Flipping NSXs

[kenjiMR]

I was wondering how many of you have witnessed a NSX crash that caused the NSX to flip over onto its roof or crash at high speeds. We've debated the safety of the NSX before, but I'm a bit more curious how many NSXs have actually been damaged at high speeds over 70+mph. I recently installed a harness bar and harnesses into my NSX for track use, but my BMWCCA instructor commented that he would never use a harness bar unless he has a full rollbar/cage installed into his car. I'm worried about high speed accident (example: turn 8 Thunderhill) which causes the car to flip onto its roof could have severe injury to my neck if the roof didn't hold up very well. I have a '94 coupe, so it should be much safer than the NSX-Ts. If you flipped your past NSX or know someone who have, I'd be interested in the details of the accident. Another note, I have racing seats in both the passenger and drivers side which extend higher than my actual head hight, which may also assist in supporting the weight of the car. The seats are made of high strength plastic or fiberglass I believe.

One last question for Comptech rollcage owners, how easy to remove/install side support bars?

 

[ScienceofSpeed]

All the damaged NSXes I have seen have had excellent pillar integrity in rollover. I would be willing to bet that Honda put in the research to make sure that the aluminum structure would not be compromised in a roll over. This is in contrast to other cars I have seen that have flipped and crumpled.

-- Chris

 

[steveny]

Somewhere on the net, maybe on this site, there is a picture of a coupe that hit a deer. I was impressed by the fact that the roof was peeled back but the A pillars seemed to be almost free of damage.

 

[Yellow Rose]

Originally posted by kenjiMR:
I was wondering how many of you have witnessed a NSX crash that caused the NSX to flip over onto its roof or crash at high speeds.

At NSXPO 98 during the track event at Mid Ohio, a black NSX flipped about two cars ahead of me. It was not that fast of a turn, perhaps 60-ish MPH. The roof panel was wrinkled and the passenger A-pillar was a little bent in. The other A-pillar and both B-pillars were relatively undamaged. Both occupants got out ok.

A couple of years ago a local NSXer was going 110-ish and lost it, completely obliterating the passenger side. He too got out ok.

Regarding the deer incident, that was at an NSteXpo in Austin. That particular NSX left five minutes before me and it was almost the other way around. The dear ran out in front of him at dusk, the car was going about 50-ish. Again, both occupants got out ok.

I better stop hanging around NSXs.

[This message has been edited by AndyVecsey (edited 09 September 2002).]

 

[chudson1549]

A friend lost control of his rear on a bridge which caused him to flip on his roof. He finished the downhill that way until he hit a barrier. The car looked like a wedge from the "A" pillar being crushed about half way but the rest of the car was fine from the drivers side.

He was OK.

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by AndyVecsey:
At NSXPO 98 during the track event at Mid Ohio, a black NSX flipped about two cars ahead of me. It was not that fast of a turn, perhaps 60-ish MPH. The roof panel was wrinkled and the passenger A-pillar was a little bent in. The other A-pillar and both B-pillars were relatively undamaged. Both occupants got out ok.

I believe the roll-over took place at slow speed; the car hit a tire wall and rolled over onto its roof after its momentum had already been arrested.

Pics:

 

[nicholas421]

is that a camaro?

 

[Tony Montoya]

In Vancouver a 2000 NSX was flipped on the Burnett freeway and the car was flattened to door height. Both young men were killed instantly.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

That is awful to hear.

------------------
ALL NSX
92 RED/BLACK 5-SPEED

 

[khiroshima]

Originally posted by nicholas421:
is that a camaro?

LMAO! Thanks. Kevin

 

[true]

Originally posted by nicholas421:
is that a camaro?

Nice...someone has said that before....it defintely does resemble the camaro...easy to see now that it's smashed. I think those stock rims look 100 times better with the center caps removed. They almost looked like nice aftermarkets for a second....I would roll them without the caps.

 

[POWERED by HONDA]

Originally posted by Tony Montoya:
In Vancouver a 2000 NSX was flipped on the Burnett freeway and the car was flattened to door height. Both young men were killed instantly.

Wasn't the top off on that car?

blurr's NSX rolled, he had his top on and the car sufferred very little damage.

