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Aaand.... that may be all she writes for Awesome. :|
Hi everyone. Been a minute. Not gonna lie, the lean of this entire site is what's kind of kept me out for a while. If that angers some, well, ok. But that's not why I'm back for the moment. For the years that I and she have been on this site in some way shape or form... that's why I'm back. Because friends... something's happened, and it's not Good.
Y'all who know who I am here and my love for my '06 Mustang GT (details below) know that Awesome is my baby, the fruit of labor to keep her nice and running and... well, Awesome. Y'all who've read my stories about what I've done with and to her. She's like my child, of sorts, or maybe my bestest pet. Me and that car just work together, and I just can't imagine any car being as good as she's been to me. I mean, sure, she gets sick like anything does, but I doctor her up and she's right as reign again, ready for more adventures.
She's got 189K on her. I've done just about all the work besides body fixin'/new body mod parts back when. Even done her tires myself a couple times! She's been on many adventures on the roads of Texas, as well as being a work truck, quite literally. And she still gets looks and some amazement of "2006?!" when I reveal her age. They ask me what edition she is, and I say "She's my own blend of Mustang."
All that... just to give ya a background on how this is kinda hurtin' me right now to be relayin' this... if for no reason than to put it somewhere for posterity or something.
Today... well technically yesterday... on the way back from an adventure to take my legally blind mother to maybe see some stars in the Texas Hill Country... specifically in Junction Texas for our stay, and at the crossroads of either 41 and 336 or 41 and 335, the north ends of two of the Three Twisted Sisters, as *way* dark:30... an adventure that included on the way a last-second avoidance of a skunk that decided it wanted to cross the road while we're doin' 65... and what had her actually see and point out stars, which was a thrill for me because it's hard for her to see anything really these days... and what had me scarin'/chasin' off what may have been a curious/hungry/rabid coyote or something that was aiming for my mom who was laid out on a blanket because her neck/back can't take bein' bent backwards... but stupid me didn't have a flashlight to turn on in an instant... so you'd think we'd have had all the "OMG!" moments a trip should have for one overnight stay and then back home....
...Nope. No, THE "OMG!" moment of the trip hadn't happened at all, really. Again, today, on the way back from all that... broad daylight, about 1:30pm local...
A truck decided to go all wild and free all OVER the entire 5 laned road (2 lanes each way and a left turn middle lane)... which is interesting enough, but it was doing so in front of us... and whipping a long flatbed trailer... at my 1" lowered Mustang GT.
I literally had about .5 seconds to make a decision. Stop the car, get smacked and possibly have the trailer run up and into the passenger compartment... and I don't get to type this, and mom probably ain't here anymore either.
Or try to get past it with a burst of speed, but that ain't happening, and then the trailer catches the car in an even weirder position and possibly invades *my* space, but maybe mom is ok, but perhaps the car gets hooked, slung, and then flips around... who knows what happens, but it wouldn't be good I think...
Or maybe... *I gotta ditch the car and hope it works out... Guess that's it then, I'm sorry, Awesome...*
I yank the wheel to the right, and drive Awesome into the awaiting drainage ditch at an angle, bouncing back outta the rut at into the yard of an inn, all slowing down and then somehow turning and coming to a stop as if I'm just gonna exit the inn no big deal.
I am not kidding you when I say the space I'm making here: ||
...is about the space the left rear corner of the trailer missed Awesome by. Literal millimeters. At least, near as I could tell...
First worry after stopping: "Mom, are you ok?" "Yes, but what just happened?!" "Jackknifed trailer aimed at us, didn't have anywhere to go..."
Guy had by then stopped his rig, turned around and came to us. I won't go into any more details, but insurance was given freely, phone number too, I ensured I called his phone, it's.... well it's goin' quite ok...
