healeys
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RE: Steering collumn

To: <davidwjones@cox.net>, <healeys@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: RE: Steering collumn
From: "Patton Dickson" <kpdii@earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 12:20:35 -0500
It's not cheap, but Cape International (Tel:+44 (0) 1676 542292, 
www.cape-international.com) makes a collapsible column for Healeys.  

Patton

-----Original Message-----
    From: "davidwjones"<davidwjones@cox.net>
    Sent: 10/10/04 7:50:48 AM
    To: "healeys@autox.team.net"<healeys@autox.team.net>
    Subject: Steering collumn
    
    Listers,
    This may be regarded as a silly question, but it does not hurt to ask.
    With all of the modifications available for a Healey, I have resisted them 
all
    because I like to make the original parts work, where possible. -Unless they
    represent a safety issue, or severely limit the usability of the car.
    Having said that, I don't know when it happened, but I have become aware of
    the risk represented by the construction and mounting of the steering 
column.
    It may be that as you get older, you become aware of your own mortality, or 
it
    may have been during the reinstallation of the steering column during
    restoration.. (Installing the column, while the engine is out, gives you a
    clear view of the fact that you have a 6 foot long solid steel pipe aimed at
    your sternum, while driving.)
    This appears to be a "clear and present danger", and the thought occurs to 
me
    often enough when climbing into the car to make me ask the following:
    
    Is there any evidence of this being a serious risk factor in head on
    collisions?
    Beyond a lap and shoulder belt, is there a better means to be restrained 
from
    colliding with the column?
    Has anyone ever modified a column to make it more "impact friendly"?
    
    -And yeah, yeah, I know, the best preventative action is to not HIT 
anything!!
    -But that doesn't keep someone from hitting YOU.
    I don't race the car, but Boston / R.I. is notorious for it's high speed 
stop
    and go traffic. (Fact is, I had my life saved by my Saab 9000 CD turbo ten

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