"This is one tough car" OR "Thank you God" !!! Pics
05-12-2003, 07:51 PM
#1
"This is one tough car" OR "Thank you God" !!! Pics
OK, I'll probably catch crap for this stupid manuever, but everyone makes mistakes so cut me some slack! 
I had just finished changing my oil and decided to try out the "chrome grill" mod while I had it up on the ramp. Finished it and rolled the car off the ramps in neutral. I put the emergency brake on, started the car and let it idle for a minute to check for oil leaks and to check out the grill. I decided to get my wife's opinion so I killed the engine and went inside the house to get her. As I came out of the house I heard what I thought was someone crashing into a tree. I thought it was weird but wasn't too concerned. I looked out at the driveway where my car was supposed to be, but it wasn't there.
I should probably explain that part of our driveway is on a hill. Normally I park up far enough that the car sits on level ground, but because ramps were being used (they are 6 feet long with a gradual incline since I have had my car lowered) it was on a slight incline of the driveway.
At first I thought someone had stolen the car (I actually thought to myself why couldn't it have happened before I changed the oil)! As I rounded the corner to look down the driveway, I put the "tree crash" and the "missing car" together and saw my car lodged in my neighbor's fence across the street!
You know that sick feeling you get when you see the glass from your shattered window outside your car and you know someone has helped themselves to your stereo or maybe the helpless feeling when you discover you're on a patch of ice and there's nothing you can do as you slide into a huge repair bill? Well, looking at your car lodged in your neighbor's fence across the street evokes that kind of feeling. The funny thing is that for a brief moment, even though my heart was no longer beating, I looked at the newly chromed grill (it went down the hill backwards) and had yet another quick debate whether I liked it or not.
I have theorized that I must not have had the e-brake up far enough, didn't have the car in gear and the car had rolled down the hill, crossed the street (without hitting a car or person!), snapped off a small bush/tree clean to the ground, hit a fence post (what are the odds!) and snapped that off at the ground, and continued backwards until a "big 'ol" tree decided to put an end to car's travel plans. At first I was pissed that the tree had decided to grow in that particular spot a couple of hundred years ago, but then I realized that if it had missed the tree to the left, it would have ended up in my neighbor's pool which was on the other side of the fence!
I jumped in the car, started it up and left the scene of the crime. After briefly debating whether my neighbor would notice my landscaping changes and the modifications I made for him in his fence, I went over and confessed. Not a problem and we agreed to tackle the repairs in a couple of weeks. Now on to the car and the part that should concern you...
This car is a rock. A couple of days ago, someone posted the front and side impact tests done by the Feds and the Z came away with flying colors. Unfortunately there was no test on the rear that I could find. I just tested it and it also comes through with flying colors! I'm not sure how fast the car was traveling when it sheared off the bush/tree or the fence post but I imagine it must have been travelling at a pretty good clip. On a scale of 1-10 the damage is a 1. I had everyone at my company go out and look at it and 2 people couldn't even find the "dent" in the bumper. I took pictures to try and show the dent but it is very difficult to see it (or take a picture of it). The muffler has a very small dent in it, but that will help me convince my wife that I need the new Borla exhaust! The car runs as if nothing ever happened and my heart has now stated beating at a regular pace again. Thank you God!
My driveway and the bush/tree, fence and "big 'ol tree" in the background. The small little bush/tree (just to the left of the telephone pole) is no longer amongst the living.
This should give you an idea of the driveway slope.
You can't tell by the picture, but the fence was pushed back about 2 feet.
And finally, the car. Maybe you can't see the dent in the muffler, but I know it's there and that's reason enough to replace it with the Borla exhaust. At least that's what I told my wife!
I tried taking a picture of the "dent" but this is the best I could do (I put a small red circle around it).
I had just finished changing my oil and decided to try out the "chrome grill" mod while I had it up on the ramp. Finished it and rolled the car off the ramps in neutral. I put the emergency brake on, started the car and let it idle for a minute to check for oil leaks and to check out the grill. I decided to get my wife's opinion so I killed the engine and went inside the house to get her. As I came out of the house I heard what I thought was someone crashing into a tree. I thought it was weird but wasn't too concerned. I looked out at the driveway where my car was supposed to be, but it wasn't there.
I should probably explain that part of our driveway is on a hill. Normally I park up far enough that the car sits on level ground, but because ramps were being used (they are 6 feet long with a gradual incline since I have had my car lowered) it was on a slight incline of the driveway.
At first I thought someone had stolen the car (I actually thought to myself why couldn't it have happened before I changed the oil)! As I rounded the corner to look down the driveway, I put the "tree crash" and the "missing car" together and saw my car lodged in my neighbor's fence across the street!
You know that sick feeling you get when you see the glass from your shattered window outside your car and you know someone has helped themselves to your stereo or maybe the helpless feeling when you discover you're on a patch of ice and there's nothing you can do as you slide into a huge repair bill? Well, looking at your car lodged in your neighbor's fence across the street evokes that kind of feeling. The funny thing is that for a brief moment, even though my heart was no longer beating, I looked at the newly chromed grill (it went down the hill backwards) and had yet another quick debate whether I liked it or not.
I have theorized that I must not have had the e-brake up far enough, didn't have the car in gear and the car had rolled down the hill, crossed the street (without hitting a car or person!), snapped off a small bush/tree clean to the ground, hit a fence post (what are the odds!) and snapped that off at the ground, and continued backwards until a "big 'ol" tree decided to put an end to car's travel plans. At first I was pissed that the tree had decided to grow in that particular spot a couple of hundred years ago, but then I realized that if it had missed the tree to the left, it would have ended up in my neighbor's pool which was on the other side of the fence!
I jumped in the car, started it up and left the scene of the crime. After briefly debating whether my neighbor would notice my landscaping changes and the modifications I made for him in his fence, I went over and confessed. Not a problem and we agreed to tackle the repairs in a couple of weeks. Now on to the car and the part that should concern you...
This car is a rock. A couple of days ago, someone posted the front and side impact tests done by the Feds and the Z came away with flying colors. Unfortunately there was no test on the rear that I could find. I just tested it and it also comes through with flying colors! I'm not sure how fast the car was traveling when it sheared off the bush/tree or the fence post but I imagine it must have been travelling at a pretty good clip. On a scale of 1-10 the damage is a 1. I had everyone at my company go out and look at it and 2 people couldn't even find the "dent" in the bumper. I took pictures to try and show the dent but it is very difficult to see it (or take a picture of it). The muffler has a very small dent in it, but that will help me convince my wife that I need the new Borla exhaust! The car runs as if nothing ever happened and my heart has now stated beating at a regular pace again. Thank you God!
My driveway and the bush/tree, fence and "big 'ol tree" in the background. The small little bush/tree (just to the left of the telephone pole) is no longer amongst the living.
This should give you an idea of the driveway slope.
You can't tell by the picture, but the fence was pushed back about 2 feet.
And finally, the car. Maybe you can't see the dent in the muffler, but I know it's there and that's reason enough to replace it with the Borla exhaust. At least that's what I told my wife!
I tried taking a picture of the "dent" but this is the best I could do (I put a small red circle around it).
05-12-2003, 11:31 PM
#4
MAN, WOW, I had a similar expereince was I was a teenager and had a BUG.
I parked on a hill close to my home, I come out and hte car is GONE, I start running around trying to find it, I look down the hill about 150 yards (literally) and it is in a guys front yard!!!. It missed EVERYTHING, cars on hte side of the road, houses on either side a wall at this home, Curbs, etc... It rolled right on his front lawn and stopped!!! No damage, it was a Miracle!!
I parked on a hill close to my home, I come out and hte car is GONE, I start running around trying to find it, I look down the hill about 150 yards (literally) and it is in a guys front yard!!!. It missed EVERYTHING, cars on hte side of the road, houses on either side a wall at this home, Curbs, etc... It rolled right on his front lawn and stopped!!! No damage, it was a Miracle!!
05-13-2003, 12:44 AM
#5
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Evil Knieval
Roger ,
You keep this up and the next time I look you'll be jumping cars . Glad it was sooooo minor that you can't even see it ! But the new exhaust , hey why not !Be careful on those hills of Massachusetts !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FrankieZZ
You keep this up and the next time I look you'll be jumping cars . Glad it was sooooo minor that you can't even see it ! But the new exhaust , hey why not !Be careful on those hills of Massachusetts !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FrankieZZ
05-13-2003, 02:54 AM
#7
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Same thing happend with my 93 MR2 2 years ago. I was at my girlfriends hosue one night and someone knocked on the front door. The guy asked whose car it was that was blocking the street. I went to the window to see who it was and sure enough there was my car taking up the whole street. Turned out that I didn't put itin first all the way and didn't have the e-brake on. The wheels were cut to the left and the car backed out of the driveway turning and stopped after about 10 feet. How embarrasing
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05-13-2003, 03:59 AM
#9
You were scaring me at the beginning of your story. Thank goodness it didn't turn out too bad but I will say I can definitely see that HUGE dent in the muffler and it's gotta be replaced immediately with the Borla system or else the car will be undrivable.
05-13-2003, 08:24 AM
#11
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same thing almost happened to me, today, twas weird. Pulled up to my moms store, and park, very slight decline towards the building, i was in there for about 5 minutes, eating some dinner,looking out the window, and all of a sudden the wheels on the car start turning, and i say holy chit, ran out the door, around the guard rail, hopped in the car, pull back the e-brake as hard as i can, and then start laughing, my moms shitting her pants, my heart beating like crazy, didn't hit anything, was still about 2 feet away from the ramp, and guard rail that go into the store. so i guess i'm gonna pop it into gear everytime i park now, i always pull fairly hard on the e-brake, and the slope of the ground isn't very steep. good thing i'm quick like a bunny 
05-13-2003, 08:44 AM
#12
same thing happened to me, I didnt get off as lucky tho. glad to hear Im not alone anymore tho, we all make mistakes. the way the bumper is shaped, if you hit it dead on, as you did, youd have to tear that bumper appart to put a dent in it. is like pushing down on a arch. not gonna happen.
05-13-2003, 09:18 AM
#13
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A similar stroy, when I was in high school my friend who used to park next to me had a 300ZX TT, very sweet by the way. Anywayz one day when school let out he didn't see a minivan behind him when he went to back out and hit it. Now he hit it with the corner of his rear bumper and put a 3-4 ft long dent in the minivan,.. damage to Z 2 small scratches on his paint no dents!! I guess they're all made pretty tough.
05-13-2003, 12:47 PM
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Chrome Grille Trim
Victor , tell these guys ! It's from any auto parts store that sells chrome body molding trim . According to Vic and others , it's self adhesive and sticks like glue to that plastic eggcrate grille ! I saw Vic's and it looks even better in the flesh ! What a super , inexpensive mod . I'd do it but my front plate is on the grille !
FrankieZZ
ps
Vic, is it about 1 inch wide ?
FrankieZZ
ps
Vic, is it about 1 inch wide ?
05-13-2003, 01:00 PM
#20
Chrome grill strip
Just go to any auto store and look for chrome door molding strip. It comes in a roll (about 25') and costs anywhere from $7-12. I paid $10 at Pep Boys. All you have to do is measure the length across the grill, cut the molding strip to length with some heavy duty scissors, and push it into each grill strip.
There are different variations you can use. I have mine like Anyone2U here which is three strips all the way across but I've seen some stop right before the grill edges go into a 45 degree angle, I've seen some put strips on the two vertical sections (as done by rodH), and I've seen some people cut the two ends where the tow hook is located so that it can be removed without taking out the full strip. It's all a matter of preference but is a nice, simple, economical mod. which, if you don't like how it looks, can be easily removed.
There are different variations you can use. I have mine like Anyone2U here which is three strips all the way across but I've seen some stop right before the grill edges go into a 45 degree angle, I've seen some put strips on the two vertical sections (as done by rodH), and I've seen some people cut the two ends where the tow hook is located so that it can be removed without taking out the full strip. It's all a matter of preference but is a nice, simple, economical mod. which, if you don't like how it looks, can be easily removed.