Agreed. The dummy was riding the brakes because of the throttle sticking. #1 mistake, fix the sticky throttle and it may not have happened. #2 don't ride the brakes to the point the pads and shoes get glazed and the fluid boiled. Then you have no brakes especially if you don't have a brain and fix problem #1 first.This was interesting.
Been on my mind for decades .. when I built (had built) my first 500 HP car - 70 1/2 Camaro , 468 (.60 over 454 I believe...). Was on my mind with a recent purchase btw .. more on that later.
First, I aint a technical guy but I do understand this hobby drives people to DO things their vehicles were never designed to do. Once you start hoppin' stuff up, you (somebody around you doing the work) needs some realll technical knowledge.
Me? I just know what to ask. Then deal with folks for years and years who REALLY know stuff and build trust in their judgement.
Second .. i really wanna know what happened here .. what failure mode(s) caused this.
1. brakes inadequate but otherwise mechanically sound?
2. brakes inadequate AND mechanically UNsound?
3. brakes "barely" adequate BUT two-footin' 1,000 horses created thermal/mechanical stresses that FAILED the brakes.
We heard to owner lament he wished he'd something different over the years with brakes. He was "two-footing" it most of the time ... controlling excess engine RPM with the brakes -- to the extent the passenger "smelled brakes"
My guess of my three choices is 3 above, plus something(s) was(were) wrong with the car at the time AND the design of thing in the first place. Like most accidents, its rarely just ONE thing to creates a major failure.
So, you juice them propulsion-wise, to something they likely NEVER were remotely intended to be (who was thinking of 1,000 HP Comets at Ford), make them heavier/lighter or otherwise different than all the OE engineering/validation that was ever done, etc..
and leave out the safety piece (no E-brake, harnesses but didnt use them) that goes with the mods (let alone crashworthiness)... we'll that's a rather combustible set of factors.
I am happy those guys, and nobody else apparently, were badly hurt.
Interested in what the smart technical people think and/or anybody with a good sense of what failed here?
oh .. tough room. guess I have personally been the "knucklehead" in the room enough to develop a little more sympathy when I see it in others .
I need to have more "why" this happened. If its just stupidity, that's hard to treat/specifically learn what NOT do to. A "root cause" -- well thats a learning opportunity and chance to apply "training" so that dumb-a** thing doesn't happen again.
Anybody know how much design margin in our brakes: 10% more that needed, or 100% more than needed. I used to know this stuff when I was building cars .. I have forgotten those details now .. but I do know we did (used to but don't now?) put "margin" in most mechanical systems in the design process.
Example, my old '99 Police Tahoe has 3/4 ton brakes on it from the factory. GM wanted to be sure the boys/girls in blue could hang in the pursuit a good while with their brakes doing the job at ALL speeds .. so they put higher stopping power validated on higher GVW platform on the 1/2 ton police truck.
What do you guys do with your brakes when you build a more powerful version of something? Just make sure you use the best material in the existing design/maintain them/check often OR call up Mr. Baer and do 11+ inch discs all around?
Exactly what I was thinking. No mention of the other driver. No concern about the financial losses the other driver may suffer. Thought the same thing about no minivan there stopped at the light, but with a pedestrian walking in the crosswalk. Sheer stupidity pure and simple....
One thing I have a HUGE problem with. They NEVER said if the person(s) in the SUV was OK or not. To me, that is some self involved BS. Those guys took a calculated risk being in that car.... The SUV was just sitting there... If the driver even saw them coming or not, there wasn't much that they could do. It's lucky no one was crossing the intersection, either in a car or walking. I hope the guy with the Comet never rebuilds it and it sits in his garage for the next 30 years just to remind him how ******* stupid he is.
Thank you, sir.Bloated, wretched excess.
Uncle Tony's reaction:
One thing I have a HUGE problem with. They NEVER said if the person(s) in the SUV was OK or not. To me, that is some self involved BS.
I noticed that, as well. No mention of the people involved at all in the SUV. My son was hit in a similar situation. He was sitting at a light when a drunk broad in a Nissan Juke hit him at roughly 50 mph. The impact sent him and his VW Passat across the intersection. That VW saved my son's life, guaranteed! Her car was smashed to the windshield, where my son's car had the trunk caved in (as designed), and the spare tire took a lot of the impact, thankfully. The rear crumple zone worked as designed. He was in a lot of pain for nearly 18 months. He lost his job because he couldn't perform the work.
So, to the guy who made the video about his little accident (like he's reading this, right?)...I guarantee the people in the SUV were hurt. What about them? I really could give a **** less about you and your car-building buddy. You survived because it wasn't your time, and sheer dumb luck. Knowingly driving a car like that with iffy brakes and a sticking throttle was beyond stupid and the height of irresponsibility. What is the status of those people? The fact you made no effort to mention them at all shows you are a 100% total douchebag. Stay off the damn road. For everyone's sake.
People like that make me so ******* mad!
I believe so.
I remember you telling me once, I reminded you of your long departed friend. Jay dee? I think his name was sorry if I flubbed that up.I believe so.
Of course it has big wheels and some sort of aftermarket brakes. Throw in a little CRASH-TEST dummy behind the wheel and you have a disaster in the making.
There is a reason why production cars mostly have steel/iron calipers and heavy rotors. To absorb heat! Aluminum calipers, and thin rotors are fine on a light race car, (road course or drag strip) designed differently of course. Car is probably too heavy for the brakes, which are probably a bolt on kit that fit under a 15" wheel (not enough diameter for large wheels), and calipers that are more show than go.
Obviously U.T. is correct when he says the guy never paid his dues driving junk with little to no brakes and/or failing parts. That is the kind of stuff that gives you the knowledge to build and drive properly. I've been on the 2 feet on the pedal hauling a nine inch drum brake car from way too fast ride, respect learned.
That being said I hope the SUV driver takes the car, and a lot more out of that guys *** to insure he will not write anymore checks for a car he does not understand.