'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

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'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

June 08, 2010, 11:42:49 AM

On the way to school today, perfect morning, beautiful drive just cruising along at 5 under the speed limit. Going through town I had a large utility type truck up ahead of me quite a ways. He pulled over in the left lane onto incoming traffic and then pulled in to a another road so I decided to keep going since he had no signal or anything I thought he was finished pulling in to that road. I get about 60 feet from him and he swings back across traffic and both lanes and stops in front of me blocking me with the rear quarter of his truck. I couldn't go into oncoming traffic so I tried to stop, no luck.. 3900 lb car at posted speed limit trying to stop within about 52 ft (the official measurement via police report and the measuring tool) with small brakes and drums in the rear with no ABS.. it was impossible. I end up UNDER his truck and stuck to him.. I found out I was stuck to him when he tried to DRIVE OFF! None of the other traffic that passed by stopped. Everyone went on and left. No one ever just stopped, and anyone that witnessed it from the road left as well.

He dragged me 4 or 5 feet before my car detached from him and left me sitting at an odd angle in the road. His truck in fact was no damaged due to it's heavy duty bumpers all around it (its a big utility thing). He drove off. He brought the truck back around the side of the building (the garage he works at) and disappeared before I even got out of my car. I called the police (911) and my father to come get me (was only 5 miles from the house or so). Out my passenger side window I could now see a crowd of employees at the garage pointing and LAUGHING at the mess. WTF??!

I got out of my car and could finally see the front end since I didn't have the hood smashed up in my face blocking my forward vision. Not good, but it could have been worse too. Either way it's "totaled" for sure. Fluid leaking everywhere naturally. I started taking pictures with my iPhone. Even got a couple pics of the bystanders laughing at me. They were taunting me the whole time with "What are you gonna do?? HAHA!! There's more of us than there is you! The cops wont believe you!". I was so pissed. I just kept taking photos. I finally walked over and asked who the driver was. No one would fess up. I got a reply of "You wont find out. It doesn't matter anyway once we tell the cops our side of the story." Again.. WTF.. While I was talking to them one of them went over to the truck and turned the turn signal on and left it going. I shouted at him and told him that I was going to put that in the report and that that turn signal was NOT on. He and his friends again told me that the cop would never believe me and now threatened me and tried to intimidate me with "Well what are you gonna do about it? There's too many of us.". I should note here that this ignorant, childish behavior was being done by a group of 35-55 year olds - I'm 25. One of the emergency response guys gets there first.. before I can even tell him I was the driver of the car that he walked right by without even LOOKING in he walks over to the group and starts shaking hands and trading "Whats up?"s. WTF.. they were apparently great friends. My confidence in the situation is dying at this point. Finally my father gets there first and immediately starts surveying the accident scene and looking at my car. The state cop shows up just after he got there. I managed to get to the cop first and told him I was okay and no one was hurt and where the other vehicle was but that I hadn't found the driver to trade information with. He then informs me that apparently HERE: You aren't required to give your information to the other driver. He also told me that turn signals are no longer required by state law (this was according to the cop) so it didn't matter and that it was my fault anyway. Ugh.. he then talks to the group of guys that were still hanging around and gets half a dozen witness forms filled out from THEM (just as they said they would) that stated a completely different story that made it sound like they were stopped in the right lane and turning in slowly with their turn signal on and I slammed in to them. Far from the dangerous driving I witnessed..

The cop then came back to me, took my license and information, and told me to go stand facing my car. Wtf.. well, they didn't arrest me but they left me there for long while. My father was getting aggravated at witnessing the situation and went over to talk to the cop (who then found out who he was). They talked for a long time and looking at the accident scene it was obvious their story wasn't stacking up so he said something about it. The cop told him, and me later when he gave my license back that he had talked to the "witnesses" (who were actually INSIDE the building working when it happened and came out right after it did) and gave me the whole numbers spiel about how the other stories all matched up and mine didn't. Where is logic here? Logic failed. The cop told me I could "fill out a statement but it wont do you any good", so I did anyway. Told me I'd go to court.. ? what? Gave me a police report number to give my insurance to let them know the car is wrecked now. Then he left, and that was that.

