I T-boned a Ford pickup in my 69 Spitfire when the driver ran a stop sign. I was going about 30-35 mph. The bonnet crumpled, the upper edge of the driver's door got a little bent from the bonnet push-back, and the radiator props slightly bent, pushing one of them back into the generator fins. I straightened the bent stuff and replaced the bonnet and the car was fine. I got a smack on my left knee from it going up into the under-dash support and that was it.
@sma1968 well even if it wouldnt be running, and it would be in pieces and you had to assemble it, it would yet still be safer than a working chinese car.
I had Mk4 when I was 18 and somehow survived driving it for five years. Good fun on a wet road, you will learn more about car control than in anything modern - all young drivers should have one, if you live you learn!
I drove a MkIV for a year and found that while 'entertaining' it was nothing but a potentially dangerous place to be in todays traffic. With modern cars designed with such high waistlines, you get easily overlooked in a Spit and that is one reason that put me off them.
Ignoramus comments RE: strength! the ca didn't 'fold up like a camp tent at all, the tilting front end moved around a lot, but the structure of the car wasn't badly affected. On the flip side, the front end seemed to provide adequate crash energy absorption.
For it's time, it would appear to be a relatively safe car, especially as it was a softop car.
I used to drive one of these (mk4....but with a 1500 engine upgrade). It is the most unsafe car that I've ever driven. No seatbelts, no roll cage, piss poor rear suspension. It's amazing that I lived!! Great fun though!
That's a tough sell,trying to flog the Triumph as a "Safe" car when the film footage clearly shows it folding up like a camp tent in a crash so violent it probably killed the crash dummy's immediate family...
So nice to see this. Safety systems have advanced quite a bit in 30 years. I'm an MG enthusiast myself, so while I am curious to see how a midget did in a crash test, seeing a triumph crash into a wall is far more entertaining.
Not sure I ever claimed to be sane. After all the times I've driven with the top down (even in the snow and rain), I've given lots of reason for people to question that.
I T-boned a Ford pickup in my 69 Spitfire when the driver ran a stop sign. I was going about 30-35 mph. The bonnet crumpled, the upper edge of the driver's door got a little bent from the bonnet push-back, and the radiator props slightly bent, pushing one of them back into the generator fins. I straightened the bent stuff and replaced the bonnet and the car was fine. I got a smack on my left knee from it going up into the under-dash support and that was it.
supersonicsuz 2 months ago
Talking about the safety of Spitfires is SOOOO misleading! I owned a Spitfire and it was easily the safest car I ever had.
The damn thing never ran - thus assuring it could never be in a crash!
sma1968 1 year ago 4
@sma1968 well even if it wouldnt be running, and it would be in pieces and you had to assemble it, it would yet still be safer than a working chinese car.
lillskiten1337 6 months ago
That was a 10 mph crash test...? Wasn't it?
19rocket69 1 year ago
When was this? 1970s?
whattheheck1000 1 year ago
at 0:17 they hit the poor bloke on the nose with a hammer!
madasirrah 1 year ago
I thought I was going to die as a young lad in my MK4, when I did a 180 degree on a sharp bend. The only thing hurt were my feelings.
alanstarkie2001 2 years ago
I had Mk4 when I was 18 and somehow survived driving it for five years. Good fun on a wet road, you will learn more about car control than in anything modern - all young drivers should have one, if you live you learn!
gmhgb 3 years ago
I never had another car turn into rust so quickly, Fun while it lasted though.
rrobb123 3 years ago
@rrobb123 You obviously never owned an Austin 1100!
Sampcat 1 year ago
lol i cant imagine id walk away frm tht.
artinyyk 3 years ago
I drove a MkIV for a year and found that while 'entertaining' it was nothing but a potentially dangerous place to be in todays traffic. With modern cars designed with such high waistlines, you get easily overlooked in a Spit and that is one reason that put me off them.
triumphstagdriver 3 years ago
instant death!
nowtsmart 3 years ago
Ignoramus comments RE: strength! the ca didn't 'fold up like a camp tent at all, the tilting front end moved around a lot, but the structure of the car wasn't badly affected. On the flip side, the front end seemed to provide adequate crash energy absorption.
For it's time, it would appear to be a relatively safe car, especially as it was a softop car.
charlieflint 3 years ago 7
well.. better than a motorcycle!
computername 3 years ago 2
I used to drive one of these (mk4....but with a 1500 engine upgrade). It is the most unsafe car that I've ever driven. No seatbelts, no roll cage, piss poor rear suspension. It's amazing that I lived!! Great fun though!
24934637 3 years ago
woooh... thats kind of scary! i just came back from a ride with my speedy...
nevertheless, greetings from good, old austria
mike
jagamichl 3 years ago
That's a tough sell,trying to flog the Triumph as a "Safe" car when the film footage clearly shows it folding up like a camp tent in a crash so violent it probably killed the crash dummy's immediate family...
bellcord 3 years ago
So nice to see this. Safety systems have advanced quite a bit in 30 years. I'm an MG enthusiast myself, so while I am curious to see how a midget did in a crash test, seeing a triumph crash into a wall is far more entertaining.
joness105639 4 years ago
Any sane person would rather push a Spitfire that had hit a wall home the drive a minter Midget anyday ;-)
17473039 3 years ago 3
Not sure I ever claimed to be sane. After all the times I've driven with the top down (even in the snow and rain), I've given lots of reason for people to question that.
joness105639 3 years ago