Until Self-Important Unnecessary Guardian Biotch decides to whip around, park near us, get out, ask if we're ok, then immediately pivot to intervening on dude's behalf saying how I'm going to screw him out of money... and short version is thus: Not only do I call 911 on her ***, but I had to literally do the 'bear arms wide yelling' at her to NOT go assault my mother about it. The entire hell, lady, what is WRONG with you...?! I don't know the story, she was not even involved, but decided I was a bad guy because dude lost control of his rig. I don't get people. And her husband all in the car just watching this... you know she has just pwhipped (if that's not a word, I'm making it one now, use it freely and it's exactly what it means) him into just accepting her crap and antics. Poor guy, but he is still there. She must really put out... a lot of money for him to stick around.
I hate the term 'Karen' because I know a lot of lovely women named Karen who'd *never* do any such thing... but since everyone knows what that means, yes, dang near the epitome of that unfortunate-named term.
Anyway, idiot 'lady' sent the HECK away (dude was really really cool about it all and helped get her gone)... We're parting ways (yes, there'll be a police report later, trust me, had to get home for Reasons(tm)) and then I assess the car better...
Oh. Oh no no no...
She saved us, but she's good as dead now, insurance wise...
My baby... My poor poor baby...
Short version of the damage, and this is after I got home and other inspections along the way:
Rock chips. Rock chips *everywhere* except the right side of the car... and maybe the hood. And somehow spoiler. Yes. Even the trunk, right on the rear of the thing, got hit. Entire left side, wheels, fender, bumpers, door, *mirror* for cryin' out loud, A-B-C pillar panel, and the quarter panel. Maybe even the fuel door. All of it. Chipped up. Even the *ROOF* got a hit or two. Oh yeah, the left side real deal Shelby 'Powered by Ford' badge got it too. I mean, *shotgunned*.
Oh... and then later, after I got home...
Indeed... the trailer *did* get the fender. But somehow, some way... *literally just micrometers of paint removed* Just the paint scraped off in a couple of longish scratches. Can't figure out how I didn't see it, but I'm guessing 'worrying about mom ok/getting home' was more important. Amazingly, no dent, no metal shown. Just the upper paint layer. Unbelievable, but absolute truth in what I say. The craziest of margins and it almost didn't even happen... not that it would matter much given the pockmarked landscape the left side is anyway...
And on the way home, which Awesome carried us with ease and aplomb... there were sounds. Vibrations perhaps... but definitely sounds. They weren't there before. But she drove straight as before. Rode fine... just... noises. From the front left. So... I think something else is bent/bashed into submissions but fighting anyway...
But drivetrain and everything else-wise... she's perfectly drivable, works just great, and indeed got us home, like the g******ed trooper she is. I freaking love that car. I do. She just went offroading, is lowered 1 inch on top of it all, off the road, down into the ditch, bouncing back up outta it and into the yard... and she's 'fine'?!
What Mustang even DOES that kind of thing and pretty much gets away with it except buckshot paint job, and then drives home no big deal?!
Well.. Awesome does, that Mustang.
---
I am ever so grateful to have such a wonderful car. Truly. The very absolute best car I've ever own... or perhaps, to steal and modify a quote from Ralphie of "A Christmas Story"... the absolute best car I will *ever* own...
And she may have given her life up to save us. For I've not actually put her up on a rack or a frame machine. It may be like Tigh said in Remake Battlestar Galactica...
"She broke her back. She'll never jump again."
For it may be that later this next week, after I go to an adjuster to see how bad it is... she may be bent somewhere. Which may can be fixed, maybe. And parts replaced... if even acquirable. Not sure how easy those badges are to get... Or the wheels fixed, but I know those aren't exactly cheap these days to get...
...and then *all* those panels being touched/massaged/painted....
Yeah. I've already done the figurin'. It's not lookin' good. I mean... Awesome is 'just' a 2006 Mustang GT with 189K miles on her. To me, she's worth.... well, I can't come up with a big enough number, and it's irrational for sure. But to an insurance company?
"Fair Market Value". Which is crap, but that's the deal. And even worse, that's not even what's being asked out there for an 'exact' same car! Already found a couple of '06 GTs with similar miles... and they're way over what the insurance will value Awesome at at the end of it.