The car, IMO, is definitely safer as a hardtop or with the targa panel on.

 

[Jimbo]

It's interesting to see that roof beam that's visible under the crinkled sheet metal.

That's an important piece of structure and of course it's one of the things you don't have in the T models or in those aftermarket sunroofs.

-Jim

 

[Lud]

The factory NSX-T cars have considerably stronger A and B pillars to help compensate for the lack of the bar in the middle of the roof, though an NSX-T with the roof panel out is obviously not as strong as with it in.

Either a factory -T or a coupe will be fine in a LIGHT roll over. I've seen plenty of pictures of both. I would not want to see what happens to an aftermarket -T conversion in any roll over, or even a hard front impact accident.

Likewise, either a -T or a coupe can kill if it gets airborne and lands on the roof, though that type of accident is fairly rare in a car with such a low center of gravity. But it does happen. I also seen pictures of both of those and they are not pretty.

You obviously increase your chances of supporting the weight of the car on your neck if you you are wearing a racing harness, your head is near the roof, and you do not have a roll cage. That's just common sense. How much increase depends on so many factors it's probably pointless to discuss.

Steve R. who did a fairly light roll on a silver NSX coupe a few years ago said he believes he would have been very seriously injured if he was wearing a racing harness, because the roof collapsed a few inches right where he head was. But since he was wearing regular seat belts he was simply shifted sideways and able to walk away from the accident.

P.S. If there is an award for the most bad re-editing jobs, worst typing, bad spelling, poor grammar, lack of proof-reading and general terrible quality of writing in an online forum, I think I deserve it.

[This message has been edited by Lud (edited 10 September 2002).]

 

[Zanardi 50]

Originally posted by Lud:
P.S. If there is an award for the most bad re-editing jobs, worst typing, bad spelling, poor grammar, lack of proof-reading and general terrible quality of writing in an online forum, I think I deserve it.

Err....That'd be me, not you

BTW I appreciate your point about the danger of racing harness in a stock car w/o roll cage. I suppose they go hand in hand and shouldn't have either one installed in any car without the other. Thanks, LUD, for making that point obvious for all to see !

[This message has been edited by Zanardi 50 (edited 11 September 2002).]

 

[Andrie Hartanto]

Kenji, who was your instructor?

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Yo got more to worried if you are not strapped tightly on your seat in a rollover situation. You don't want to be bouncing around inside the car when the rollover happen. If someone tells me they can slide from their seat in a rollover situation to help them when the roof collapse, they haven't experience it themselves. It happens so quick, you got no time to react, other than try to protect your body/head. If someone survive, because they slid, I consider them extremely lucky. That being said, I've been in a car that rolled a complete 2 and 1/2 turns.

In any accident, there is always a chance of a rollover. However, the car is usually design to have their strongest point on the roof, just behind your head. thus protecting you best when you are strapped tightly on your seat. NSX seats (or any car seats other than bench) are making it harder to slide, since they are designed to hug you in place, and the seat belts are designed to do that as well.

I have a friend whose stomached cut by the seat belt and was seriously hospitalize because sliding around in her seat. She almost lost her life.

For street use, I would not recommend roll cage/bar. It can cause more damage than help you in most situation. The bars usually sits inches from your head and can impact your head when u hit a bump or minor crash that otherwise would not hurt you.

OCTJMO

 

[Lud]

The idea is not that you consciously slide out of the way, but that if the roof collapses somewhat, your head is able to be pushed to the side instead of held in place if you are wearing a harness.

Yes, the B pillar area is quite strong. But you have to have the seat all the way back for your head to be right near the B pillar area. If you have long legs, this is not an issue, but most owners I've met do not have their seat all the way back. The further forward the seat, the more the roof line is going to collapse in a given accident, as you can see even in the very light roll-over pictured above. Someone of average height and proportions will have the seat moved several inches forward, and with a helmet their head will be JUST beneath the roof if they are sitting on stock seats.

I am not saying absolutely do or don't do something, but I think every person needs to look critically at how and where they drive, how they fit into the car, and what is likely to happen to them with various helmet/belt/bar/seat/cage configurations and do whatever they think is best.