What made a Ford Pinto dangerous, the gas tank, the woodworking on the sides, or the semi that turned you into a shadow human?

What made a Ford Pinto dangerous, the gas tank, the woodworking on the sides, or the semi that turned you into a shadow human?

Added (1). Ford had a probem as they employs the fastback body style.

The tank.

The gas tank.

Fuel tank between the rear axle and the rear bumper in a unibody car was probably not the best arrangement.

The gas tank was located too far to the rear in the vehicle.

The idiot behind the wheel.

"Ford neglected to add reinforcements to protect the easily ruptured fuel tank,"

NOTE Nothing wrong with the fuel tank- Ford decided, actuarially, that it would be cheaper to settle the lawsuits than to add the reinforcement/protection necessary to prevent (or greatly reduce) fuel tank ruptures.

The Pinto was not a dangerous vehicle.
What was dangerous was the lawyers that was able to get millions of dollars from Ford Inc.

Ford made jaw dropping decisions based on business logic over human safety. So Ford made the Pinto dangerous. To rephrase your question. The Exploder too.

The rear axle differential was too close to the gas tank. When the car was hit from the rear the gas tank got pushed onto the differential and it would rupture. A cheap $8 part would have prevented it but the bean counters at Ford felt paying off the lawsuits would be cheaper than fixing the cars.

I heard that their tanks exploded (ditto, Corvairs).