[junkyardjohn]

IN 1977 I WAS HIT BROADSIDE AT AN INTERSECTION BY A DRUNK DRIVER (I WAS DOING 55 OR 60) CAUSING ME TO ROLL END OVER END IN MY 72 3/4 TON FORD. AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 80 YARDS, I STOPPED WITH THE TRUCK UPSIDE DOWN WITH MY HEAD PINNED TO THE GROUND. IT STOPPED IN A LITTLE DEPRESSION IN THE GROUND, & EVERYTHING WAS FROZEN(IT WAS DEC. 23rd IN MICHIGAN). THE BEHIND THE SEAT TANK WAS JUST FILLED. IT SPLIT, & ALL OF THE GAS DUMPED OUT OVER ME, & ALMOST DROWED ME IN GASOLINE, AS MY HEAD WAS PINNED TO THE GROUND. I WAS PINNED IN THE WRECKAGE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO PONDER THE PLACEMENT OF SUCH A FUEL TANK. THE ONLY REASON IT DIDN'T CATCH FIRE WAS MY BATTERY WAS THROWN OUT DURING ONE OF THE ROLLS. LUCKY ME-- I GOT OUT OF IT WITH A BROKEN BACK, 14 BROKEN RIBS, A BROKEN COLLAR BONE & ABOUT 300 STITCHES ON MY MELLON. SO YA .... IT IS KINDA A SAFETY THING. I CONSIDER THESE TANKS A BIG BOMB BEHIND THE SEAT ALSO. THE REASON YOU DON'T HERE ABOUT ALOT OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THEM IS THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO EXPERIANCED PROBLEMS WITH THEM ARE DEAD. THIS WAS ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO, BUT I'M SURE GLAD THAT I'M HERE , & DIDN'T BURN TO DEATH OR BLOW UP. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO ME, NOT SOMETHING I HEARD OR THOUGHT OF OR DREAMED UP. JUST MY REAL WORLD EXPERIANCE , BUT FOR SOMEONE TO SAY THEY ARE PERFECTLY SAFE.....JUST MEANS THAT THEY HAVE NOT EXPERIANCED THE SAFTY ASPECT YET, SO THEIR COMMENTS ARE JUST OPINIONS. JOHN
CPNE.. I WOULD SURE LIKE TO SE SOME DOCUMENTATION FROM G.M. THAT SAYS THE ONLY REASON THEY MOVED IT WAS SO THEY COULD BUILD CREW CABS. OR IS THIS ANOTHER OF YOUR OPINIONS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BLINDLY SHARE . JOHN