Is that a heads up display, and how well does it work? Do you get any glare from the mirror, and how comparable is it to modern car with HUD? Are there any times it doesn't show up well? Analog or digital?

I love it, I've been trying to decide if its worth cutting up the dash.

 

You're lucky you weren't killed.

 

Glad you are OK! Good luck with the repairs. Time for some tires that will handle the snow better.

 

Yes, it's my own home brew HUD. I wanted a vacuum and air fuel ratio gauge for tuning purposes, but if I was going to drop the cash, I wanted to be able to see them from inside and out side the car, for when I am working on the motor. So this my solution:




Unfortunately I have not finished it yet to see how it works when it is lit up.... time flies when you keep breaking stuff. Here is a pic of my proof of concept mock up that I built out of cardboard and some battery powered LEDs.


It seem like it is going to work pretty well... there is a little bit of a 'double image' in the reflection on the windshield, but there are some adhesive films that can help with that. Also it's just for quick reference going down the road so a little blurry would not be big deal in my mind.

If I drive directly under a street light, or if the sun is in the right spot behind me I get glare off the mirror. However, when it is done it will have a flat black aluminum cover over the gauges and connections that will block the mirror from my line of sight.


That is true, however I drive 37 miles every morning. 2mi in town, about 15mi on four lane hwy, and about 20mi on two lane country blacktop. I have to be at work at 6 am, so I leave home about 5. At that time in the morning my route is populated mostly by big rigs and white tail deer... the reality is, I could die on any given morning.

 

Thanks for the reply, it's totally worth the work (in my opinion ). Looks great, and thanks for the extra photos.

 

Glad you weren't hurt. But maybe it's time to get a cheap Honda or something for a winter daily driver. I have a 2000 Ford Taurus that cost 2500 with 90k miles on it. It does the job and is better in the snow than a vette. I had a 99 that was my daily driver. Used it in the snow and almost got killed. Never used it in the winter again.

 

I watched the 3 minute video, I assume leading up to the bridge and you did a lot of slip sliding on that run. I've told my boss, don't expect to see me if there is snow on the road. I can't make enough money in one day to cover my deductible.

 

To each his own, but you'll NEVER see MY Vette out in the snow....or rain if I can help it!

 

I also had a fail about 8 years ago on black ice.
Hit a guard rail on the interstate at about 60 mph.

 

Winter driving can get tricky. Here is how my truck ended up last night coming home from a wedding, Im wearing a suit and had to crawl out the sliding rear window, it took a while to get my seat-belt off, its hard to do when your hanging from it.

 

The car was moving around, largely because of the snow pulling me back and forth. Some slop in in the steering and like I said, was going to fast... I was trying not to loose too much time. We see how well that worked....

Hopefully you weren't hurt! Did you fix the truck? I have a buddy that would love to DD an old Dodge truck, if only his wife would let him!

Wow! I hope you were not hurt aswell. Even if you are use to driving in those conditions, things can change in an instant!

 

thanks Madhatr, I thought I could straighten it out but it got away on me so fast so I know what it was like for you, the car kind of does what it wants sometimes.

 

Do you have full coverage on that DD

 

Me? Yes, it is fully insured.

 

I was able to get out and really assess the damage. It looks like I bent the rim, possibly the spindle, and the control rod. The fiberglass looks like this:



And underneath it broke loose the vertical support and cracked the rear body mount pocket.


Anyone have a good way to tell if the trailing arm is bent on the car? Or have dimensions for what it should measure?

 

With the sound of the impact- I was thinking there might be more damage!!!

Does look like the snow has melted!!!


Other than an obvious visual check for gaps between the welds- I'm thinking you need them off the car to put a straight edge too it-don't remember the measurements...

Richard

 

Hmmm ok, when I had it apart last time I fully welded the seems. Also I couldn't get the castle nut off the shock bolt tonight. So once that is off I can see how far I can move the trailing arm. What really sux is the bent rim... $383 to replace

 

OK...let's make some lemonade...

Fender is already loose...halfway there for putting on flares...

One bent rim...get two wider ones and then you have a spare one for the front!!!

 

I am going to contact the wheel manufacturer and see if they have a recommended practice for straightening, but chances are I will have very expensive (but coordinated) air hose reel

 

Glad to hear that you were ok, and the vette suffered minimal damage. It might seem like a lot, but for the work that you plan on doing with the C4 frame with flaring the fenders, it may be work that would have to be done anyway.

good luck with the upgrades.

kdf