818 #295 is dead

I have crashed my 818. Initially I wasn't going to post about it, I'm hurting enough without the inevitable armchair-quarterbacking flame-fest that is sure to follow but ultimately I decided that if the community can benefit from my misfortune then it's worthwhile. I believe there have only been a few 818s wrecked and I know people worry about crash worthiness. It happened on a sweeping 35MPH right-hand turn. The road was obviously wet from the morning sprinklers and I was at an appropriate speed for that. Turns out that the landscaping is actually oozing onto the road in that corner so the road is constantly wet and some sort of slick algae has formed. Unfortunately I learned this after the fact. I hit a small oak tree just behind the A pillar on the left side and while the car is a total loss I was able to walk away with some strains and bruises. I have to say the frame did it's job and I'm grateful to have my health. The Subaru seat belt worked well, I have the abrasion on my collar bone to prove it. I'm heartbroken but I hope you guys can take this information and enjoy your cars knowing that Factory Five has put together a well engineered and crafted machine. I was only a part of the club for a few years but I hope to build another one some day.

Ben


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Oh...My...Lord

My deepest sympathies. Thanks for posting. You are VERY lucky to be walking away from that. And yes, an amazing testament to the FFR steel frame philosophy. Anyone who wants to build a kit car that is largely a fiberglass tub on a minimal frame (as many are) should be looking at this.

Once again, my sympathies. This sucks.

I'm a little concerned about the spindles and upper control arm and the condition of the drivers side suspension, but I can't see it all from the pictures. I'm glad you are OK and I'm sure upset at the loss of the 818.

Here's some more pictures.

Attachment 62720Attachment 62721Attachment 62723

I'm happy to hear you made it thru relatively unscathed. Sucks about the car, but it looks like it did it's job considering oak trees are rather immovable.

Glad your okay! Think you for sharing the results of the crash.

So sorry and really happy to hear you are ok.

Maybe after the sometime passes you will be motivated go at it again, you have the parts.

In that second pic it looks like the whole car blew up! Glad you're safe.

Dang! That is a major bummer.

Like everyone else, glad you were kept safe. Thanks for posting and sharing this sad ending to your journey. I am sure it leave you with a heavy heart. Has FFR contacted you about getting their hands on your car to inspect and evaluate its crashworthiness?

I hope this is not the last car build in you!

-Ben

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Originally Posted by FFRSpec72

I'm a little concerned about the spindles and upper control arm and the condition of the drivers side suspension, but I can't see it all from the pictures. I'm glad you are OK and I'm sure upset at the loss of the 818.

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When you say concerned, can you elaborate what you mean?

Sorry that you had this mishap, but Thank God you survived.
Also, the next 818 that you build will be even better.
Cars can be replaced, but people can't.

Glad you are OK. Cars can be repaired. Tough deal though.

Glad you are okay. This looks better than I would have imagined. In true subaru fashion, what are the plans with the parts. Is that an I wire harness I spy? I might be interested in it. Pm me

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Originally Posted by ben1272

When you say concerned, can you elaborate what you mean?

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I'd imagine his concern is with regards to how it sheared off.

I'd imagine a lot of it is still good, perhaps FFR would be willing to sell you just what you need to build another.

Happy you're alright, but saddened by the loss of all that effor and care. Hopefully you'll be able to start on a new one soon.

Sent you a pm, I had a couple questions for yah.

Oh no!!!! So sorry to hear that but glad you are ok.

It can happen so quickly, try not to feel too bad about it. I almost wrecked my 818 the first day out on the track. Hopefully you can part it out and make some of the money back at least.

Ben,

I too am sorry to hear about the loss of the car and minor injuries. The question about building another car or selling off the parts is an interesting question. If you sell off the parts, you might not get the money you paid for them. If you build a new car, you have all of the additional car parts that are not included with the kit. In addition the work would go a lot faster as you know how everything goes together.

So the question is, did you like the car enough to purchase a new kit and rebuild the car, or sell off the parts and pursue something else?

Like the other guys, I'm glad you're okay, sad that such a beautiful 818 is damaged, and thankful you posted this to remind us all to be careful. That photo of the curve certainly looks deceivingly slippery. You wrote that you feared a flame-fest but you certainly won't get that here because we all should think, "it could have been me." Ben, I look forward to the day when the physical, mental and financial wounds have healed so you can rebuild.

