coping with tragedy
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,654
Likes: 5
From: Silver Spring MD
coping with tragedy
Well here it is, my 2004 Le Mans Corvette Convertible... I was driving home, at 12:01 on Friday, August 13th (proof that weird stuff happens on Friday the 13th), and a kid in a 2002 Ford F-350 Super Crew ran a stop sign and clipped my back corner, hitting the wheel, fairing, and bumper. Well my new car had no more than 500 miles on it, so I was a little upset. The car had to be towed home becuase the lower control arm was bent, so imagine me sitting on the side of the road for 2 hours.
It took me 4 weeks to get the car back, and after the kid paid 4100 out of pocket, everythings settled. Now I decided I wasn't gunna be too pissed and try to make a positive out of this. I called up the bodyshop and asked if I could have the bumper. I picked it up the next day, brought it home, and went to work. Now, after 20 longs hours of work, the bumper is hanging it my bedroom with full working lights running lights and brakelights, and even blue neons mounted in the bumper to give off ambient glow. I'd love to post pics, but I don't know how... any suggestions?
It took me 4 weeks to get the car back, and after the kid paid 4100 out of pocket, everythings settled. Now I decided I wasn't gunna be too pissed and try to make a positive out of this. I called up the bodyshop and asked if I could have the bumper. I picked it up the next day, brought it home, and went to work. Now, after 20 longs hours of work, the bumper is hanging it my bedroom with full working lights running lights and brakelights, and even blue neons mounted in the bumper to give off ambient glow. I'd love to post pics, but I don't know how... any suggestions?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Kudos to you for turning a negative situation into such a cool project. Email me the pic and I'll post it for you here. In the meantime, check out some of the free photo hosting sites to put future pics. You can also use the gallery here.edbon@adelphia.net
Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
From: Langhorne Pa
I'm really interested to see how that bumper turned out. To post a pic you first need to host it on a web site. Webshots.com comes to mind. There are many others that you can upload pictures for free. Webshots may not be the best. Once that's done you need to right click on the picture and go into properties. Highlight and copy the address, then hit the "insert image" button on the forum and paste the address there. That should do it.
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Pro
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: Hendersonville NC
Sorry for your hardship, it really sucks to have that happen to a new car, especially a Vette. I had a similar experience with a brand new Acura 3.2TL. While alongside a car carrier on the interstate, a side window of a commercial van exploded and sent glass crashing down onto the car. It dinged the entire top surface and some of the side surface of the car. Got the truck id, made the insurance claim, entire car was repainted. When I bought the Vette 1 yr. ago, I traded in this car. The first thing the dealer did was test the depth of the paint microns. He realized the car was a repaint, and would no longer give me the agreed upon price. After much negotiation, I accepted about $1200 less to finalize the Vette purchase. This dealer told me I should have been paid for the value loss of a new car that was repainted, because it's the first thing people check for. I never knew that you could collect for depreciation as part of an insurance claim, but I do now. Check it out, you may be entitled for additional money.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 47,647
Likes: 1
From: Queens, New York Life begins at 183 mph....
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
That looks awesome!!! A billion times better than those fake C5 bumpers you see in corvette catologs. Best of all, your C5 is back in one piece and you got a one of a kind collectible for practically nothing!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 770
Likes: 0
From: Nassau County New York
wow.....i would be pissed to, but i have VERY impressed with what you did with the crashed bumper. I could totally imagine that above my bed 
(although the gf prolly wouldn't agree), or possibly in the garage!! nice work 
(although the gf prolly wouldn't agree), or possibly in the garage!! nice work
and good for you for making "lemonade out of a lemon" situation - 
