TBH, when building a hot-rod, I think that crumple zones and the like are the last things on most people's minds. Replacing the wings, bonnet and doors on a road-going 'outlaw' 911 with glassfibre panels would probably be considered cool but won't help you much in an accident – but would it stop someone doing it in search of creating the ultimate lightweight 911? I doubt it. But horses for courses - everybody has different outlooks on building cars. And yes, this car was, I presume, built a) because it's a very cool, cruiser with great acceleration and an awesome exhaust note (that sold it to me when I was in it...) and b) because it's fun and an inexpensive way to have that fun compared to building a 911 engine with 300+bhp (or even 200bhp). Before I sold the righthand drive 914 that Wayne bought off me, I was going to do a V8 build (there, I've said it!) – at the time, I could buy a Chevy small-block 'crate motor' for around £1500 that with the right carburation would deliver 300bhp+. I'd have done it for the same reason that some people build Model 'T' or three-window Model B Ford hot-rods with blown big-block motors. They'd be crap in an accident, too, and not very good round the bends. Not everyone wants to builds car that could lap the Ring at warp speed.
I love it, but then I love drag racing, street rods and grossly over-powered old cars on inadequate running gear. And motorbikes. Now they make no sense at all, however you look at them.
BTW, I'm just being awkward for the hell of it. Because I'm old and I'm allowed to be.
but I still would have triangulated that front or at the very least sort out those gearbox mounts before it drops the box on the floor 
All the cool kids are doing it 
