Rollover Protection
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,707
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles
Or someone does something stupid to you. 99% of all roll overs never happen like they show in the movies where a car crashes and it flips over and over.
They happen from leaving the road and running into a ditch or obstruction on the side.
That can happen from sleeping or impaired judgement at the wheel, bad judgement of a corner, weather, or someone forcing you off the road in an accident.
They happen from leaving the road and running into a ditch or obstruction on the side.
That can happen from sleeping or impaired judgement at the wheel, bad judgement of a corner, weather, or someone forcing you off the road in an accident.
I for one would not want to pay for it. I take my chances on a motorcycle. I take my chances with my coupe on a track without a roll cage.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,375
Likes: 406
From: Florida
Looks like the yellow vert and driver place an all-in bet on a train and lost...
Pro
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 670
Likes: 2
I can assure you no matter how low the CG is any car can roll over. If you leave the pavement and a tire digs in you can definitely roll it. Do racing karts, Formula 1 cars, Indy cars etc. roll? Absolutely. Does the vert windshield frame give any significant rollover protection? I doubt it.
I owned three Mazda Miatas. I never worried about rolling them. My son bought a Miata and I immediately worried about him rolling it. Go figure.
I love ragtops but with the Vette I like the idea of a roll hoop over me. I like the roofline of the coupe better as well. You just have to decide what you are comfortable with.
I owned three Mazda Miatas. I never worried about rolling them. My son bought a Miata and I immediately worried about him rolling it. Go figure.
I love ragtops but with the Vette I like the idea of a roll hoop over me. I like the roofline of the coupe better as well. You just have to decide what you are comfortable with.
Last edited by 66dreams; Jul 31, 2013 at 05:43 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 808
From: West coast CA
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,019
Likes: 2,713
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Not sure about the C7, but when we did the Museum Delivery tour for our 2006, the guide said that the coupe gets the extra-strength windshield frame just like the convertible. So the coupe will certainly be better for rollover protection.
Although the convertible may meet the sedan rollover standards, those standards are not very strong. Rollovers can be violent affairs, with multiple impacts and/or different angles.
After looking at C6 rollover pictures for the last 9 years, my take is that if you roll a C6 coupe, the roof will usually stay up. If you roll a C6 convertible, the roof/windshield usually will collapse.
Since we buy coupes, it's not a personal issue. But I'm disappointed that GM went to all that trouble for different tail lights and a nicer interior, but skipped adding a safety feature that would be easy to build in with the "clean sheet of paper" approach they have used on the C7.
Although the convertible may meet the sedan rollover standards, those standards are not very strong. Rollovers can be violent affairs, with multiple impacts and/or different angles.
After looking at C6 rollover pictures for the last 9 years, my take is that if you roll a C6 coupe, the roof will usually stay up. If you roll a C6 convertible, the roof/windshield usually will collapse.
Since we buy coupes, it's not a personal issue. But I'm disappointed that GM went to all that trouble for different tail lights and a nicer interior, but skipped adding a safety feature that would be easy to build in with the "clean sheet of paper" approach they have used on the C7.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 802
Likes: 1
It would be interesting to have a close look at a bare frame for both the coupe and convert to see if there is any hints of mechanical features that the designers may have added to attach some sort of roll over bars.
Taking this a step further, the convert has the coupe roll over deleted. Are the features for this roll over still there. i.e. could you get a custom roll over bar and use these same features. Most likely the convertable top mechanisms will be in the way.
Taking this a step further, the convert has the coupe roll over deleted. Are the features for this roll over still there. i.e. could you get a custom roll over bar and use these same features. Most likely the convertable top mechanisms will be in the way.
Drifting
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,300
Likes: 39
From: White Oak NC
Turns out the rollover standard FMVSS 216a, http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...x?reg=571.216a, doesn't apply at all to convertibles, unless the manufacturer wants to comply with 216a in lieu of meeting the rollover standard in FMVSS 208. So even the nanny state will wash its hands of you and let you assume the risk at some point.
What's more, 216a's notice of proposed NHTSA rulemaking, http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/ruli...-fr.html#VII_A, refers you to another regulation that defines a convertible as not having a solid structural member connecting the A and B pillars, so that makes all targa-top coupes "convertibles" too. How about fixed-roof coupes? I'm not sure the Z06/ZR1 roof panels, which differ from targas mostly because they're not supposed to be removable, would qualify.
According to lots of other info I found, rollover crashes are mostly single-vehicle events. I take this to mean that if you stay sober, awake, and off of snow or ice or leaked fluids, and don't drive stupid, you are in fact likely to remain right side up.
If you don't, you could be in for a bad day no matter what you're driving. One night last winter a 21yo friend of mine got in a hurry on a snowy twisty Montana back road and rolled her great big SUV. We miss her terribly and we hope she didn't feel a thing.
What's more, 216a's notice of proposed NHTSA rulemaking, http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/ruli...-fr.html#VII_A, refers you to another regulation that defines a convertible as not having a solid structural member connecting the A and B pillars, so that makes all targa-top coupes "convertibles" too. How about fixed-roof coupes? I'm not sure the Z06/ZR1 roof panels, which differ from targas mostly because they're not supposed to be removable, would qualify.
According to lots of other info I found, rollover crashes are mostly single-vehicle events. I take this to mean that if you stay sober, awake, and off of snow or ice or leaked fluids, and don't drive stupid, you are in fact likely to remain right side up.
If you don't, you could be in for a bad day no matter what you're driving. One night last winter a 21yo friend of mine got in a hurry on a snowy twisty Montana back road and rolled her great big SUV. We miss her terribly and we hope she didn't feel a thing.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Dunsford Ontario
Lots of Euro cars have the extra roll over devices, and once you've had them you don't feel like giving them up. You then somehow think all verts should have them! I track my XKR vert and need them to register for some events. I hope they're included on the C7 vert.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
I think the yellow car makes it pretty clear what the outcome will be if it rolls over, and I personally would rather have better chances than that. The A-pillar of the C7 looks almost identical in structure to the C6, so I don't see any better rollover protection here. I have the same concerns as the OP and the Coupe is a great solution. The top is out of mine most of the time.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 941
Likes: 3
From: Columbus OH
Racer
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 433
Likes: 1
From: Montreal
this car fishtailed on the highway and flipped over can see both A pillars and activated roll bar did there job.
see video below 1989-02 SL 500 autobhan rollover driver walks away.
SL Crash test at 2:59 minutes
even a VW Beetle withstood the crash test notice rear roll bar deployment
Last edited by John_R; Aug 1, 2013 at 12:43 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,799
Likes: 0
From: GA (some days)