have been factory prototype testing. Very interesting video's you describe, perhaps you could post a link?
11-12-2018, 07:26 AM
#3
Team Owner
Member Since: Jun 2000
Location: Southbound
Posts: 38,928
Likes: 0
Received 1,469 Likes
on
1,248 Posts
Cruise-In II Veteran
11-12-2018, 10:14 AM
#5
Melting Slicks
Its a 73 that was tested... I used to be in charge of certain crash tests...so I quite familiar with the process.
The C-3 did VERY well airbags or not. Remembering that shoulder belts were JUST mandatory at this time. (69 they were optional).
That was a 30 mph test at 30 G's. There was virtually no deflection of the passenger cabin. Good job Zora!
UnkaHal
The C-3 did VERY well airbags or not. Remembering that shoulder belts were JUST mandatory at this time. (69 they were optional).
That was a 30 mph test at 30 G's. There was virtually no deflection of the passenger cabin. Good job Zora!
UnkaHal
11-12-2018, 10:17 AM
#6
Melting Slicks
That is amazing. Great find. Looks to be a 73 (fiberglass front and a chrome rear bumper). I wanted to turn away as I watched it but couldn't, LOL. Pretty awesome airbag deployment in some early testing. These cars didn't wreck very well...
11-12-2018, 10:18 AM
#7
Race Director
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Posts: 11,608
Received 772 Likes
on
645 Posts
Its a 73 that was tested... I used to be in charge of certain crash tests...so I quite familiar with the process.
The C-3 did VERY well airbags or not. Remembering that shoulder belts were JUST mandatory at this time. (69 they were optional).
That was a 30 mph test at 30 G's. There was virtually no deflection of the passenger cabin. Good job Zora!
UnkaHal
The C-3 did VERY well airbags or not. Remembering that shoulder belts were JUST mandatory at this time. (69 they were optional).
That was a 30 mph test at 30 G's. There was virtually no deflection of the passenger cabin. Good job Zora!
UnkaHal
11-12-2018, 10:23 AM
#8
Racer
Thread Starter
The passenger cell looks a lot better than other 70s cars I’ve seen wreck... but that front end was absolutely obliterated.
11-12-2018, 10:23 AM
#9
Safety Car
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: PHOENIX AZ. WHAT A MAN WON"T SPEND TO GIVE HIS ASS A RIDE
Posts: 3,678
Received 306 Likes
on
220 Posts
Its a 73 that was tested... I used to be in charge of certain crash tests...so I quite familiar with the process.
The C-3 did VERY well airbags or not. Remembering that shoulder belts were JUST mandatory at this time. (69 they were optional).
That was a 30 mph test at 30 G's. There was virtually no deflection of the passenger cabin. Good job Zora!
UnkaHal
The C-3 did VERY well airbags or not. Remembering that shoulder belts were JUST mandatory at this time. (69 they were optional).
That was a 30 mph test at 30 G's. There was virtually no deflection of the passenger cabin. Good job Zora!
UnkaHal
11-12-2018, 10:25 AM
#10
Melting Slicks
They are about equal. 69 say to 73 say....Omark bolts are 'done' in the first nano-second.
I would like to bring up the point that, even though the wreck was nasty, ugly and 'yardsale'....the fracturing and peeling away of components is ACTUALLY GOOD...this dispels energy away from the passenger compartment. I was VERY impressed with the T top bar...boy that worked a treat!
In my near 50 years of @#$% with C-3's, I've seen a lot of wrecks....unless its completely stupid...like up side down at 100 mph...the occupant usually is alive.
There's an awful lot of steel in that front end.
Unkahal
I would like to bring up the point that, even though the wreck was nasty, ugly and 'yardsale'....the fracturing and peeling away of components is ACTUALLY GOOD...this dispels energy away from the passenger compartment. I was VERY impressed with the T top bar...boy that worked a treat!
In my near 50 years of @#$% with C-3's, I've seen a lot of wrecks....unless its completely stupid...like up side down at 100 mph...the occupant usually is alive.
There's an awful lot of steel in that front end.
Unkahal
11-12-2018, 10:31 AM
#11
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Posts: 5,338
Received 1,199 Likes
on
925 Posts
Royal Canadian Navy
I wonder how much the 'ladder' type full frame attributed to the good crash test results, if any?
Last edited by resdoggie; 11-12-2018 at 10:32 AM.
11-12-2018, 10:42 AM
#12
Race Director
So..If I had to guess the 1973 is oh so slightly better than the chrome bumper cars...and when it was crashed...I am sure it crumbled as it needs to do to absorb the energy before it gets to the cabin.
In 1975 as you know the impact bar changed drastically but it was designed.... if I am not mistaken for a lower speed impact and not one at 30 mph. All I know is that you want your car to crumble up like a beer can if possible so you do not feel the transfer of energy and survive the impact because the crumbling metal is absorbing and slowing down the energy of the impact.
DUB
11-12-2018, 11:27 AM
#13
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Jun 2004
Location: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Posts: 18,363
Received 771 Likes
on
553 Posts
I've seen various crash safety and test films showing 1973-1977 corvettes equipped with airbags. I know the Big 3 had them as an option for some cars for a short period, but has anybody actually owned, or seen a corvette with these optional airbags? Were they even on the option list back then?
11-14-2018, 06:20 AM
#15
Burning Brakes
11-14-2018, 09:56 AM
#16
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Posts: 5,338
Received 1,199 Likes
on
925 Posts
Royal Canadian Navy
https://media.gm.ca/media/ca/en/gm/n...e_chassis.html
11-14-2018, 12:40 PM
#17
Burning Brakes
Perimeter frameEdit
Anadol FW11*prototype with perimeter frameSimilar to a ladder frame, but the middle sections of the frame rails sit outboard of the front and rear rails just behind the rocker / sill panels. This was done to allow for a lower floor pan, especially at the passenger footwells, to lower the passengers' seating height and therefore reduce the overall vehicle height in passenger cars. This became the prevalent design for*body-on-framecars in the United States, but not in the rest of the world, until the uni-body gained popularity. It allowed for annual model changes introduced in the 1950s to increase sales, but without costly structural changes. As of 2014, there are no perimeter frame automobiles sold in the United States after the Ford Motor Company phased out the Panther platform in 2011, which ended the perimeter frame passenger car in the United States (the Chevrolet Corvette has used a variation of the perimeter frame since 1963, but its fourth generation variant to its current generation as of 2016 has elements of the perimeter frame integrated with an internal endoskeleton which serves as a clamshell).
*
Last edited by Eljay; 11-14-2018 at 12:59 PM.
11-14-2018, 04:07 PM
#19
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Posts: 5,338
Received 1,199 Likes
on
925 Posts
Royal Canadian Navy
A perimeter frame is distinctly different as shown in the pic above. The C3 ladder frame does not have a perimeter frame added on the outboard sides of the frame to allow lower seating. Anyway, true experts such as GM and Herb Adams say its a ladder frame, period.
11-14-2018, 09:54 PM
#20
Burning Brakes
So you are saying that this frame does not go to the outer edges of the vehicle like every other perimeter frame and in fact has two parallel frame rails with outriggers to support the outermost edges of the body, like a (wait for it) "ladder"?? I guess every automotive instructor in tech schools are wrong?