hans j
drove a van where?
I am planning on building a new front bumper and love the look and utility of a traditional Aussie roo bar, very similar to this:
Now the vanagon is a fairly safe vehicle considering you are sitting inches away from the front of the vehicle.
http://www.vanagon.com/info/safety/volvo-crash/index.htm
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=440675
But I don't want to make it interfere with the current collision protection (I know, impossible dream). But I would like to make it enhance current protection if possible. Also reading about pedestrian safety here: http://mylicence.sa.gov.au/safe-driving-tips/safer-vehicles/bull-bars, they obviously don't want one installed. The front of my van is a giant square face anyway, a head collision is imminent.
So I'm looking at building the uprights out of one piece plate aluminum and bolting them parallel to the frame a couple feet back (shown here in yellow)
The front bumper structure (green) will need two slots cut out of it to allow this to happen too. Then an aluminum shell will be welded up to make the bumper cover. Also a winch may or may not be installed between the yellow frames with room for the fairlead cut out of the green bumper too.
The front shell bumper will allow me to skid up on rocks and dirt since my approach angle is just plain awful and it's basically required to cut through the green bumper to not decrease my approach.
Thoughts?
And here is a good page with some interesting real photos, http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=440675&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=180, read the entire thread if you like carnage. And yes, they catch on fire due to leaky fuel lines in the engine compartment
Pretty glad I'm diesel now!
Now the vanagon is a fairly safe vehicle considering you are sitting inches away from the front of the vehicle.
http://www.vanagon.com/info/safety/volvo-crash/index.htm
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=440675
But I don't want to make it interfere with the current collision protection (I know, impossible dream). But I would like to make it enhance current protection if possible. Also reading about pedestrian safety here: http://mylicence.sa.gov.au/safe-driving-tips/safer-vehicles/bull-bars, they obviously don't want one installed. The front of my van is a giant square face anyway, a head collision is imminent.
So I'm looking at building the uprights out of one piece plate aluminum and bolting them parallel to the frame a couple feet back (shown here in yellow)
The front bumper structure (green) will need two slots cut out of it to allow this to happen too. Then an aluminum shell will be welded up to make the bumper cover. Also a winch may or may not be installed between the yellow frames with room for the fairlead cut out of the green bumper too.
The front shell bumper will allow me to skid up on rocks and dirt since my approach angle is just plain awful and it's basically required to cut through the green bumper to not decrease my approach.
Thoughts?
And here is a good page with some interesting real photos, http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=440675&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=180, read the entire thread if you like carnage. And yes, they catch on fire due to leaky fuel lines in the engine compartment
Pretty glad I'm diesel now!