Event Coverage GOODGUYS NATIONALS IN COLUMBUS

Well, today was very unusual. Got up there at 6:30 am in the mist and fog and drove right in. It looked to be almost half full! I have never seen it so sparse. Got a great parking place right by the Pro's Pick area and watched all the cars come cruising by. It was overcast and about in the high 70's. Lots of new and different things. The swap area was huge but very dissapointing. Not much I would buy. It started to rain about 3:00pm and everyone made an exodus to the exits. We were already on our way out but at that time, and it seems all the time, the in Columbus traffic was bumper to bumper. It took a good 30 minutes to get throught the I70 / I71 interchange and once we got on I71 South, it was stop and go for another 30 minutes until...WHAM! Some 20 year old asshole rams into the back of my '40 coupe while I was stopped. He was on his freakin' phone but told the cop he "dropped his lighter". It tore my nice lighted and third brake light license plate frame and plate right off the rear pan. It slightly pushed in and cracked my rear pan and sprung the truck lid so it does not close well. You know, it does not take much of a hit to mis align those things.
I guess no one was hurt but the asshole looked like he was inconvienced and bored. His Dodge Caliper didn't have a mark because it was all plastic and it popped right back into shape. All this in the rain, on the way home, in bumper to bumper traffic. I was and still am pissed off. WTF are you going to do.
I pounded most everything back so it can be drivable but I'm going to need a new license plate holder with a lamp. Back up there tomorrow. We'll try it again.

 

That stinks! You should be able to get parts at the show.

 

Sorry to hear about your misfortune raprap.. Glad you weren't hurt...

 

raprap, sorry for your misfortune. Cars can be repaired but the entire incident never should have happened in the first place. It never fails instead of plowing into an econo shit box they hit a 40 coupe.

Gary

 

shit happens, talk about insult to injury. so, no pics from the earlier part of day?

 

THAT SUCKS!

 

Didn't the guy have insurance???? and when you re-do it PUT A BUMPER ON IT....AVOID FUTURE DINGS

 

The damage to the back is one of those things that from 6 feet away, you say that doesn't look that bad. Upon closer inspection is where a "5mph tap" shows what could happen.
The tail pan on my 40 was a stock pan that I welded in frenched 39 tail lights, Exhaust raudius's for the big echo cans and a slight frenching for the license plate. Yester, I clearly can see all the damage.
1. The tailpan has been pushed in and there are rips and cracks the paint/body work at both ends and at the impact area.
2. Stress fractures around both frenched tail light areas.
3. The inside trunk area where the truck latch is was also pushed in so the track can close and lock but it does not close all the way and leaves a noticable gap. It also very difficult close/open and lock.
4. The guys plastic front grille also ran up on to my nice truck area where I have a nice pinstriping job from COOP and scuffed and scratched the paint.
5. The impact all pushed my tail pipes down enough to break the welds from the hangers.
6. The top of my trunk between the bottom of the rear window and the front of the trunk lid also recieved stress fractures in the body work.
7. Last but m not least, when I went to wind up my driver's window, I noticed it had cracked.

It was a pretty good jar, not enough to get hurt, but it did do a bunch of collateral damage. the jerk presented
"E-surance" as his coverage (yeah I know that means he has crap) but I have Grundy and USAA coverage so I am hoping that will work out for me.
As soon as I finish down loading the damage photos for the insurance company, I'll share them here.

And no, I am not putting a rear bumper on the 40!

 

Wow - real sorry, and summer just started too.

 

Here are some photos. Too many to post all but you can see what was damaged.

 

Thanks to EMS Automotive that PM me about having the parts for my chevy on the shelf. It's good to have a HAMB buddy!

Thank you!!

 

The police can find out if he was on the phone or not by checking his phone records.

 

so sorry to hear about your trouble...young lady hit me 2 years ago at Louisville...same situation...on the phone.She had Geico insurance...I have Grundy...anything I needed Grundy was excellent.
The girls reaction...Whats the big deal...Its just an old car!!!!....about sent me through the roof.
Grundy will treat you right

 

by the way,saturday goodguys was a cluster---- friends of mine that paid admission sticker in windshield,etc. got turned away at the gate and were told parking was full and they would have to park in spectator lot....one of them has a handicapped son and was still denied entry...lot of pissed off people on Saturday

 

Good Guys Columbus didn't just hit Rap Rap----The 54 Chevy was on it's way back to the motel on Friday in a light rain when Chuck Lair, one of our fellow Vintage Tin members tangled with a civilians Dodge Neon. The Neon went through an intersection and the 54 had no chance to avoid the young female driver and hit it in the rear door and quarter. The Neons driver received a citation for the accident. Thats the gist of the accident, other details of the accident are told to me second and third hand, so on to the obvious. The 54 is hurt bad. It came home today on a roll back to a good Hot Rod repair shop, in Crete Il. The big problem is it needs a complete sheet metal nose, fenders, hood, core support, inner fenders, etc. The hope is the suspension and frame are not badly damaged. If ANY ONE knows of a 54 Chevy front clip that is available (a 53 maybe the same, just trim difference. Front clips are the same, 4 door, hard top, etc). So we are in need of the clip to make the rebuild a LOT easier. Any one in the the mid west area, with a line on one please contact me, BILL RINALDI 219-757-1138 It will be deeply appreciated.

