Pappa Bear

So I don't post much but my own stupidity has brought me out of hiding. I was doing my first oil change today (after my 5 free ones) and to cut to the chase, the car fell off the jack while lifting. I destroyed my passenger fender, rocker panel and door. Its not the first time I lifted my corvette and certainly not the first oil change I have done in my life.

So now I have to swallow my pride and brace myself for my self inflicted repair costs.

Can anyone throw out some estimates for how much this is going to run me and any body shop recommendations in San Diego/Southern California?

On to the main event, brace yourself for some gruesome content:

*89x2*

What type of jack?

Where was the jack pad placed?

This kind of thing, with the right equipment, should not have happened.

BlueDevilZ51

Im betting ovee 5k... if go through insurance and buy some race ramps for the next oil change.. good luck

capeli

DWS44

(condolences on the damage!)

Johnp94

My guess $3,100 in parts, 10 hours labor, $500 then paint and blend $2,000. =$5,600. If it was my car. It would cost me $1,000 for a door, $350 for a fender. Do the work myself, then pay to paint and blend $1,500 = $2,850. You are a brave man for posting that mistake. But I can understand the regret you feel from the misfortune. S#,, happens sometimes and we just need to focus on moving forward and getting repaired. I’ll check eBay now to see if you can find matching doors. I saw a car being parted out that matches your color.

JonMN

Oh man, i identify with you. Just one jack failure where I missed the point. But for me it was only a side skirt to replace. Best of luck on the repair!

geo2000

Ouch, that hurts. Thanks for posting, great reminder for us DIY'ers to be cautious when working on our babies, stuff happens.

BlueDevilZ51

Replacing the rocker is the bitch

sTz

I hope that nobody was injured. I surmised that the jack didn’t properly roll while lifting causing it to lean, which resulted in the car falling.

I suspect that damage estimates will be in the 5K range... particular the lower rocker as it’s glued to the frame resulting in higher labor costs.

If you plan to continue to change your own oil, then I suggest purchasing a set of Race Ramps. A little pricey, but worth it... and safer.

owc6

And one of the most expensive little body parts on the car.

Johnp94

Yes race ramps are a must have. No need to get under a car if you feel their is the slightest chance of the jack giving out. Glad that you are alright. I just checked eBay. No doors your color. But they are selling for $1,000 shipped.

Pappa Bear

Good point, so that others may learn:

I cheaped out on not getting the jack pucks, I used some wood blocks that I used before when removing all 4 wheels to plasti-dip them. I must not have had the jack and wood blocks far enough underneath the frame and fully on the jack point. There is a bit of a curve towards the edge of the frame and I think that got the best of me. I made my own ramps before but they are too steep for the corvette, so for next time I am going to rebuild them so I don't have to use the jack. I am also going to buy the jack pucks.

Its a hard lesson learned and really emphasizes the point to not skimp on safety gear. One mistake erased a lifetime of savings doing my own oil changes. I am curious if anyone has attempted to repair such extensive damage themselves with fiberglass repair kits. Either way I am going to have to do as much as the repairs myself as possible. I bought the car while still in the Navy and I took a big pay cut getting out, so I don't really have $6k laying around. I may have to bench the vette for a while to save up and only drive the bar car and bike to work.

Enough of the sob story, lets hear what ideas and recommendations you have.

Pappa Bear

Thanks John, much appreciated. Hopefully some good karma comes my way.

BlueDevilZ51

This is what you have car insurance for.

Kevin A Jones

Thanks for sharing the incident with us. By driving home what "can" happen may help save someone else's C7 or even more important life or limb.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...bo-skirts.html

Johnp94

To save money. Wait until you can buy these parts in your color. Check eBay constantly. Read joe mosfets diy widebody body conversion thread here on Corvette forums. It will show you how to remove the rocker panel and reinstall. This way maybe someone you know that likes working on cars can do this for you. Go to eBay and look up seller okautoparts or google and call them. Ask them if the doors and fender from the 2014 corvette they just got in is for sale. It matches your color.

Foosh

Yes, indeed thanks for swallowing your pride and providing an important reminder to many.

Along those lines, and not intended for you, just general info, the leave-in hard plastic jacking pucks are less than $50, and coupled with a proper floor jack with rubber lifting pad, make it virtually impossible for a vehicle to fall off the jack.

Johnp94

I see the photo. No luck. Passenger side hit. Okautoparts bought this car

Foosh

See post #13.