Wow, glad you daughter is OK, and you, too.
I am thinking that remark by Sean was tongue in cheek, as the Trabant has been discussed on here in another post before. I think I recalled reading the body panels are made of pressed wood or some low-tech composite such as that. That would account for the tears (pronounce, 'taires,' not 'teers') in the material.
Speaking of alternatives to steel, aluminum, or fibreglas for body panels, there is a famous picture of Henry Ford swinging a sledge hammer to hit the fender of a ~1941 Ford Tudor rear trunk, demonstrating its resiliency against damage, because it was made of a soybean composite material. The manufacturers were preparing for the diversion of steel to the war effort, and the soybean composite was being considered as a car body alternative material. Ford, who was a farm boy at heart, held the sledge at its shaft end, and is shown stepping into the swing using body english to deliver a resounding blow. Interestingly, there was a similar picture photo opportunity showing his grandson, Benson Ford trying to replicate the pose on a modern Ford but from his 'choking-up' on the sledge handle, and his tentative swing against the fender, while dressed in a jacket and tie, it's obvious he's got smooth, uncalloused hands, unlike his famous MI farm-boy grandfather. He gets points for trying, and for emulating his father's historic pose.
I decided to research this topic a bit more, and found some interesting facts:
http://www.thehenryford.org/research/soybeancar.aspx
Good no injuries other then pride. The second car looks like it might not be too bad? Is that a Chevy? AND a V8?
unk:
