So yesterday , after finally getting everything back together, lot of blood and sweat, she fired up..... 3 months of restoration.... finally at a peak.... and it was my 32nd Birthday.... my baby runs.... take it out... and wow she holds to the road great.... take it over to show somme friends... then by the in-laws to show off some more... everyone knows what this car means to me and is so happy! plus , it's my birthday! Some clouds come over and it starts to rain.... just a sprinkle.... I'm coming down a road where it stops at a tee intersection... but the car isn't stopping.... the tires are just sliding... I swoosh across the road barely missing the oncoming traffic... then smash into the back side of a parked SUV. My car is trashed.... the whole right side was laying on the ground.... radiator and condensor punctured....I'm still shaking this morning just thinking about it and tryinng not to cry. I have full coverage and the car is insured for $25000. But dear God... why me why my old vette? I need somme advice on what to do and what to look for in a repair shop....please any info will help. I think the frame is just fine.... the kick ups and bumper supports look like they were even fine... but that $400 bumper is gone.... and all the other crap that wass going through my head like factory bonding strips and seeing the stock rivots across the nose.... I'm truely heart broken....

 

You're alive, everyone in the immediate area of the crash is alive. really... thats all that counts
everything else is replaceable

 

Sorry to hear you had an accident-Happy to hear your OK.
Check over that front frame real good they tweak very easy.

 

Wow, sorry to hear that but glad your ok. Take a deep breath, count your blessings, take some pics and look it over real well. If you have it home do some measurements from the floor to frame on both sides, see if its the same all round. Let us know if we can help

 

happy birthday.

 

Thats a real sad story, but hey, thats nothing compared to your life and health. You are blessed that you messed a MAJOR accident and only hit a parked car rather than hitting a coming car at 65MPH. Everything will be fixed and you'll celebrate your next birthday with it.

 

I got that alternator fixed! ha ha... ended up getting the new duralast gold from a 93-96 impala SS.... it worked freakin great.... but now I kinda wish it hadn't...

Oh well, maybe I will get a whole new paint job out of it, which if I do I will go back to the factory ontario orange instead of the black that it was.... and I am going to see if I can throw in somme extra cash and when the radiator is replaced get a Dewitt or BeCool with the dual electric fans....

I'm trying to stay positive and Thank God for my blessings ... but man it is hard... I still want to cry...

Sully

 

Wow that's a tough break man. I'm really sorry to hear it.

Post some pics when you're ready, and let us know if we can help at all.

 

I'm going to look at her at lunch and get some pics for my records... I get them loaded up here too...

sully

 

Take the money & buy a C5 Z06

 

When it rains, it pours...

 

Good thought.... but no... I already have a C5 and love her! I want my 1972 C3....

Sully

 

Glad to hear you're OK, things could have been a lot worse.

I can't tell if your vette is a convertible or not, but if it's not and you ever wanted one now would be a great time to do it. I've always wanted to make my 80 or 81 a vert, but I don't feel like it's worth spending the cash on it... however if it's ever rear-ended or suffers some body damage, and the right parts are broken, it's going to cost about the same to rebuild it as a convertible as it will to rebuild it back to factory specs.

 

If you got the old 15" tires...get rid of them and get some new 17/18" tires that are designed for better handling in the rain. I have almost killed myself 3 times with my 15" BFG's. I now have 18" wheels with aqua tread design and the car is night and day difference being able to stop, etc.

Not having aqua tread design tires and no ABS = accident on wet roads

 

i really appreciate the kind words and support. I am thankful for no injuries and hopeful of what could come out of this with some imporvements to my car. I just gotta find someone to trust with the fiberglass and classic car stuff.... I'm already calling around to a few different shops....

It's scary to see what somme of these parts costs are out of Midamerica and Corvette Central.... gonna be at least 4,000 in parts alone...then labor and paint....Jeeze...

Sully

 

Man, that's a tough break. If it makes you feel any better I never made it to my college graduation because I spun my Vette into a pole totaling it, and then the next day, on the same road, a gal rear ended my gf's car that I was driving and totaled it. The Vette made it back to the road after a new frame and a couple years.

Look at it this way...now you get to do all those things you wanted to do to her.

 

Yeah that thought crossed my mind but it is really just front damage of the nose, quarters, radiator, and all the other little gear up front... but nothing behind the radiator except where the quarter panels splintered off the inner fender shrouds.... besides I really like the t-tops and removable rear window.... very unique...

Thanks guys,

Sully

 

I am staying positive.... looking at getting the new wheels 17" at most, personally i think 18 would be too big for my tastes, replace the stock small block hood with a BB/ LT1 hood, new paint job all around taking her back to the correct color. It will be good once I get her back.... My heart is just broke and my head hurts b/c once I got home last night I got drunk and played poker with some friends till 1 AM.... I mean it was a really bad birthday....

Sully

 

Bad birthday? I disagree.

1. You are not hurt.
2. You got to visit friends and family.
3. You did not hurt anyone.
4. You've got a second chance to do the wheels, paint, radiator, etc to your liking.
5. You played poker till 1 AM.
6. You got drunk.

I'd say that's one hell of a birthday.

Stay positive. In the end, it's just a car.

 

thanks man, I am smiling now! I really appreciate that!

Does anyone know what is best... lookinng in the Midamerica catalog you can get the ACI one piece front clip or piece everything together, what is best... ?????

Thanks so much everyone!

Sully