What car is most like a VW with airbags?

[Daniel G]

I think there are a couple issues you will run into...

First of all, there's no guarantee airbags would save you in an accident to begin with...Putting them in a fiberglass car isn't gonna help much unless it was had a roll cage and the entire thing was designed to survive a wreck. And even then there is a ton of engineering and testing that determines the optimum placement for them. Don't take this the wrong way, but you are young and inexperienced with fabrication and driving..Would you really want to be driving something you built yourself? I am not so old myself, but I do know when I had just started driving I wanted something safe so if I had a wreck due to inexperience I would have the best chance to survive...

Secondly, none of those cars you are looking at can be separated from the floor pan like a VW...You could probably make something work, but it would take a ton of fab and probably look like crap. Not saying it couldn't be done, but it won't be easy or cheap to do correctly.

Even with all that said, when its your time to go its your time to go. If you get in a bad enough wreck, airbags or seatbelts won't make a difference in your survival...No matter what you are in.

The best bet is to drive a VW (or any car) defensively and make your peace with God early on... I have driven a Beetle on the interstate..It can be scary sometimes. But there is nothing like it either.

I say go to your mom, tell her you really want to build the kit car with VW parts and no airbags. Explain to her that you can't really add them safely but you would like to build it still. If she still says no then ask her if you taking a defensive driving course would change her mind. If not, then you could always take your time building it while you get experience driving something safer..Then in a few years you would have a really nice car and be able to drive it too...

[doc]

Old aircooled vw is probably not a good choice as a first car these days. The technology/safety/even performance is ancient by today's standards. Do more research on your long list. there are many really nice little rides on it. you won't be disappointed.

Old aircooled vws are for the most part hobby cars today. Probably best to wait til you have the time and money for a hobby.

But stay with us here on STF. Pack the knowledge away for the future. Old dubs are gonna live forever!!

doc

[pickstock]

probably a dead thread but i thought i would post this
i got my licence 3 years ago, the car i bought was a subaru L series well under powered but kinda fun
i was allowed to modify it but it had to be safe, first thing was 2 half cages front and rear but not around the actual passengers (the laws here say thats a no-no but i managed to get around it) made the car hevier but added a little more power

if you want the car id say go for it, BUT its a lot of work and as such if you can afford it buy another car somthing *slow* but reliable, use the kit for fun and the road car for travel.

my 2 cents and happy to talk about how to get your mum to listen
pm if you want