Walking away is the best news of your day, obviously. Racing has a whole realm of hazards, but really, driving on public roads is probably more dangerous, for a lot,lot,lot of reasons. Glad your are OK and thanks for reminding us all what can happen anytime.

Glad you walked from that without major injuries. Everything else is secondary.

Ben
Glad to hear that there was no serious injurys.

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Originally Posted by Mechie3

In that second pic it looks like the whole car blew up! Glad you're safe.

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Craig, I own JohnG 818 wrecked body and frame. John's wreck was in the front right. With the major impact happening at the front right LCR bushing bolt. This was enough to twist the frame and break the windshield. On John's wreck every body panel had damage. The front end panels all got pushed snapping all the places where the body was mounted. The tire pushing back on the right side sail broke all the side sail mounting points. Also snapping the rear bumper joint. The engine covers came forward and hit the roll bar. The engine actually moved forward enough to hit and bend the bar in front of the crank pulley.
Bob

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Originally Posted by Bob_n_Cincy

Ben
Glad to hear that there was no serious injurys.


Craig, I own JohnG 818 wrecked body and frame. John's wreck was in the front right. With the major impact happening at the front right LCR bushing bolt. This was enough to twist the frame and break the windshield. On John's wreck every body panel had damage. The front end panels all got pushed snapping all the places where the body was mounted. The tire pushing back on the right side sail broke all the side sail mounting points. Also snapping the rear bumper joint. The engine covers came forward and hit the roll bar. The engine actually moved forward enough to hit and bend the bar in front of the crank pulley.
Bob

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What speed was that impact at?

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Originally Posted by SoCalK61000

What speed was that impact at?

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Ben above said he was going 35. I don't know if he slowed before he hit the tree.
Johng wreck was also a tree. I don't know the speed.

Just a note of caution for first drives. On our first drive with oem brakes. The front wheels locked very easy with little braking from the rear. Hit that first corner to fast and lock up the fronts and the car goes straight. Take it easy and start cautiously.
Bob

Sorry to hear of the unfortunate incident. But glad to hear the minimal injury!! Give the car a rest and get your thoughts back together. You'll undoubtedly learn from this and others experiences.

Looking at the third picture, Attachment 62740
I notice the spindle is missing the part that the outer tie rod bolts to, inner tie rod missing, coil over stem snapped, upper control arm snapped and the lower aluminum control arm bent back.
Looks as though the impact occurred at the A pillar area as the large tree shape in the frame as if the car was sideways hitting the tree. The wheel area must have also struck the tree to tear that up so intensely.
Shows the strength of the frame and keeping the occupants protected!

Did you say this happened AT 35mph or on a 35mph road?

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Originally Posted by Bob_n_Cincy

Ben above said he was going 35. I don't know if he slowed before he hit the tree.
Johng wreck was also a tree. I don't know the speed.

Just a note of caution for first drives. On our first drive with oem brakes. The front wheels locked very easy with little braking from the rear. Hit that first corner to fast and lock up the fronts and the car goes straight. Take it easy and start cautiously.
Bob

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He didint really say how fast he was going at all tho. He said he was going an "appropriate speed" just curious as the the actual speed of the crash cause that is an intense amount of damage for 30-35mph

If the car twisted that bad at that low a speed I'd hate to see the results of an impact at track speeds

If he was going 50mph would you expect him to share that? I'm sure there's an insurance claim involved.

Sorry the car is lost: bummer! It sure was gorgeous. The fact that you walked away is the best part, of course.

It looks like the tread on the tires was pretty worn: am I right? Pictures can be deceiving.

Hope you get back in the game here before too long.

Sorry for you loss, it sure was a beautiful machine!

More importantly we're all glad you were able to walk away. Thank you for sharing your story, maybe it will help another owner avoid a similar outcome.

Man I'm so happy you walked out of it without too much issues! So sad for the loss, I can feel the pain (heart, not physical)! :(

Really kind of you to post the pix, we see the wheel still attached to the upper a-arm and that the frame bent and not cracked. The door frame still looks good on the pix. Interesting to see how bent upwards the LCA is.

Maybe it's possible to rebuild the car by cutting and welding new tubes, but first you got to physically rest and recharge your batteries before thinking of what's next.

Let's hope you can one day build a new one or rebuild this one.

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Originally Posted by Canadian818

If he was going 50mph would you expect him to share that? I'm sure there's an insurance claim involved.

