Has anyone fitted a later model set of airbags to a mid 70's and earlier mini? If so, where did you pick up the parts, how much (if you don't mind me asking ), and how hard to do? If I get a set i might have a better chance of getting my wife to "enjoy" a ride. Thanks

Matt

 

Look at it this way... it's an *old* car. As such, there are no airbags.

The later Minis only had a driver's side airbag in the wheel. To try to engineer some sort of airbag package for the car...well, how much money do you have again??? I would guess that it would be very expensive, very difficult, and ultimately not worth the effort.

...and an airbag does not a safe car make!

 

I will have to agree with Andy. If I had a MPI car with the airbag I think I would be looking to disable it. It is just too much in your face for me.

 

Must agree - not that my 2 cents are worth that - but trying to retrofit airbags into a Mini, heck, any car, isn't something I've seen in my car show travels.

If you want to increase safety, I agree with you in principle. I recommend a full roll cage - Safety Devices has a nice bolt in - and maybe upgrade your seats and seat belts. My cage in no way reduces interior space (I don't have a rear cross or diagonal brace...but it is mounted at 6 points and is a real cage, not cosmetic)

And adjust your driving style to be VERY defensive - and replace your horn with something LOUD. I have a pair of Hella electrics, but some prefer air horns. I learned when I rode mtrcycls....tap the horn early if in doubt, and lean on it if necessary to get their attention. BUT a horn that sounds like a Mack truck gets more attention than a squeaker

 

If I could shut off the air bags in my '04' with little or no worries I would. I much perfer 3 in. 5 or 6 point belts to having a pyrotechnic going off inside my car. Seat belts save lifes, I'm not so sure about air bags.

 

Anything newer than the 1st gen airbags - they're very good stuff. Seatbelts + airbags = good. The problems come with the earlier stuff, people sitting too close, etc, etc.

I was ... ahem...unfortunate enough to set off a set of airbags in a vechicle I drive for work. I didn't wreck it, but managed to shock the center airbag sensor enough to set both bags off. If you've never heard them go off - well, I'll be the first to admit it startled the s*** out of me. Sounded like a 12 gauge shotgun going of inside the car followed by talcum powder all over the place. I got 'bag burns' on my forearms (really light) and a little one on my stomach. The force was enough to rip the metal watch band off my arm though - how crazy is that?

I agree with OKeefe - get yourself a LOUD horn, and drive defensively.