A true thundercat(56k)

April 17, 2010, 02:34:05 AM

Ran into the back of a caddilac last week, 100% my fault. I was just starting out from a green light, second car back. I had my son in the back and he was screaming, so I turned around real quick to see why. The guy infront of me decided to turn right last second and I didn't see it till too late. Less then 10MPH, but his car went over my front bumper, broke the bumper bracket off of the impact absorber, and dropper the bumper on one side.

I wish I would have taken a picture of his car, I guess cadi's are made out of butter. I basically drove through his trunk and into his back door before the car stopped. If my radiator wouldn't have cracked, I would have driven the car home. No one was hurt.

Total damage, bent radiator support, leaky radiator, fender, header panel, passenger side lights, bracket for passenger side bumper, bumper cover, power antennea and the air silencer. And a couple of fuse's and two turn signal light bulbs. The headlight bulb made it through as well as the fan and fan shroud, even though the fan went half way through the radiator.

Spent two days at the junkyard and couldn't find any parts for the thunderbird for what I would consider a fair price, so I talked my buddy into "borrowing" his front end off of a car I gave him about 4 years ago, and has not moved since. Turns out, that car was also wrecked and most of the drivers side header panel was bondo'd to the fender and all of the fiberglass that ties to the bumper cover is gone. I did not put the last light in before I went on a test drive to autozone to buy fuse's. After realizing the car still drives straight, I was alot more inclined to finish putting it together.

I didn't spend alot of time lining up everything, mostly because it is temporary, and already messed up parts probably aren't the best to use to make sure the front end is straight. Overall I am happy with the driveability of the car. I have driven about 750 miles. Alingment is still fine and the car does not pull to either side. Both doors open and close fine, but the passenger side infront of the wheel is about 1/4" too low near the radiator. I also bent the door in a hair making sure that the passenger door would still open before I got too far into it.

Also, I would ask that nobody gives me too much for wrecking my car. I know what I did, and it was my fault. It was also my first wreck of any sort in 6 years of driving. The car does not look the best, but overall, I totaled a cadilac on friday night, and then drove the same car to work on monday for my 150 mile each day drive. Also, I'm not sure how bad off that cadilac really was, but neither drivers side door opened and his back passenger wouldn't either. I am sure it will be totaled, although he did drive it home.

A true thundercat(56k)

Reply #1 – April 17, 2010, 07:01:36 AM

Holy .That was only 10 mph?Wow.Glad nobody was hurt.A little time and patience and the Bird will be back in business.You do have insurance don't you to cover the other guy?How did he take all of this?Glad it wasn't worse.Good luck.

A true thundercat(56k)

Reply #2 – April 17, 2010, 08:32:17 AM

That color of the front end looks familiar.... Glad everyone was ok