Through the floorboard

[D2Cat]

This happened near Joplin, Mo. Old Ford Bronco.

Joplin: South Main closed at Riviera Drive (Wildcat Glades) and River Road (south edge).
Crash off into trees, rollover, with lines and pole(s) down. Driver was ejected through floorboard of vehicle.

 

[Bee-Positive]

Yikes - that doesn't sound good at all.

 

[McMXi]

Yikes - that doesn't sound good at all.

I think this is where the expression "floored" comes from e.g. "he was completely floored as he was ejected from the vehicle".

 

[chim]

More info. He lives!

 

[ken erickson]

Hard to see in the two pictures , but suspicious about being ejected thru floorboards. I think it might be much more likely thru a door window or the back window.

From the picture of the bottom , I would think you might see light thru the floor area with the bright sunlit area behind. I see no hint of a hole, especially large enough to pass a human driver.

 

[William1]

Hard to see in the two pictures , but suspicious about being ejected thru floorboards. I think it might be much more likely thru a door window or the back window.

From the picture of the bottom , I would think you might see light thru the floor area with the bright sunlit area behind. I see no hint of a hole, especially large enough to pass a human driver.

Maybe he was skinny?
Really ratty Bronco. If I were to venture a guess (and I will, I will) Driving at a very high rate of speed, rusted out vehicle and a lot of booze combined.

 

[Botamon]

Those old Broncos were real rust buckets if not well cared for...I know, I owned one for several years. So its not inconceivable that the floor was so rusted he was able to bust through.

 

[ken erickson]

One of the sites that reported said,

"The single occupant, male driver, was possibly ejected through the floor of the classic Ford Bronco authorities believe. It appeared no windows were shattered."

The wording , "possibly" and "it appeared no windows were shattered" seem like pretty weak evidence he went thru a floorboard.

In that article , the passenger window is either down or non existent. Does not mean of course it was down when he crashed. And the back tailgate is open.

Still have my doubts, I restored a 74 Bronco and familiar with the cross seat supports spot welded the underside of the body tub and find it unlikely , either feet first or head first that a floor board ejection happened.

Yes, I agree, lots of rust issues, but with body on frame, and if the guy is driving it around , knowing how much floor pan there actually is between the slanted portion of the firewall floor and the seat riser structure , I am not convinced.


Of course I could be completely off base, stranger things have happened!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I say 'poppycock' to being 'ejected through the floorboard.
IF possible, he'd be slashed from all the ratty, rotten, rusty remainder of the floorboard
Size matters, unless the kid was 7 or 8, no way an adult human could fit through
Would love to see pictures of the floorboard !!

 

[ken erickson]

I say 'poppycock' to being 'ejected through the floorboard.
IF possible, he'd be slashed from all the ratty, rotten, rusty remainder of the floorboard
Size matters, unless the kid was 7 or 8, no way an adult human could fit through
Would love to see pictures of the floorboard !!

Agree,
Besides the floor boards are very compact between the door sills and a very wide transmission tunnel, you have the left side main frame rail that runs laterally right tru the center of that small floor board. IF he could have gotten thru that floor board he would have had to contend with the frame rail.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

I’ve have spent a fair amount of time in, around, under, as well as wheeling in an original bronco. Short of more detailed pics, I am calling BS and believe the reporter made an error or doesn’t understand vehicle construction.

I’d have to see a hole in the floorboard to believe that honestly. How the hell would someone slip out of the seat down through a rusted out floorboard and around the frame and driveshaft. I have busted my ribs on the steering wheel of a bronco…don’t forget the driver is generally sort of packaged between the steering wheel and the seat which did have a lapbelt. Is it possible? Maybe. I’d sure like to see some more detailed pictures. Must have been skinny…wonder could someone that skinny work the clutch, the gears and the steering wheel…you had to drive those bucking BRONCOS.

if that Bronco had been actually used (I question as it looked like original wheels and not tubbed out) then over time the doors sometimes had trouble staying closed. However there is still a lap belt. If not wearing belt and door came open, maybe depending on roll…better chance operator jumped when saw what comingmaybe IMO.

either way that certainly left a mark. I hope they didn’t spill their beer. (I am guessing the t did not work out well for driver but I did not see they lived or not?)

 

[chim]

I hope they didn’t spill their beer. (I am guessing the t did not work out well for driver but I did not see they lived or not?)

See post #4 He was conversing with the first responders.