 

Hoping for replies on a front clip, nothing yet. RINALDI

 

Bill,

That looks like a pretty good hit you took. Was every one OK? Man, what a cluster weekend.

Mark,

Thanks for the kind words. I am hoping Grundy takes care of everything. I parked in Homebuilt Heaven on Saturday to avoid all the crap in the other areas. Being turned away from entering was a bunch of crap. I saw many open places when walking around. There was a cop that got pissed off over by the round building where I normally park and closed all the rest rooms in that area. Sorry to say, with all of the Goodguys changes I saw this past weekend, it is not getting better (low numbers on cars, much higher prices on event stuff, food, channeling all rods on exiting down by the Bricker building & Vendors?) I might not be returning to any GoodGuys events.

 

.............................................................................................................................................................................Bump this up.

 

I thought it was a pretty good year myself.
There was some parking changes for fire lanes that had been badly abused in the past years but it did cut down on the congestion overall especially in the covered parking areas.
The swap meet did suck but I`ve seen that everywhere.
The high dollar cars were hidden in the building across from the vendor hall. Wasn`t advertised very well.
Good weather, nice location and something to see for everyone.
We walked nonstop all day Saturday. I didn`t sit down until we climbed in the coupe to head home at 4 PM.

 

Mark: How was the weather?

 

Damn shame you got nailed in the ass RapRap. The traffic leaving Friday was a bit of a pain in the ass (no pun) intended. I stayed till after 5pm and the traffic getting out of Columbus was stop and go through the 71 south interchange. Then only was slightly better. The show I thought was pretty good I returned Saturday and the place was PACKED! Parking was a big issue or lack there of! They had so much open space reserved for the track cars I that went unused till later in the day I seen two very heated arguments just a shame people just can't give everyone some room!

 

oldsjoe,

Tried looking for you but did not see. Yeah the parking was a real problem on Sat. Friday, I would say that it was 2/3 full. Lots of places to park. I saw lots of heated people too. Food and prices were up. Swap was dismall. Almost bought that 1970 Olds Ralle 350 in the outside swap area. I had one in 1971 but that one at the show was not worth $21K. Had filler in the rockers, been repainted and poorly, and a bunch of other stuff only a previous owner would know about. The sellaer really did not know much. He was a re-seller.

 

Hope you get your Rod repaired in a timely fashion. I still had a good time even though the place was crowded. I haven't been to that show in a few years the last time I was there it was like 100 in the shade and I still had a good time. I took a quick walk through the swap area didn't see anything I needed to lighten my wallet for.

 

Sent you a pm. Dennis

 

Hooked up with Dennis---- Will be able to check out his lead Tues. morning. Saw the car this morning, nasty hit. Really mangled the front end. Insured by Haggerty, they are due to come out Tues or Wed. Car is some what UNDER INSURED, the agreed value is less than the true value. What is really interesting is, this is/was a very NICE car, with near perfect grill/chrome. A 54 Chevy has a LOT going on in grill parts and grill chrome and a LOT is NOT reproduced!!! AGAIN---A request for info on a NICE front sheet metal clip for a 54. RINALDI

 

Minneapolis CL has complete 54 listed with a Make offer. A couple 53's are listed as well. I would think you might find a complete 4-door for 1500-3500.
I'm sure they would appreciate leads but doesn't Haggerty have a parts buying crew that scours swap meets and websites to find parts for the insured party?

 

Bill,

Hope the 54 gets what parts it needs. My '40 has some parts available. New EMS tailpans but if I need a trunk lid, I can only get a glass one. So far, Grundy has been quick to get on it. I'll let you know more when I do. Anyone know any Dayton, OH local Rod shops for repairs? 1940vert let me know that LoManRods could be a place. Anyone else?
Info will be much appreciated.

 

@raprap... I would advise not getting any replacement panels until you talk to the guys that will be fixing it. I've had more than one guy come to me with some overpriced ill fitting repop part to fix something that I didn't even need, I just fixed what was there. had a guy once come to me with a complete NOS tail panel for a 50 Chevrolet to patch two little rust holes. I bet that was not a cheap part.

 

Rap Rap I believe 49ratfink is right. Pick a shop that can DO the repairs, they can tell you (or Grundy) what they will need. I know 2 shops in my locale specialize in hot rod building and repair and BOTH are top notch. Seeing as OHIO is truly hot rod country, I'm sure there is a few there too. Having pretty good luck locating clips (or complete 4 door sedans) we are still waiting for the adjuster (Hey, It's only the second work day since the accident) and see what his plan is. Good luck on your repair, I'm sure you'll do just fine. RINALDI