Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:33:16 -0800
Reply-To: Doug F <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Doug F <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Subject: A kid in Honda crunched my 87 syncro yesterday/ body damage pics
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I fortunately survived the experience of having a young 22 yr old dude pile
drive his girlfriend's late model Honda accord into the left rear of my 87
syncro to westy conversion yesterday afternoon.
I was sitting at a stop light that had just changed to green, just put the
clutch in and put my 87 syncro into 1st ready to roll, when I heard the loud
sound of tires screeching behind me. Looked up in the mirror to see a Honda
crossed up and skidding towards me at a pretty high rate. I looked to see if
I could gas it and pull to the right to dodge him but I left no room!
(stupid me) I said in my head "here it comes....and here goes my bus" then
"WHAM" and he bounced off me and into the center turn lane which he was
trying to steer into, but lacked the driving experience to take his foot off
the brake during a skid, to steer.
Its a 35mph blvd and he was likely doing 50-60 before he realized the cars
ahead were "stopped" at the green light. (according to witness)
He left a huge skid mark on the blvd and I estimate he hit me going 25 to
30mph.
His Honda was a total I believe
My syncro has 15s with 215/75s so it sits up pretty high.
The Honda went under my bumper to a large degree.
In looking at the damage to my van. It looks like the main impact was placed
square on the SA trailer hitch corner where it enters the frame of the
vanagon. The blow pretty much exploded my late fiberglass bumper I had on
the rear of my 87. The hitch seems to not be bent only the tabs for mounting
the bumper to it were bent.
It destroyed bumper and ripped the rear apron and rear fender shirting
pretty badly.
He completely tore his plastic bumper and support metal off of his car and
both ended up sticking out my fender well like a fishing poles. It destroyed
the whole right front of his car buckled the hood and pushed the radiator
carrier back into the engine. His right front wheel was broken loose from
the chassis.
I was very surprised to see that it didn't bend the frame member tube on my
left side that the hitch bolts into. It "seems" to be intact.
Vanagons are tough. I was also lucky he was not in a Lincoln Navigator btw!
My taillight and metal behind it and the whole lower corner of my bus is
tweaked. It looks like a clip will have to be welded in as well as left rear
fender skirt. It will never be the same as it was. The exhaust system also
took a blow. He may have struck the rear wheel but it tracks true and the
wheel runs true. Alignment certainly in order.
Any tips on dealing with insurance co's on getting properly compensated on
an old classic bus, parts avail on factory sheet metal, etc would be greatly
appreciated.
I felt bad for the kid, he was not wearing a seat belt, even though the air
bags deployed he cut his head badly, he was driving on a suspended with
warrants, just had a baby in Dec. had his hip hop music blaring when his car
was crashed and some folks were yelling at him about turning that sh*t off!
I hate it too, but is was not the time or place to worry bout it imho.
Here's some pics of my rig and a video link of a CRAZY series of crashes on
a freeway in L.A. about a 7 car pile up. It shows just how easy it is for
folks to get mixed up into it and how unsafe it is to be on the freeway
stopped.
Be careful out there and watch out for the "other guy".
Peace
Doug
Pics:
http://users.ca.astound.net/dougfayne/crunch1.JPG
http://users.ca.astound.net/dougfayne/crunch2.JPG
http://users.ca.astound.net/dougfayne/crunch3.JPG
http://users.ca.astound.net/dougfayne/crunch3.JPG
http://users.ca.astound.net/dougfayne/peoplearenotpayingattention.wmv