After he left I had people from the garage come over and try to "hook me up" with a guy to tow it. No thanks. Not only would I not want to give business to them we took care of it ourselves (full size truck and flat bed). I felt very insulted they even made the offer (and was still going to charge for it) after how they treated me.

So.. the car.. it runs. Sorta. Everything on that side is smashed in to the engine. Other than the VAM the engine itself is ok. Everything forward of that is a complete loss with the exception of the lower bumper and drivers side headlight bezel and fender. Even broke the bird emblem in half and the other half got swept up by the garage crew BEFORE the cop go there. They had a string of debris from where they dragged me a bit and stuff from my car was scattered by the truck and still dropping pieces of it as he drove off the first time, and that the truck was in a new location. So they cleaned that evidence up and I couldn't stop them, and unfortunately my photos meant nothing, and weren't good enough detail anyway to show the debris trail to the point it could be positively identified as from MY car. ugh. Anyway, going off track again.

The car I thought was a loss because I though the frame was bent in it. Turns out it just missed it. I was so far under the truck it missed the frame. It managed to crush everything else though. My dad has the idea of finding another 83-86, buying that for junk and taking all the front end parts off of it so I guess that is what we are gonna do. He did the same thing to his little car a few years ago with success. I just feel bad about it because it all seems so hopeless finding an affordable car to take the parts from like that here, and that now I have to drive everyday at 16mpg for 63 miles, with the pay problems I've had recently with the VA, and the fact my insurance is going to SKYROCKET now and I may have to go to court for a reason not even mentioned to me by the cop, it all seems hopeless.

On a 'not-so-bad-make-the-best-of-it" note.. the fender that is ruined already had an ugly dent in it, and the hood got obliterated by large hail not long ago and was full of noticeable, huge dents. The car also needed a full paint job and body work on the white parts anyway. And.. now it is going to be apart regardless. With that said.. some gears are turning now that I am not still in shock and thinking ahead more (and trying NOT to think about the fact I wont be able to afford my insurance on my truck now or have enough money for gas this summer, I'll get that money somehow, someway). We looked the car over really good a little while ago and my dad wants to help me rebuild it now (at least maybe it finally got him wanting to do this with me?) and seems enthusiastic about the whole thing. So it looks like she's in for a radical, complete makeover now whether or not I was ready for it at this moment. She'll just miss this entire year of good weather and be off the road unfortunately. So I wont be going to any cruise ins or meets this summer - and no one wants to see my truck at one of those.

While we were gone to get the truck and trailer.. someone driving by saw it parked there wrecked by the road.. and stopped and made some phone calls. It was the previous owner before the guy I bought it from. He had told the guy that found us there putting it on the trailer to tell me that he KNEW that had to have been his when he saw it and was worried about it. He told the guy to tell me he still has parts for my car at his place and that I should fix it. I thought that was really cool.. but made me really sad at the same time. I sent a message back to the owner (I knew who had it originally so I recognized the name right away and confirmed that -yep, that was the one) saying that I had taken care of her and modified her and she was better than ever before then. I thought he might like to know.

I already miss her. I wished I hadn't driven her so easy yesterday and today. I wish I would have hot rod'ed it hard, burnt some rubber, and made some noise. At least she finally worked great and the best she ever had for a few days. Poor Thunderbird..

I'll post pics after lunch.

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #1 – June 08, 2010, 12:25:32 PM

Photos:

Keep laughing ***holes.

This shot is beautiful though.. last moments driving her looked like this. Driving into the sunrise. If you ignore the fact its an accident scene it looks almost like a nice large burnout into the sunrise.

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #2 – June 08, 2010, 12:36:50 PM

Sorry Nathan that is just so not right bud.

