Rod Safety

Hey Guys-

I recently sold my Vette and was interested in purchasing a Cadillac. A guy at work approached me with interest in selling his Model A roadster project. I've got a few questions...........

Safety will be a big issue for me. I'd like to install a roll bar and three point belts. While they might not be "period" or bad *** I feel like they are mandatory in any car I'm going to put myself or my loved ones in.

Can I see some pics of Roll Bars and seat belt installs into A roadsters?

Thanks
Josh

 

Get the Cadillac.
No matter what you do to a model A Roadster, in a crash your screwed.
If safety is your biggest concern...spare the Model A and get a cruiser.

With something as small as an A, the roll bars you'll need to get the kind of safety you desire will require wearing a helmet and arm restraints at all times to prevent injury during a rollover.
It's no different to get your head bashed and your arms crushed from the roll bar/pavement than from the body/pavement.

Besides...theres no crush zones...no collapsing column...no side impact protection...nothing to even keep the doors closed with a good jolt!
Theres even a full fuel tank in your lap!

Get the Caddy.
Some fool Hot Rodder will grab the A anyway...

 

X2 all you will have in the end is a ugly model A.

 

Sadly, I fear you are the person to that near every ad is aiming: the person paralyzed by fear.

No specific fear, just the fear that "something" *might* happen.

Get over it, and live life.

Or buy a Subaru, all our customers seem to think its the "safest" car on earth.

But, PLEASE, leave the 'A' bone for someone who knows what life has to offer.

Cosmo

 

Corvette, Cadillac and "safe" Model A.
Somebody is all over the map......
Hackerbilt nailed the "A" experience. And it's everything I love about mine.

 

Wait a minute you sold a fibergl*** Corvette and are worried about saftey in a Model A. I guess you had rollbars and racing harn*** in the Vette to. Quit worrying about what might happen so much.

 

Some folks will probably take this the wrong way, but here goes. In my opinion, part of the fun of driving a hot rod is what I shall call, "appe***e for destruction" syndrom. Not a death wish, but the excitement of the possibility of danger. Kinda like the reason folks like to ride a rollercoaster. The rush of danger. Older cars flying around the freeways, surrounded by modern, heavy, text message piloted SUV's are dangerous at the least. But, we do it anyway. Not that we want to get smashed, but it's the thrill. If I wanted "safe" I would be driving a Volvo.

Everyone has seen the pics of hot rods that take a hit, but it goes with the territory. You can add seat belts and roll bars, but in the event of a bad hit, you're gonna be dog food on the pavement.

I say, build your A as safe as you can (screw the rollbar unless it's a racecar), but don't forget what you're driving and keep your head on a swivle. Live a little. If the world took a step back everytime it sensed danger, we'd all be walking around in padded armor.

And yea, I've been in a wreck. I drive a T bucket. The first thing I wanted to do was rebuild and get back on the road. The thought of adding "protection" in the rebuild never came up.

 

My kiddos ride around in the family 56 hotrod I added seatbelts but thats it. But an A roadster is closer to a motorcycle than a family car. And rollbars are gonna make an already small car tiny . Safety is more you than your equipment ! Anyway you look at it, for what you are after get the caddy

 

I think I can hear the more safety concious HAMBers installing the hand railings on their soapboxes.

As soon as they are done with that and put on their protective gear, they will be able to climb on them to tell us no hot rod is complete without seatbelts, radials, 3rd brakelight, discbrakes, etc...