Wrecked the L last night

[J.D. Blackwell]

Well guys, I don't know what to say. I lost control and went into a culvert at about 30mph or so and bounced out of it about 5 feet in the air. I am just really thankful that my friend, Dustin, is all right. He was with me and neither one of us had our seat belts on. It slung him around bad. He hit his head on the windshield, but no gashes or bleeding. He fell into the floor board and was yelling at me to call an ambulance. The airbags didn't pop out and the truck was still running when we finally came to a hault. So I turned that sucker around and headed back to the house that we just left from. We called the medics and they came out and took care of him. I spent the rest of the night staying with him at the hospital. They finally released him about 5:30 this morning. He is fine except a swollen ankle and a couple of cracked ribs. We just wanted to be safe. I am alright myself. Got a sore shoulder and wrist and knee, but fine otherwise. This is the first wreck that I have ever been in.

The truck is messed up pretty bad. I just got back from getting it. It is setting on the trailer for now. I will get it fixed soon I hope. A friend of mine that is a body man said that the frame was bent, but it doesn't look like it to me. The Fluidyne heat exchanger took a beating and the ram air is gone and front valance and both fenders and maybe the pass. side door. The bed dug into the back of the cab and the bed cracked in a couple places. The front susp. is toast I think. But the engine, headers, tranny, etc. seem to be just fine. I pulled the intercooler pump relay out and cranked it up. It purs like a kitten. No codes on the scanner.

Drive safe out there.


P.S. What kind of paint scheme should I go back with?;)

[andy_cain]

THat sux man.
Glad your friend is OK.

[Silver_2000]

Glad you guys are OK.

Maybe you should turn the truck in to a track only vehicle ?

Doug

[microsuck]

I know EXACTALLY how you feel:twitch: . Too bad man. It's like a knife going into your heart when you see your truck like that. If you get a totalled insurance claim out of it I will buy parts off of it (well, just the headers) That proves these trucks can take a pounding. I drove mine home too. Were you spinning the tires and went to brake and found you couldent? Glad you guys wernt hurt. Belts would have probably helped a bit.....
Andrew

[L8 APEX]

That is my fear once I get mine together is something will happen to it:eek2: I was racing a Viper GTS in the red vette tonight acceleration over 130 through sweeping turns. 4 wheel drifting over rises like concrete rallye. Needless to say the Viper was way behind, straight line sissy:roll I could be in big trouble with something fast:hammer:
As for you JD, I feel for you.. Need I ask about the involvment of brew:confused: I am surprised the fuel cutoff inertia switch never tripped? I know in the 5.0's they would trip often over railroad tracks or other large bumps. Our's is in the passenger kick panel. Do you have comprehensive insurance coverage? Your buddy gets to kick you in the nads for this one:roll

[99WhiteBeast]

JD,
Sorry to hear about the truck. At least you guys are alright:tu:

Looks like you have another project on your hand- I saw a rolling chassis (99) for sale over on NLOC

[Mark #2]

Justin,
I'm glad too that you guys are okay.

[microsuck]

Originally posted by L8 APEX
acceleration over 130 through sweeping turns. 4 wheel drifting over rises like concrete rallye.
:roll :roll
And you guys think I am crazy.......:tongue:
:roll
Andrew

[1BADTK]

JD, glad you both are alright. In answering you paint question, I would go with some "BUCKLE UP" theme, "CLICK IT OR TICKET" theme, or even a NHTSA theme.

[L8 APEX]

There is a method to my madness, with a clean driving record to back it up. I drive the road a few times a day it is multi lane new brushed concrete. My shop is on a private road course so I get lap time weekly. I have attended several high performance driving schools. I also average about a thousand miles a week on the roads. After driving one ton work trucks and Lightnings a Corvette is cake. I think Dirty Harry put it best when he said "A man has to know his limitations":twitch: It is a risk but a calculated one at that. Now the guys that race over 200 down GB at night they are crazy;) Nobody born in the 80's should be allowed to go over 75:roll

[Sixpipes]

Anyone going excessive speeds in an uncontrolled environment is a fool. No amount of experience will prepare you for a coyote appearing in the middle of the road when you're doing 135mph. My $.02.