:disappoin

D & P :macgun:

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #3 – June 08, 2010, 12:37:34 PM

Sorry to hear that. You were doing some nice work on that car.

Good that you're OK though.

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #4 – June 08, 2010, 12:59:17 PM

I'm sorry man... That whole situation... Is just complete BS plain and simple.
But it sounds like you kept your cool, And i applaud you for that, As i know it must have been infuriating.

Decency in this world is almost non-existent anymore, It's sad.

Take some time, Do what you need to do~And when you feel better about it, I have no doubt you can get your baby back and running with some donor parts and elbow grease. :burnout:

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #5 – June 08, 2010, 01:53:31 PM

Sorry to hear about the damage to your car... and to that truck... and the cars of all those folks that laughed because of it. karma is a bitch.

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #6 – June 08, 2010, 02:02:10 PM

Sucks dude, sucks real ed hard.

Hopefully you'll get some reparation from this.

I'd post the pic of the shop without the sign being blurred....let everyone know who the assholes are...

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #7 – June 08, 2010, 02:29:45 PM

Poor bird. But I hope you'll fix it :)

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #8 – June 08, 2010, 02:51:47 PM

Thanks for the support everyone. Some answers to stuff:

- Yeah, it sucks. I really was looking forward to Thundercat dyno day trip. Was the only thing I was excited about this summer other than some other car cruise ins - which I wont be going to now, not even to look around, too painful. This is the third car I've "lost" in 3 years due to cirspoogestances out of my control. Seem to be losing things left and right to bad fortune.

- Wont be getting any reparation for it. They are saying it is 100% my fault, as well I only have liability insurance. My insurance rates are going up as well.

- We will fix her, and she will be better than ever... one day. It might take a while to find everything I need, and will take me ages to get enough money to do it all. One day though, she'll reap revenge on the blacktop, maybe black on black (just to give that undead look, I think she deserves it, would be badass). :D

- I blurred out the shop sign because I knew you guys would be upset,

It wouldn't do any good and in such a small town it would only make things worse for me likely. Though, yeah, I really hope they get theirs one day. I can't wait for them to see what this Thunderbird becomes one day though. I want it to make their heart sink.

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #9 – June 08, 2010, 04:34:33 PM

Sorry to hear about the car. Are you sure you were only going 35? Those marks look kind of long,and with the impact damage,you still had some force behind that slide even after the distance that those skid marks show. Perhaps you were going a little fast and didn't realize it. Maybe you can find another Bird or body to swap your parts into.Either way,good luck with the rebuild.It shouldn't be too bad.,

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #10 – June 08, 2010, 06:06:34 PM

Dang ..sorry to hear about the bird ... I'm glad you did not get hurt

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #11 – June 08, 2010, 06:23:39 PM

Oh man sorry for your loss, hate to see any Bird get smashed but really hate to see it happen to a 4 eye. I have everything you need to fix her when you are ready if you need.

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #12 – June 08, 2010, 06:29:10 PM

that was a car that I really liked the look of! Sorry to see it get messed up by those guys. Hope to see it get fixed though!

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #13 – June 12, 2010, 12:03:31 AM

If you need some help with parts.I don't mine helping to find certain things you need.

'86 Thunderbird Turbo (Rest In Pieces)

Reply #14 – June 12, 2010, 01:34:47 AM

Oh, man. what a bitch. I know thats the only thing that'll make me give up my cat, is something worse than that.

And those guys...Ida waited till the cop left, and then a serious amount of

"oh, sorry officer, I don't know how they got that way. Maybe they slipped and fell...on each other... Would you like me and my dad to sign a witness statement? I promise our stories will match up...."

ooooooooohh that makes me mad and its not even my car

And turn signals no longer required??? WTF???? Ida knocked em off that truck then since they apparently dont need (or use) them anyway.

Hey vinnie, look at the last pic, he was actually headed into a 45, but even so, if your rear brakes are shot, like mine, it doesn't much matter. I was going 30 one night and tried to stop for an animal, I just ended up sliding right over the top of it!