Pagoda SL Group

W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: Norm on January 14, 2020, 17:22:32

Title: Interesting Video
Post by: Norm on January 14, 2020, 17:22:32
For your viewing pleasure....

https://jalopnik.com/one-of-the-most-famous-automobile-roof-designs-ever-deb-1840993791 

Norm
Title: Re: Interesting Video
Post by: 66andBlue on January 14, 2020, 21:36:18
For me the interesting part is how longevity allows you to skew history in your favor.
The Pagoda roof was not chosen for the W113 because of more visibility but because of its safety features.
Unfortunately, Friedrich Geiger, Karl Wilfert and Béla Barényi are all dead by now and cannot set the record straight, only Bracq is still around.
https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/picture.xhtml?oid=7421089
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=6181
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=9948.msg65661#msg65661
(https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9948.0;attach=375;image)
Title: Re: Interesting Video
Post by: mdsalemi on January 14, 2020, 22:35:57
The Pagoda roof was not chosen for the W113 because of more visibility but because of its safety features.

Interesting assessment. Note however that "chosen for safety" and "designed for safety" may be two different things. US Patent #3,169,793 of which Barenyi is listed as inventor, and Bracq also listed, have the second paragraph reading:

...since they permit the passengers to enter the vehicle much more easily and also permit the top to be more easily loaded with baggage...

Nothing is mentioned about safety or strength or visibility for that matter. Just saying! Perhaps the safety due to strength was just a byproduct of the design for egress which then led to the choice. The patent is the patent; the choice was made over other designs. Those with my Pagoda book have seen Bracq sketches of the Pagoda with a more conventional roofline. Those without the book here's the page. These are all Bracq sketches made during the W113 development; dates are provided in the text.