In a message dated 97-08-26 06:08:20 EDT, oshaug@INFINET.COM writes:

<<  spent about an hour on a 84 in a yard yesterday with a scary front
 impact (steering collumn vertical, drivers floor crumpled) >>

Although I love our 1976, and adore the 1986 Westy, I have to admit, I do
worry about the front end "crumple-ability" of our vehicles. Neither Suzy nor
I tailgate, and we are defensive drivers, but I have always figured that a
hard front end hit would cost us at least our feet, at most....

Does anyone have experience to ease my mind? What happened/how'd you fair? I
would also be interested in VW crash safety test results, but don't know
where to look. Also, has anyone crashed a bus with the optional spare tire
mounted up front? I'd be interested in your findings.

I know this is an ugly subject that we'd rather not think about, but if it is
an inherant liability of this design, so be it, I can deal with it. If there
are bunches of you who have slammed into the back of a semi- at 60 mph and
lived to giggle, lemme know.

curious george drives a bus, carefully,

gmbulley
fairfax, va