A week ago today, my first and only Vette was wiped out by an inattentive old man in a '92 Chevy pickup who pulled out in front of me. :cry Although an avid enthusiast, I never registered with this website or got involved in the discussions until now. I have found it strangely comforting, although spring has finally sprung here in Arkansas and show season is upon us while I am suddenly without my friend of the last 4 years. I guess I should be happy that I am more pissed off than injured, but it has certainly been difficult. I definitely cannot find comfort thinking "it's just a car" in this case. I should get the verdict on my car from the insurance company on Monday. Update you then. In the mean time, do you think I can get away with registering my 2002 Impala rent-a-car in the Vette class at cruise night? Here are pics, before and after: http://photos.yahoo.com/l48shark

-Ford (No really, that's my name.) :D

 

What a nice looking car, how bad is the damage? Welcome to the forum I wish it was under different circumstances. Ever thought about a name change :lol:
Scott

 

Scott,

Would you believe my wife's Camaro was totaled just last December (by guess what? A pickup!) and now this? She wanted a Sebring vert to replace it, so I went looking. So I was a Ford, driving a Chevy, shopping for a Chrysler. :lol:

-Ford

 

Maybe you should start driving a pickup :D . I drive a piece of junk '84 Suburban for a daily commuter, nothing like having you butt surrounded by a bunch of steel during idiot time.
Scott

 

Hey I hear ya Scott78, some jackass T-boned me hard enough last summer in my S-Blazer to cause me to roll! Thank god I wasn't in my vette. I'm now using a 78' K-5 Blazer as my daily driver. a Little added size and weight is a nice feeling.
As for the wrecked vette, I hope things work out for you buddy. I know it's hard but look at the bright side, you weren't seriously injured, and the damage looks repairable (how's the motor?) I hope you're back on the road soon! :cheers:

 

Ford,
Welcome to the C3 Forum.
You'll find this is the reason the internet was invented.
Cheers :cheers:
Dave

 

Welcome to the forum! Sorry it's under such sad circumstance! At least you lived to tell us about it!
So what year vette do you have your eye on now?! :chevy

 

Welcome to the Forum (despite the conditions). Your Vette looks nice. Best of luck with the insurance company and repair shop.

 

Looks fixable. I hope your insurance company doesn't try and total it out. Good luck. :seeya

 

From those pictures it doesn't look totaled, but pictures don't show anything. If it's just the front fiberglass and radiator, that's all repairable.

 

I will know more on Monday after the insurance company (not mine, the old @#%&*! who pulled out in front of me :mad) gets back to me. The front clip is obviously destroyed along with at least one headlight assembly. The radiator and presumably the condensor are toast. The front end will need work. The engine should be good, despite the fan banging all kinds of stuff after impact. I have no idea on the state of the frame. Since the paint is original, the entire car will need to be re-shot. I suppose the verdict on total or no total will depend on what they think the car is worth versus how much the think it costs to fix and paint it and whether or not the frame is bent. :confused: As I said, I should know on Monday. Oddly, the insurance adjustor asked me what '77's are valued at. Uh... $80K? ;)

I am torn about what to do. I could have it fixed, but it seems like it would never be the same. (Just perception, I'm sure.) Or I could pull the engine and tranny out and put it and the Cragar mags on my '67 Chevy pickup (which needs a better engine), sell the remainder to a friend and go after another car. If I go for another car, what do I get? I love the character of the old Sharks, but I miss the amenities of newer cars. I love red Vettes, but I would really like to have a green over tan convertible, either C3, C4 or C5. (Must be the Irish in me. :cheers:) Oh, and I have been itching for another manual tranny for a while now.

-Ford

 

Well..my next car is a 99 Nassau Blue Covertable C5. 99 because that's the last year you can get Nassau blue on, and I *love* that blue.

You could always look for a early big block C3. Those are pretty fun from what I hear :)

 

I also considered this shade of blue being from Nassau county, NY. :D

-Ford

 

Dude, sorry to hear (and see) that! Painful for me. I can't imagine how bummed you are.

The frame is the primary concern. As long as that checks out, the car is not totalled. The front clip, radiator and hood can be replaced with a chunk of money. Have the motor mounts checked as well.

As far as repainting, do what you want to do! It's a vette! Enjoy it.

Good luck bro. :flag

 

L48Shark - Don't be too bummed out. There are guys on this site who have CHOSEN to replace more on thier cars that you have to :)

Assuming the frame is straight, everything else will be easy!

Trying to look on the bright side!
:cheers:

 

Amen to that!!! :lol:

Welcome... Even under the crappy circumstances!!! :cheers:

 

That just sucks but it looks like a nose and support bar which aint too bad Welcome to the forum and I hope the insurance takes good care of your friend of 4 years I have been here to Lost the brakes and it was not as bad but bad enough good luck :chevy :seeya

 

Hi Ford,

If it's any comfort to you, I crunched the front of my car once just about that bad in 1983.

It won't be cheap and it won't be soon, but it is quite possible to return it to a state where no one will be able to tell it's ever been hit. Get involved with the folks doing the work, and don't be afraid to get in their faces and "contribute your thoughts" to make sure they're doing the best they can.

Best of luck to you. Let us know how it goes.

-Noel

 

Thanks. Fortunately, my mechanic is a good friend of mine (I suppose most C3 drivers are on first name with their mechanic :lol:) and a Vette club member runs a body shop. It's a Ford shop, but he knows Vettes and they do fiberglass work. So my opinions should be heard as you suggest.

 

Man i am so sorry to hear about that. if someone did that to me in my '79, there would be two articles in the paper..... one is a pic of me in handcuffs and the other is an obituary :lol: not really but it would certainly **** me off.... i can just imagine how you must feel.. but try to look at it like this... anything broken can be replaced by better parts- perhaps you should do some of those upgrades you were thinking about( im sure everyone has these) while its in the shop. but, let me tell you from experience how this is going to go. if you hit him im the side, aka t-bone, then it will most likely be his fault since it shows you couldnt stop and he didnt even get straight on the road before the collision. but, if you rear-ended him, well, cross your fingers. perhaps if you t-boned him you should complain of neck problems? :D