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This is a really good point. For my part, I didn't intend to do any armchair quarterbacking, for sure. I was trying to wrap my head around how much of that carnage was because the body panels are fiberglass vs the steel I'm used to seeing squished up.

Maybe the takeaway here is the difference in crunching between the front and the cage. This is the second set of pictures I've seen where the cage is remarkably undamaged compared to other parts of a wrecked 818, so that's good. On the other hand, it's the second set of pictures I've seen of a reportedly low-speed crashed that completely fubarred the front end.

Let's just assume that whatever the speed was, it took an awful lot of force to rip the wheel off the car (which can happen without a ton of speed) and that walking away from it with nary a scratch or broken bone WITHOUT FREAKING AIRBAGS is very impressive, and I not only agree with Ben's assessment of the engineering, but heartily thank him for sharing.

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised to see that kind of damage at relatively low speeds. Fiberglass shatters easily, and it makes things look really bad. In reality, that is a good thing...the energy that goes into breaking the glass and flinging bits off the car is energy that is no longer available to transfer to the frame and occupants. That's why F1 and Indy crashes look so bad...the cars are engineered to fly apart and dissipate energy.

Same goes for the frame damage. The whole concept of a crush zone is to absorb the impact before it gets to the passenger cell.

For me the most telling question is "how badly did the cockpit deform?"
If that was largely intact (as evidenced by your relative lack of injury), then the other damage is evidence that the engineering works.

I'm very happy that you were not badly injured. I hope that seeing your car in the calendar in Sept gives you a happy memory, not a sad one. And I hope the insurance compensates you fairly.

Don't beat yourself up too badly. Accidents happen. You are OK. Perspective.

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Originally Posted by Taz Rules

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised to see that kind of damage at relatively low speeds. Fiberglass shatters easily, and it makes things look really bad. In reality, that is a good thing...the energy that goes into breaking the glass and flinging bits off the car is energy that is no longer available to transfer to the frame and occupants. That's why F1 and Indy crashes look so bad...the cars are engineered to fly apart and dissipate energy.

Same goes for the frame damage. The whole concept of a crush zone is to absorb the impact before it gets to the passenger cell.

For me the most telling question is "how badly did the cockpit deform?"
If that was largely intact (as evidenced by your relative lack of injury), then the other damage is evidence that the engineering works.

I'm very happy that you were not badly injured. I hope that seeing your car in the calendar in Sept gives you a happy memory, not a sad one. And I hope the insurance compensates you fairly.

Don't beat yourself up too badly. Accidents happen. You are OK. Perspective.

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Exactly what I was trying to get at. Thanks.

Bad stuff happens. Pretty awesome you walked away. Sounds like a good opportunity for a new project.

No sense in beating yourself up. As they say, there goes I except by the grace of God (paraphrase?). I suspect all of us have had at least close calls, and others (including me) have banged a car up through unexpected road conditions. It is very good to hear you walked away.

Give yourself some time, and if the fire still burns, start the next project!

As you feel up to the task, more pictures, if possible would be welcome for the education of how the frame/suspension was deformed. Hopefully FFR will reach out to you.

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Originally Posted by Canadian818

If he was going 50mph would you expect him to share that? I'm sure there's an insurance claim involved.

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I would expect someone to tell the truth and not commit insurance fraud yeah. Full coverage is full coverage if he was on a public street and not the race track it's covered weather he was speeding or not. Sorry your ethiics clearly aren't the same as mine.

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Originally Posted by SoCalK61000

If the car twisted that bad at that low a speed I'd hate to see the results of an impact at track speeds

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Good thing race tracks have armco's instead of trees... :D

Glad you are ok. That really sucks.

Let these pictures be a reminder to the guys driving 818R's on the street- If this was you, your head would be bashed in from the side rollbar from a low 35mph wreck. If you are driving and 818R on the street, please wear a helmet like I have been saying for 3 years.

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Originally Posted by SoCalK61000

I would expect someone to tell the truth and not commit insurance fraud yeah. Full coverage is full coverage if he was on a public street and not the race track it's covered weather he was speeding or not. Sorry your ethiics clearly aren't the same as mine.

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Lighten up Francis. ;) (It's a movie joke)

suttonb3, I'm very happy you are OK and the frame did it's job!

If it was me I'd tear it down and order the parts needed from FFR to rebuild. I've seen where they put together a custom order for guys who wreck. Give it some thought...

Again, I'm glad you're OK!

:)