| Author | Message | ||
| Matthew F (Mateotnt)
New member Username: Mateotnt Post Number: 25 Registered: 7-2002 |
If they are safety airbags, then they could easily be undeployed scrapyard units. The kind of guy who would put airbags in a 54 pickup would almost certainly go this route. I'm fairly familiar with traditional hot rodding, but I don't think I've ever seen an aftermarket system advertised. I assume that the builder engineered the system himself, and used the sensors, senders and bags from a car that no longer needed them. (I wouldn't do this myself, mind you.) | ||
| James Selevan (Jselevan)
Member Username: Jselevan Post Number: 318 Registered: 6-2002 |
Matthew - these were in-cabin safety air bags. Germane - good input. Thanks. Just wondering how he did it. Are there aftermarket suppliers? Jim S. | ||
| Matthew F (Mateotnt)
New member Username: Mateotnt Post Number: 20 Registered: 7-2002 |
Wait a moment. Was it a Ford F-100? When guys talk about "airbags" in the same sentence as "54 pickup," they're usually talking about air suspensions. See http://www.ridetech.com/toc.htm for more information. These are not supplemental restraint systems. | ||
| G. J. Germane (Germane)
New member Username: Germane Post Number: 16 Registered: 7-2002 |
The installation of supplemental inflatable restraints (airbags) in vehicles not originally designed for such systems might result in a vehicle less safe than without the retrofit. The sensor, whether forward mount or in the occupant compartment, is tuned to the structure of the vehicle, as is the software in the control module that determines deployment. This is important because the airbag should deploy only when the severity of the collision warrants the supplemental restraint. The primary restraint should be the seat belts. Airbag systems are designed to deploy when the change in velocity (delta-V) during a frontal collision reaches a certain value. This varies for make and model, but can range from about 11 mph to perhaps the high-teens mph. The sensor and deployment algorithm are matched to the vehicle so the deceleration pulse is detected early enough to enable timely deployment of the bag, if a deploy event is called for. The bag must deploy and be fully inflated before the crash pulse ends, which may be about 50-90 milliseconds for many vehicles for various frontal impacts. Another issue is the mounting structure for the inflatable restraint. The steering column and dash panel must have sufficient strength to provide the reaction force for an occupant loading an inflated airbag during a high severity event (for example, a 35 mph delta-V). Older, pre-airbag vehicles may not have the steering column support and dash panel strenght to accommodate such restraint forces without significant reinforcement. Beside the aforementioned two formidable technical challenges, there are some other issues as well. The single most effective safety system in modern vehicles is a properly used three-point seat belt restraint. The airbag, even in new vehicles, is a supplemental restraint system. You might do more potential harm than good by retrofitting airbags in older vehicles not originally equipped with inflatable restraints. | ||
| James Selevan (Jselevan)
Member Username: Jselevan Post Number: 317 Registered: 6-2002 |
Pete, thank you. | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Junior Member Username: Psk Post Number: 57 Registered: 11-2002 |
Okay straight answer: NO  ... your life and your son. Good luck finding what you want. Pete | ||
| James Selevan (Jselevan)
Member Username: Jselevan Post Number: 316 Registered: 6-2002 |
Perhaps my question was a bit too complicated. Has anyone information concerning aftermarket installation of airbags that might be appropriate for early Ferraris or other cars that my 16-year old son will be driving (not the Ferrari)? Of course, the bag and container are half the battle. The sensor up front is critical. Thanks in advance. Editorial diatribe of entertainment value, although not helpful. Jim S. | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Junior Member Username: Psk Post Number: 56 Registered: 11-2002 |
Why would you want to do that? Isn't it simplier to wear a safety belt?. My early research on airbags indicated that they were invented for idiots that do not wear seat belts. Ofcourse this hopefully has changed, as we have designed something that has added huge cost to cars, sometimes goes off accidentally, has been known to hurt people ... and most intelligent countries actually have laws to ensure that their people wear a safety belt. Personally I think it is an attempt to do the impossible and would far prefer that the world spent the money educating drivers how to take REAL responsibility of the car they are driving and NOT hit other cars. Many accidents are avoidable, and with proper speed judgement ability and an understanding of car dynamics we all would be a better and SAFER driver. Yes there would still be accidents, but heaps less and you cannot design a car to save people for ever type of accident ... and the mentality of drivers in supposeably safe cars actually causes accidents with their bullish attitude (ie. 4 wheel drives (big equals safe ... how?), ABS drivers stupidly think they can stop in shorter distances (thus do not understand the principle, if the wheel was not going to skid anyway you will not stop any shorter ... but I will admit that most do not understand how brakes work and thus JUMP on them, like they are an off switch and lock the wheels unnecessarily), etc.) I firmly believe that that would be money far better spent ... instead of trying to make a car into an indestructable weapon. But ofcourse that is HARD, and car companies cannot run to the bank with MORE money going in that direction. Thus yet again we take the easy road and treat lives lost as an acceptable balance sheet. An yes I have had accidents, but only one with another car on a road (the others relate to race track incidents), when I was a young chat driving too fast in a built up area. Yes I did not do the U turn in front of me, but if I had the driving awareness skills I have now, I would not have been driving quite as fast and would have been able to take avoiding action. Thus airbag NOT required. Again this is my personal opinion, but the best way to handle an accident is NOT to have one, they are NOT inevitable, except with the attitude and lack of training of around 95% of all drivers ... how sad. An intelligence (common sense) test should also be part of the drivers license process Pete | ||
| James Selevan (Jselevan)
Member Username: Jselevan Post Number: 314 Registered: 6-2002 |
While at Barrett-Jackson, I noted a 54 pickup that had 5 airbags installed. Has anyone information concerning aftermarket installation of airbags that might be appropriate for early Ferraris? Of course, the bag and container are half the battle. The sensor up front is critical. Thanks in advance. Jim S. |