Well, I went and really did it now.

Was driving my car around the block and testing to see if I had fixed the misfiring issue I've been having. I dropped my cigarrette on the floor board and reached down to grab it. Apparently, while my eyes were off the road I veered into another car. I am so ****ing pissed at myself right now it isn't even funny.

Here's the damage I caused:







The fan blade is dug into the radiator, the car will drive but the clutch won't release, you have to **** with it to get it to shift. I limped it about 50 feet and then shut her off. She does steer alright.

Aside from a serious case of self loathing, I'm mostly alright. I have a ****** nose and what I think is either a sprained or broken hand. I was a little disoriented and let a wrecker tow her to one of the local body shops. I wasn't thinking too clearly. I do still have the parts car, so I can at least supply the damaged panels and grill. I'm going to have to track down a new headlight ring as well. I had it insured through haggerty, so it has full comprehensive. I may just let them replace the panels and paint it. I lack the knowledge of how to weld (probably broke the engine mounts) I don't know if I bent the frame, and I have no idea why the clutch is acting that way. The only thing that I know right is that I managed to royally **** up a very clean car and trying to fix it would put me way out of my depth.



John

 

Glad you're OK...I have a buddy that drives a big rig....some girl in Texas did exactly what you did on the highway.....totalled his truck and killed both girls in the car.....guess it's true cigarettes kill (I know...that was baaaad)

 

Damn ciggy's.

similar - had a buddy years ago driving down the street in a dual quad, tunnel ram El Camino and sees little miss hottie. Turns to check her out, revs that bad boy and rear ends the car in front of him.

 

i feel your pain man. ive done the same thing, except the crashing part. dropped my smoke on the carpet, fumbled around looking for it and and looked up to see i was bout to wreck into a parked car... now i pull over if i need to fumble around for anything on the floor

 

Dangerous, expensive & dirty habit.........cigarettes are bad, too !

 

man so sorry to see that. goodluck!

 

Do you reckon it is salvageable?

John

 

Sorry to hear about your news.

Take a deep breath before you read this.......
That car is probably totalled. I'm guessing being a quadra-porte mopar the bodyshop labor will exceed any kind of insured value. Even if you supply the parts.

The bigger question is do you want to fix it? Cause it is totally fixable.

Good luck

 

Maybe you will be a little smarter next time.. Im glad no one else was seriously hurt.
Dave

 

You now have all of the standard reasons to stop smoking +1. Gonna take the hint?

Frank

 

She has been in my family for four generations.... I kind of have to fix it. If she is totalled, I'll be getting 8k to play with (minus the cost of buying back the car). I'm thinking that if it is far too expensive to contract out, then I will give it a shot myself. The shop that it is at says that they can get her straight again for $2500 (a price I'm willing to pay... my self confidence is pretty much in the negatives at this point) and paint for the whole car is another $3500. Then at least the body will be straight and I can trailer her somewhere for the interior while I try to find another engine.

I can't believe I did this.

John

 

" Keep your Eyes on the Road and your Hands opon the Wheel "

 

You're a lucky sum*****, there are a lot of potential "what if's" in this situation...
Thank your lucky stars and fix it, it's a sobering life lesson.

 

My first car was an '80 Z28. I bought it wrecked and repaired the body work. My Dad painted it, and I spent a whole weekend putting the stripes on it just right. Then I took it to church and parked on the street. The first time out with the car some SOB t-boned it in the driver's door because he dropped his cigarette on the floor and bent over to pick it up. Of course he had no insurance and I only had liability. It took me 2 months to get it back on the road.

 

Well,,let me help you out,,you are a dumb***,,,sorry but it's true!HRP

That damn cancer stick made you crash your car,,,that's plain and simple,,,and it looks like a costly lesson,,did you learn anything?,,,are you still smoking?

And what about the other car you ran into in the other lane,,anybody get hurt?

HRP

 

Glad you're okay, man. No cheap shots about smoking or learning a lesson from me. Compared to some of the wrecks I have seen on this site, it's not as bad as it seems. Be glad you weren't driving some new car with plastic panels. Could have been REALLY nasty. Whether or not you get it back together is up to you and your finances. Put the word out and network with your buds. You'll get her right and I wish you well.

 

The other car is fine and driveable. I hit a parked kia sportage at 15mph. It's framerail was about the same height as the center of my right fender.. I banged up his rear fender a little, but other than that it is alright. It was a mistake and I'm well aware that I am a dumb***. I'm typing one handed right now and got to watch a family heirloom get dragged away on a wrecked because I am an idiot. That point has been well understood for quite some time... but I really appreciate those of you that are rubbing it in.

I know things could have been alot worse. Thank god there wasn't anybody in the other car, or a kid on his bike. I'm very cognizant of what could have been and where that blame lies.

I have to go get in my other car and drive to Houma LA now.

John

 

If as you say, you have a parts car you can fix it. Unbolt, bolt back on. If I did it, you can do it.

The end of my framerails were bent (I bought mine wrecked). I paid to have the frame straightened, bought parts and bolted it all back together.

You can do it.

 

Good reason to stop smoking, other than the obvious health problems...


Let me know if I can help with a fender.... Hood maybe too?

 

Quit smoking

 

Don't feel too bad , I did the same thing but I hit a telephone pole. I glanced off of it and had to get out and pull the fender off the tire. I was in my 51 Chevy. It made me feel pretty stupid and I still cringe when I think about it. It didn't take but a second to happen too! Seeing your car reminded me of it again. Good luck on finding some sheetmetal.

 

glad your not hurt and i hope you didnt hurt anyone else..

but let me ask you this crash dummy will your follow up thread be a rant or a whine about how someone is taking you to court for ****in up there POS rice burner ?..

take a hint , quit smoking , keeps your eyes on the road before you kill somebody..

 

So, it's been in your family forever? Then maybe it's time you learned how to work on it and make it even more of a family piece than it already was.
Just think of the stories for future family members... "Remember when John dumped it into a Kia and it did all that damage? Thankfully he fixed it up for us"
I mean.. you are an engineer, after all. Get engineerin'!
Now.. get that hand seen to and buy then some nicotine patches. You'll save enough money to buy a welder and take a few cl***es!
At least be involved with the rebuild.. and take pictures.

 

Same thing goes for cell phones!!

 

Sound advice.

 

pictures or it didn't happen

 

oh whats the difference?cigs,cell phones,crack pipes,beer cans,and even changing the station on the radio,its a distraction that can be avoided.most car parts are replaceable,but humans arent. glad youre ok.now fix that mopar!!!!!. filthy frank.

 

bet you wish you had quit smoking. sorry about your car though.

 

That's weird, there was a derelict '50ish Plymouth 2dr sedan broken down in the turn lane of a busy intersection in Las Colinas today. Looked to be in the same condition as yours - pre-crash.

No one died or got hurt and you've already ashamed of yourself. Good life lesson, now get to fixing it. And stop smoking you dumb***.

 

hey, **** happens, quit beating yourself up over it. You and the car will be better for it. Believe me, EVERYONE on this board has had a dumb*** attack.....