Sad Sad Event for my Wagon...

Yup, kicking a guy when he is down is....left to best friends Kicking a guy in the nuts when he is down and not even expecting it is another, considering he was man enough to admit his mistake......

 

The wagon is quite fixable. Sure there will be a cost, you expect it, but crud happens to us all. Been there, done that sorta kinda so I can relate and I feel for you. No matter what, it happened, you now have to just go ahead and get that beautiful wagon back on the road.

Oh, how it hurts though, when this stuff happens.

I'm sure no one can scold you more than you did yourself so just let all that slide, you don't need any more of it, nor do we, and lets just focus on getting you through a tough time.

Get the frame straightened and I don't know, does it need some kind of strengthening? I don't know that, I do know when I bought my '57 Safari the frame was bent severely and it was not corrected properly. I wondered why I kept having alignment issues until I eventually got a "REAL" good alignment guy who understood 50's cars to take a look at it. Ultimately in my situation I ended up clipping the car but yours is no where near that bad. Mine was bent over and up and pushed under the firewall, both sides, toward the passenger side. When it was straightened they got it bent back but the passenger side was still pushed back almost 2" and up an inch, or the other way around. Too long ago to remember. Anyway, just get it fixed. Ignore those who take you to task, and we'll all share in your relief when it is back on the road. It is just too nice a wagon to let go.

 

I hope you were not injured in the bang, looks like it was a heck of a jolt. Goodness knows we have all made mistakes after all that's usually how lessons are learned. You know this place for as members there are you WILL get that many opinions. I hope your able to repair your car, after the mailbox of course.

 

The fact that your wagon shares it's sheet metal with a Road Runner means it's all available aftermarket from AMD. Would sure be a good time to upgrade to an air grabber hood! Just kidding, a regular Road Runner hood will do just fine. I believe AMD even sells bumpers for it.

 

Always glad when al are okay after an accident. Sorry about the wagon. Best of luck on its resurrection.

-X

 

Glad you are ok man. I'm with Wixom, and good frame/body shop will stretch your car back into shape in no time.

 

First, I'm glad YOU are okay and that nobody else was injured. As for the wagon, there is good news. That is a unibody car, which in this case comes in handy. The front subframe on these is bolted to the body shell. 4 bolts and it is out. You should have no major problem finding a new 6 cylinder K-member, as most people remove these to plunk V-8s into these cars. There should, provided they have not all been recycled, be a goodly supply out there. The front subframe is the same for all the 2 door, 4 door, convertibles and wagons in the Plymouth and Dodge, and probably from 68 through 72, but you need to check a Hollander's to be sure. It is a bunch of work to change the subframe, but it does give you a good, solid, and unmolested undercarriage. Either way, when you are doing major work to the frame, take a look at the frame crossmembers where the torsion bars mount. They have a habit of splitting. There are gussets available to reinforce those spots, and it may be a good idea to do that while everything is in pieces anyway. As for the cosmetics, that is the easy part. Because of the relationship to the muscle car variant, you should have no problem at all with any of the sheet metal replacements. Make sure you take LOTS of pictures as you do the work! And don't let the insurance company write the old girl off. She is way too nice to lose!

 

Ouch! That looks like it hurt. Sorry for your misfortune. It can be fixed though. And no one was hurt. Keep us updated on what you decide to do. And keep your chin up!

 

Oh, I agree fully with Blue Vista. He has not said anything that I haven't told myself or heard from my wife. Ease up on him, okay?

Oh Blue, I'm not searching for your sympathy here, I'm just sharing my misfortune with fellow wagon lovers morbid curiosity...

I've been kicking my own butt for not waiting for four more driveways to pass before fetching up my phone.
This accident could have been much worth, and that it wasn't, I am truly grateful indeed.
Sheesh, It Happened, tilt, no replay.
AMD has frame rails and inner fenders.
as well as the rest of the sheet metal. Maybe I'll get lucky and find a a 4-door donor car. Wish me luck on that!
I'm on disability so the income for the parts will be slow coming.
I appreciate everyones condolences as I have lost a 'dear friend'.

 

Sorry to hear about your wagon. Hope you fix it. On another note, those kind of mail boxes are illegal here. Something that close to the road has to be breakable like a sign post. Some of those mailbox owners have been sued for damages.

 

Good grief! Do all large trees on the roadside have to be cut down too? :confused:

 

Actually yes, anything in the right of way when struck must give.

 

dang Renko...sorry to hear it pal

...and for the sake of the conversation prior....

about a year ago...i almost rear ended a truck at a stop.... and me doing bout 50 ...doing the same silly thing !!!

I pulled over cuz I thought i was having a stroke...from that point on...it can fall out the window for all i care

Its amazing the 'false' importance we put on our phones aint it?

 

Here is a charitable reply^ if I ever saw one. Anyone here who has never been similarly distracted please step forward, Vista?
Anyway, good that you and others are unharmed. The car is a pretty simple fix provided parts can be sourced, at least you are in an area where the possibility exists. Nothing in those pictures indicates the need for a K member to me.
So, pics of the mailbox?