The Christmas Disaster January 09, 2009, 07:04:37 PM ok first of all, i dont think i changed my profile info. I bought the truck for 700 and i had my dad go get it for me b/c i had already pulled the insurance from the bird, which im thinking about parting out. anyway, I had bought an old single cab long bed 1986 F150 work truck. set up was basically 302, C6, 8.8. I got the LMC Trucks catalog and was planning on restoring it a bit. it had some big dents so i wasnt ganna do tooooo much. I was defiantly ganna get the cab sealed up nice and tight. the cab forward was mostly rust free save for the drivers floorboard from a windshield leak, which i fixed. i put 31X10R15's which cost me around 500 bucks. i was in for the long-haul with this thing. the rearview was screwed so i yanked it off, cleaned it up, and relied on my driver side mirror. i pull up to sands rd, it connects to my road as a shortcut. its right over a blind hill for a 55mph road so i dragged my brakes keeping the car behind me in sight as we crested the hill. i come to a complete stop to wait for traffic b/c im turning left. i hear what sounded like a burn out and as i look in the mirror, KABOOM. the ass end of the truck is lifted up and im stuck in both lanes. the skid mark was 103 feet long. i lost my cool, which isnt good... but adrenalin made me jump out and scream at the other driver. he hit me anywhere between 55 and 60mph. the bumper was rolled into the rear fender and the bed hit the cab knocking the rear glass out. thats prolly what ticked me off the most having glass sitting in my lap b/c it was almost like i instantly knew my truck was screwed. i didnt even get to a brake stand or take pictures of it. i got some of the carnage but the pictures are too large or this slow computer. anyway, when i got out of my truck i proceeded to yell and then i could tell my mom might have been hurt b/c the 99 hyundai elantra was demolished. police report said like 9 out of 10 damage to the car. i drove the truck home. it was declared totaled and i spent around 1500-1900 on it so im ganna talk with the insurance guy about 2000 dollars. 1500 will do me fine and im not ganna try and rip the guy off. but this ruined my holidays. i broke the bench seat with my back from the impact and my neck hasnt been right since.as far as the thunderbird, im ganna try and keep it off the road. i dont want anymore miles on it. im considering keeping the engine and parting the rest out. if there's any interest in a scarlet red Sport full power interior. i would try and do something with it, but the dent on the passenger quarter panel would need as much work as daminc's putting into his car. i want to start fresh with something else, but im ganna miss that bird. btw the accident was dec 21st.anyone else have bad luck during the holidays? Quote Selected
The Christmas Disaster Reply #1 – January 09, 2009, 07:20:29 PM I didn't have bad luck, but the guy down the road had his beautiful three-car garage burn down, along with the '67 Camaro convertible he'd been restoring for five years, on Christmas Eve. He lost everything in the garage, too. It burned to the ground. The joys of living in a rural area dependant on volunteer firefighters - by the time they show up there's nothing left but the foundation.Some good came of it, though - after finding out his Camaro wasn't covered by insurance I called my own insurance company and got the T-Bird insured for fire/theft for the winter. I was actually gonna post a warning about this, but forgot to: If your car is in storage make sure it's still got fire/theft coverage on it! If it's in a garage and the garage burns down, regardless of who owns the garage, your car is NOT COVERED under the garage policy. Tools, equipment, lawn machines, etc, are covered, but vehicles are not (including cars, snowmobiles, ATV's, motorcycles, etc). They require their own insurance. Nothing like learning from other peoples' misfortune... Quote Selected
The Christmas Disaster Reply #2 – January 09, 2009, 07:54:52 PM only bad luck, i had was having to talk to my former wife:toilet: Quote Selected
The Christmas Disaster Reply #3 – January 09, 2009, 10:03:56 PM Wow, that sounds really depressing. I hope you're able to find something new to tinker with!On a side note, my Dad was rear-ended by a drunk driver 30 years ago, and his neck still doesn't feel right. I hope your situation gets better! Quote Selected
The Christmas Disaster Reply #4 – January 09, 2009, 11:45:35 PM thanks for the kind words, good advice TC.Does anyone know about the Mitsubishi Mighty Max? i found some power specs for a stock one at 116hp. there's literally no information anywhere... which intrigues me. I always took pride in the rarity of our foxes. http://atlanta.craigslist.org/cto/980765333.htmlBUT, I have found several 80's 300zx's that i could bring back to life......... big truck? small truck? small car?dont hold me to it but i like the simplicity of a small truck....any suggestions on anything 5spd and rwd that you'd get? Quote Selected
The Christmas Disaster Reply #5 – January 12, 2009, 02:47:09 PM well. That's nice. :D i met the ins adj guy when he came to look at my truck. i was real nice, understanding, etc. i waited patiently for 21 days for him to get his paperwork together and what not. we talked for about 45 min and he said he got my med bills which totaled to $1350.50 which he added pain and suffering money to that to make it 2750.50. Already I was amazed but I kept my composure. my dad told me to expect this guy to haggle with me on the value of the truck, so when he asked i said 2000 would replace it. i expected a hehaw sound and a response like "eh how about 1200?" but nope he went with it with no hesitation. he then asked if i had rented a car b/c he was expecting the bill and i explained im not 25 years old yet so i couldnt get one (they wouldnt insure me.) so he apologized, told him it wasnt his fault etc. and he basically said that since i was without a car for 21 days over the holidays and the whole deal with the wreck (17 yr old kid not paying attention hitting me at 55-60...) he would go from 4750 to 5000 even. so tomorrow between 9:30 and 10am they're coming to pick up the truck and he's ganna stroke me a check for 5K. im on a high right now. i spent 700 for it, 535 for tires, and 100 for tint. i was looking for 1300 at LEAST and i was ganna put bout-to-pops inplace of the tires, being its a 86 dented up f150 to start with i wasnt too optimistic of even getting the money i spent back, boy did i. Im ganna get something around 3000 and spend 2000 on the thunderbird. im not sure what im ganna do with it yet but i cant even put a value on that bird. sure 1000 would take it home but "its not for sale" as far as im concerned. the bird might get some body work, panels, and paint. motor might get the money though. Quote Selected
The Christmas Disaster Reply #6 – January 12, 2009, 06:36:57 PM what untill the check clears before counting your eggs. Quote Selected
The Christmas Disaster Reply #7 – January 12, 2009, 11:03:56 PM then i'd do it the old fashioned way. With the Law. :) Quote Selected
Topic: The Christmas Disaster (Read 957 times)
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