And that, dear fellows, is why it may be that her 'final act' was the saving of my and my mother's life. Which is why I'm here right now, past midnight my time, writing this because I need to.
Perhaps I'm overthinking it. Perhaps it won't be that bad. Perhaps I'll get to keep her... and I'll get/have to fix her up yet again like I've done before (the Timing Chain Incident). I'll let y'all know what happens to her.
But at the end of it... she is a car. I've had several chat with her in the past (well, me talking about/to her... I already said I'm insane, says so on the left), and we're Understanding of Things. The Day may have come where I have to let her go as the thing she is at the end of it... even if it's gonna hurt like hell to see her be taken away. It already hurts she's hurtin'. But these cars bend to save us. I hope it's not dire. But I'm prepared just in case. And if it is the end of my ownership of THE car of all my cars...
...Thank you Awesome. You truly lived up to your name.
I Swear I Almost Did a Mention of You in a Post in Regards To Missing You Being Around Just Yesterday! Got Sidetracked with an Issue at Home Which I Won't Go Into as Not to Detract from Your Post! I am very Sorry of Your Ordeal but Happy You & Your Mom Came Through Unharmed at least Physically. You Do Have a Family Here on TMS and a Fanbase of Your Great Write Ups! I Know the Incident is Fresh in your Mind So I Don't want to Poke The Bear as Far as Your Site Issues. As Far As Support in Your Absence We Have Had Pet Loss & Member Health Scares and Members Supporting Each Other during the Incidents.
Nobody Knows That Car of Yours Better than You & You Certainly Can Figure a Course of Action with Awesome But if You Like and it's Certainly Your Choice on Posting Some Pics when You Feel Like it and Maybe Getting an Idea or Two from your TMS Family.
I'm Just Getting Up and it Takes me 2 to 3 hours with My Fybromyalgia & First Meds of The Day before I really can Function, OK so Sorry if My Thought Process is Not Very Articulate. I will Post More When the Ringing in My Head Stops!
I'm Pleased You Chose to Share Your Story Here it Shows You are Still Attached! Your Friends Care
After reading over both you and Kevin's responses thoroughly, I honestly cannot add much more than what Kevin has already provided... All I can really add here is that I fully agree with every single word he brought in his response to your post and that the important thing is that both you and your Mom were not injured or hurt in any way... As for Awesome, from what you described in your post, just knowing she was able to drive you both back home safely is reason alone for being optimistic that no serious damages have been done to the frame or chassis... Therefore, try your very best to think positive, take some family time just for yourselves and then let us know how everything is working out for Awesome... In the meantime, hope you know that we're always here for support and we'll all be keeping you in our thoughts wishing nothing but the very best for both you, your Mom and for Awesome, so you just hang in there and keep your head held up high...
Wow, that just makes me sick. Sorry to hear of your misadventure, but glad you and your Mom are ok. Sounds like Awesome did a fantastic job of protecting you and your precious passenger. It is amazing that your were able to drive her back home safely. Hang in there, believe that things will work out. Like said by Kevin and Rocky, the fact that the car was drive-able and safely got you home is a great sign that the problems might, just might. be fixable. I know that most of us here are like you and really love our cars. I have a really issue when I get a single paint chip, I can't image going through what you described. My heart goes out to you, and truly I am thankful that you and your Mom were unharmed.
I too have been wondering where you have gone. I miss reading your posts. Love your humor, insight, and mechanical knowledge, especially of our cars. I hope that you have a generous insurance company. That they will work with you to make this right. I hope they will treat you right and help get you through this in the most painless manner. Keep us updated, you do have friends here.
****. I'm sorry this happened to you. Your car was the inspiration of my Beast... Well Beast II.. We all know what happened to Beast I. Anyway... I'm glad you and your mom are safe. The car did its job.
That said sounds like most of the damage is cosmetic which isnt to bad. I got my car painted for under 3k (cnd) so I'm sure if you find the right place they can paint Awesome to the way it was before. I hope you fight the insurance to get a better assessment. I know it's a pain but that's what I had to do to get what I deserve. I hope there isn't any structure damage either. Keep us posted.
I know it hurts when our babies get damaged like this...I still miss my first car.
Your Awesome will be back on the road in no time. Positive vibes are being sent your way! 😊
My car is a 06 and I have a lot of extra parts, so if you need something lmk.
Thanks people, truly. I'll update when I can. There's a clunk that weren't there before, so... We'll see whenever I can get her up on a rack and really shake things.
It's been busy at the houtex encampment since that day, other car to work on for pops, and a couple of Things Which Must Be Dealt With First(tm) so it may be a bit before I can do the updatin'. But we're both fine, and Awesome's still rollin' about... so like y'all say, maybe it's not so bad! I'd much rather keep her for sure.
Oh, there's this: The guy what had the uncontrollables reached out to me today to check on me. That was real nice. Makes me feel a little bit better about things. Most wouldn't have done such, I reckon.
So anyway... thanks again, and Update Soon(R).
/Just wonderin' how much a real deal Shelby PBF badge is these days and if you can get one at all...
//They weren't cheap the first go 'round I can tell ya that.
/Just wonderin' how much a real deal Shelby PBF badge is these days and if you can get one at all...
//They weren't cheap the first go 'round I can tell ya that.
I haven't seen any in quite a long time, but probably some out there somewhere. Somebody once tried to get me to sell the ones that were still on my SGT
I haven't seen any in quite a long time, but probably some out there somewhere. Somebody once tried to get me to sell the ones that were still on my SGT
Quite a Bit Cheaper Than Back in the Day! I Was Seeing $400.00 a Pair!
Much Cheaper Now & Similar Ones To Choose From as Well!
Houtex, I felt plain terrible reading this. I am relieved no one was hurt seriously. And I hope you can get Awesome back up running and looking the way she has before.
Semi-update... FINALLY got stuff 'round here to settle down so I could address this thing... and long story short because I just wanted to shoot the update...
She is totaled, estimatedly wize. BUT... I ain't started that process with insurance. I just did an estimate and the guy wants to avoid insurance... we'll see how that goes now... I have my qualms about this whole thing being resolved 'nicely', but again we shall see...
THAT said...
I ain't lettin' her go. She still drives fine. It's cosmetic and/or suspension which I can deal with. Don't think she's bent, but I do think maybe the ball joint on the left FCA is toast. I still have to get her in the air to find out what's what. Did that with my Dad's Caliber, diagnosed and properly so the lower front control arms ball joints there, now she's just peachy again. So I can do this for Awesome.
Busy busy though. Pics later maybe. But you can imagine if you take shotgun with rocksalt to the side... that. All the left body panels. Every. Stinkin' One. Hood and roof and trunk too. Only the right side didn't get any buckshot. Just lots of 'rock chips' everywhere.
Even the Shelby grille got hit. Big ol' dent in one of the fins.
Anyway. Update as I got. Maybe more later soonish.
/Yeah, it's not the greatest update nor situation, but I'm just... really... verklempt? Sure. And stuff about the whole thing at this point.
//That total ***** what 'intervened' really screwed up my 'getting info' situation, but I'm still hopeful the guy is legit cool. I have license plates and stuff too, so... it ain't over until it's over. - Yogi Berra.
///She *did* say 'You're not going to screw him out of his money!'... I hope she's wrong. Well, she is wrong, I'm not trying to screw anyone, it wasn't my fault, so how is that screwing anyone? But the money part... yeah, might come true... again, still hopeful...
/V Just needed to get to the fourth slashy for roman slashies.
Anyway, decided to post up an example pic. This is probably the worst of it, but imagine finding all these little specks around the entire left side and even the top in one place. Enjoy, and if it reminds you of something... /r/popping maybe?
Zoom in. They're EVERYWHERE.
They're even on the wheels. Road rash aside, the paint was great, now... not so much. You can see the 'big' pock mark on the upright of the wheel, right in the argent paint. And all that dirt? Thrown on the car from the jackknifed trailer.
Frustrating. Semi-impressive I'll admit as well, but... Well, a mini rant anyway.
Semi-update... FINALLY got stuff 'round here to settle down so I could address this thing... and long story short because I just wanted to shoot the update...
She is totaled, estimatedly wize. BUT... I ain't started that process with insurance. I just did an estimate and the guy wants to avoid insurance... we'll see how that goes now... I have my qualms about this whole thing being resolved 'nicely', but again we shall see...
THAT said...
I ain't lettin' her go. She still drives fine. It's cosmetic and/or suspension which I can deal with. Don't think she's bent, but I do think maybe the ball joint on the left FCA is toast. I still have to get her in the air to find out what's what. Did that with my Dad's Caliber, diagnosed and properly so the lower front control arms ball joints there, now she's just peachy again. So I can do this for Awesome.
Busy busy though. Pics later maybe. But you can imagine if you take shotgun with rocksalt to the side... that. All the left body panels. Every. Stinkin' One. Hood and roof and trunk too. Only the right side didn't get any buckshot. Just lots of 'rock chips' everywhere.
Even the Shelby grille got hit. Big ol' dent in one of the fins.
Anyway. Update as I got. Maybe more later soonish.
/Yeah, it's not the greatest update nor situation, but I'm just... really... verklempt? Sure. And stuff about the whole thing at this point.
//That total ***** what 'intervened' really screwed up my 'getting info' situation, but I'm still hopeful the guy is legit cool. I have license plates and stuff too, so... it ain't over until it's over. - Yogi Berra.
///She *did* say 'You're not going to screw him out of his money!'... I hope she's wrong. Well, she is wrong, I'm not trying to screw anyone, it wasn't my fault, so how is that screwing anyone? But the money part... yeah, might come true... again, still hopeful...
/V Just needed to get to the fourth slashy for roman slashies.
When it comes to a vehicle being estimated as totaled, does the insurance company go by the shop that did the estimation or does the insurance company have their own representative conduct their own estimation? Unfortunately, I do not have personal experience regarding what category falls under as being considered as totaled by the insurance companies... All I do know is that if you do submit an insurance claim and the insurance company considers the vehicle as totaled, IIRC, your options are either agreeing for whatever settlement the insurance company considers your vehicle to be worth or refusing to accept the settlement and purchase your vehicle back from the insurance company... I assume that even if you do not submit an insurance claim, that once the vehicle falls under the category of being totaled that it must be registered as a salvaged vehicle along with having a reconstructed title... In the meantime, I really hope the damages are just cosmetic as you brought up and can be repaired below what the total value of the vehicle is worth and if in the worst-case scenario there's any frame damage involved? that you're able to locate a collision shop that can put it onto one of their machines to straighten the frame back out... Meanwhile, thanks for following up and hope everything turns out well for you and for Awesome...
man Houtex,
just stumbled on this thread- sorry to hear/glad no injuries/ really think she'll be good as new again- sucks for sure, but if chassis not tweaked, a GOOD repaint would be worthwhile for a obviously loved car... suggestion, to everyone on here- get 'stated value' insurance...its not that expensive, and could keep the idiotic 'market value' out of the equation...in a perfect world, insurance is *supposed* to put you back in a pre-loss condition, but never does...a 'stated value of 20-30k is still less than a new car, but would cover extensive work if desired/worst case, fund finding a comparably cared for replacement
just noticed this is a few months old, hope things have worked out- theres only been a handful of folks Ive known with such strong attachment to their vehicles, I get it, mine are like old pets to me too- mechanical, inanimate, but part of the family- would do anything to keep them around, always enjoyed your posts- dreaded reading the first one as it sure coulda been far worse- at least everyone walked away
take care-tim
8/19/23, 12:01 AM
Aaand.... that may be all she writes for Awesome. :|
Oh yeah, the left side real deal Shelby 'Powered by Ford' badge got it too. I mean, *shotgunned*.
But to an insurance company?
We'll see whenever I can get her up on a rack and really shake things.
Well, a mini rant anyway.
Somehow I had a hard time believing you were going to get rid of Awesome