[Mark #2]

I almost got a deer last summer in IL, very scarey.

I was going ~70, a buck jumped out in front of me, I swerved and missed it. SO said "nice reflexes", and we exhaled a sigh of relief. Like Sixpipes stated you never know.

[Sixpipes]

Originally posted by L8 APEX
I think Dirty Harry put it best when he said "A man has to know his limitations":twitch:
On second thought, that would be a cool thing to have on your tombstone. :cool:

[microsuck]

" No amount of experience will prepare you for a coyote appearing in the middle of the road when you're doing 135mph"

No, but a big 'ole donkey smasher ranch hand brush guard will! Hehe, I can just see one of those on a lightning.
Well, now that you mentioned it, no one is really in control of anything. We just learn to DECREASE our risks of failure. I have a clean record when it comes to the po-po. :banana: Terry I know at some point in time you had to have had some sort of fender bender?:eek2: That is impossible dude. Nobody gets away with not learning from experience, AKA "the hard way". Especially in the area of driving.:tongue:
Andrew

ps. I find my limitations on a daily basis, and one at a time..:evil

[J.D. Blackwell]

Originally posted by Silver_2000_;)!
Maybe you should turn the truck in to a track only vehicle ?




I was thinking the same thing. lol

I had a clean record til I got this truck running again. Since then I have gotten a seat belt ticket and 2 speeding tickets. One speeding ticket was not my fault. There are some A-hole police officers that give you a hard time every now and then and make up a lie to give you a ticket just because of what you are driving. Damn Ellis county. :flaming:


I am going to get some repair quotes on it this week. I have full coverage but, I will probably fix most of it myself. Try to use the money I save on labor to get some extra things maybe. I figure there is about $5K-$6K worth of damage if the frame is OK. The cab and bed is repairable. Mostly cosmetics.

[J.D. Blackwell]

Originally posted by L8 APEX
As for you JD, I feel for you.. Need I ask about the involvment of brew:confused: I am surprised the fuel cutoff inertia switch never tripped?

Naw, alcohol didn't play a role. But I did have a drink of stupidity. I left the house we were at and the guys wanted me to give them a show. So I layed on it and when the tires grabbed it slung us off the road and towards a culvert. The rest is history. I was just showing off. It was way out in the country on a back road and you know how those roads are. A highway patrol officer came out and ask if I had any beers. I said yeah, earlier that day at the track, but that was 5 hours ago. He then gave me "THE TEST". He tried to trick me in every way, but I passed his damn tests, all of them. He couldn't believe it. He told my friend's mom that he has never had anyone past his test with flying colors, even sober people and if I had made one mistake then I would have went to jail. I ask him if he believed that I was sober after the tests and he just grinned.

[TxBolt]

I was going to post at 4am this morning ,but I could not find any words to say. It really breaks my heart to hear a Lightning wrecked. Not to mention the money you have spent and the trouble you have been through. I will say you or a " Die Hard Lightning Owner"!! I thought about it and I might have been so pi$$ed that I would have left it in the ditch. You might as well make it a trailer queen that gets in the 9s and buy you a 2004 Lightning for cruising!:nana2 I'm glad yall are alright thats the important thing.:tu:

[Crawford]

Justin,

Sorry to hear you crashed and glad to hear you guys are okay.

Two things to learn here:

Dont give into pressure to show off... ever. If you know your are fast, then you dont have to prove it.
Wear your seatbelt at all times when vehicle is moving.

I made the same mistake in my 2000. Was showing off and in a matter of seconds I lost control and hit a retaining wall. I had less damage than yours it sounds like and the total was about $10,000. If you make a claim on insurance they will probably total it. Just make sure you buy it back for your parts!

[J.D. Blackwell]

The insurance adjuster just left. It is $7,700 worth of damage. He said probably more, but he was low-balling it. The frame is bent in a couple of places. They are not totaling it out. It will be fixed.

[MadMax]

You guys are lucky to be around to tell the tale.......seat belts are a prerequisite.......period.

[blueoval01]

Dammit Justin, don't you realize that there are friends and family that actually care?? :)

Don't make me drive out there and "try" to whoop your a$$ .......::rolleyes:

Be safe, dude. We want you around for a long time...... :tu: