I've only had my car for 1 year and months. I drove the skylark to work today. It ended up raining a bit and by the time I was on my way home it was just a light shower. I was driving through downtown of the city I live in where the road takes a 90 degree turn left. It's a downhill grade as it turns to avoid a river. I was going about 40 when I started to decell and realized I needed to be on the brakes harder. The brakes locked up and I hit about an 8-10" curb, destroying the front left tire, front right wheel. The front bumper is hanging down to the ground. The headlights and bezels were knocked out or sideways. The front axel is bent, I'm assuming, because the front left wheel was turned to the left on impact and was pushed into the quarter moving it enough where I couldn't open the driver's side door. The man who picked it up on the flat bed was gracious enough to scrape the flat bed all across the front bumper while loading it up. I was about 5 yards left of an electric line, and if the curb wasn't there I'd be in the river. I feel like I don't deserve a car with the history and value as my skylark anymore. Being only 18 I know everyone's first thought is that I was hot rodding it and being stupid and just lost control, but with this being my daily driver, I rarely hot rod it at all, and when I would I wouldn't be dumb enough to do it in town, or even on a street like that. I feel like I'm going to be sick constantly, and I just don't know what to think about it. Thank you for reading, I just feel I need to get it out there, so it's not just in my mind.
Live and learn. Gotta know the limits of the car in all weather conditions. Going from my 231 powered Skylark to a 400 powered '69 Firebird, I had more close calls that started out like the situation your in than I care to remember. The point is, it can be fixed and be more careful next time. Rain and locking up the wheels is a lesson and average ignorance not hotrodding. Sounds like it's good that you aren't in the river and it sounds repairable, even if it isn't cheap.
These things happen I am sure you will get a ton of us saying we have done something similar. These things happen they are part of life be happy you did not end up in that electric pole or river. Fix it and enjoy your car again don't beat yourself up. Ilive in Phoenix when it rains here(been 2 months or more) people do not know how to drive there are accidents galore.ou:
I was 18 when I ricocheted my riv off of a freeway barrier last year because i wasn't watching what i was doing. The paint was only 3 months old and i felt really dumb. You can fix it, live, and learn
Don't worry about it, I'll bet a lot of guys on this board of done something like this, I'm no exception. Accidents happen, move on and focus on the repair process.. Iggycat Mike NJ
I wrapped my GN around a tree when i was 17 ..lost the car of my dreams that day... worse was what happend when i got home!:spank:
Like the others said.. don't beat yourself up about it. , And it can be fixed good as new. I'm sure theres plenty of parts to be had from the board members at reasonable prices. I did something similar when I was way young in my 67 Firebird/400 except instead of a curb I ended up in the grill of a Impala after losing control while showing off. Live and learn. You'll be OK.
Ditto everything above. What was the condition of your tires? Tread depth and also tread design make a huge difference. Glad you are OK.
I was in an accident in my 71 skylark back in Aug '98, I was 19 and had only owned the car for 10 months. I hit a slick spot in the road when approaching an intersection, just after a light rain shower, and the car slid like it was on ice, i hit the car in front of me. Luckily the only damage was the fender and core support, but i fixed those items, and I am still driving the car to this day. It's a terrible feeling to have wrecked your pride and joy, but like others have said, at least you're ok, and cars can be fixed! If your skylark is a 4 wheel drum car, I would highly suggest swapping to discs when you rebuild. I put on global west upper control arms, and B-body 12" discs. This thing brakes better now than some new cars I've driven, no more of that nasty tendency to lock up!
First, very sorry this happened, but as someone else pointed out, it was an accident, which is a risk we all take every single time we drive these cars. Some observations: 1. That you're even posting this thread, here, in this forum would speak otherwise. Anyone who has the appreciation, time, and effort dedicated to these cars as you do IMWO deserves what he has worked hard to own and love. 2. Don't sell yourself short on your driving. Yeah, you stood on those 40-year-old stock brakes, but perhaps there was little else you could have done given the amount of time (likely less than 3 seconds by the sound of it) available. Hindsight is 20/20, but many of us would have ended up in the river or eating that power line under the same circumstances, especially those of us blessed with heavier cars, 60's era front drum brakes, and the decided lack of your 18-year-old sharper reaction instincts. 3. As for the car, if you have collision insurance, pay the deductible and get it done turn-key, IF they don't want to total it. If no collision insurance, or you're concerned the insurance company will total it, have a frame / body shop tell you what has to be done. More than likely you bent one or both control arms, drag link and tie rods, possibly the frame, and may need a new spindle, rotor, caliper and rim. Fender has been pushed back, which is most likely why your drivers door won't open, but it may be salvageable. Lots of people on here who can help you find any or all those parts. Aside from the bent frame and body work, with basic tools and a buddy or two you have the ability to repair the rest of it. :idea2: Maybe turn your repair efforts into a new thread - starting with post all the ugly high-detail close-up pictures of the damage you can stomach, and many others here may be better able to tell you what you're up against in terms of co$t and technical challenge. Understand you're emotional about it now (I'd be crying too :ball: - which is allowable, as it falls under mothers, dogs, and Buicks) but it may not be as bad as you think. Just thinking out loud here... Or heck, let them total it, take the :dollar: and go find yourself another Skylark, or better yet, upgrade to a nice big Boattail or Electra 225.:bglasses: Whatever you do, be glad to have walked away from the crash, it wasn't your time. Oh, and no litigious passengers / other accident parties with "whiplash." Out here in the People's Republik of Kalifornistan, suing people is a sport. And finally, at the end of the day, the car is just a "thing" and there are many, many more out there, even today. Good luck!
Glad you're ok Matt, the car can be fixed. It's harder and takes longer for your pride to heal though, that's something you need to let go of and move forward. I think probably everyone here did something stupid (or out of sheer ignorance and lack of experience) when we were young(er). Mine was really stupid and could have gotten me seriously hurt or killed. I was 18, driving way too fast, got bumped into at a corner when an old lady pulled out into me as I was going through the intersection - at 70mph with the brakes jammed on - (not telling how fast I was going before that) and it put a crease down the side of my car and I ended up sideways in the road. Fortunately there were no other cars coming and I stayed out of the ditch where a 4' rock was just on the other side. Lift your head up, learn from it, put it behind you, fix your ride and don't do it again! :grin:
Look at your post count.... 455 :laugh: Thats a sign, dont give up Take a step back, breath....we all learn from mistakes/accidents
Live and learn. This is just part of going from 18 to the rest of your adult life. I too wrecked a car back in the day. It was a '51 Mercury, unrestored and pretty beat up. Not paying attention and rear ended a car, really tore up the front end. One of the biggest regrets I have is that I let the car go to the towing company, never tried to recover it and get it repaired. I was 20 years old, broke college student working 200 miles from home, and I just walked away from it rather than dealing with the effort and expense of getting it home and fixing it. Your car can be fixed. I hope that it makes sense for you to get it back on the road.
