Hello....

I normaly lurk..and don't post..( I have nothing to add...) Well this is news. Thursday I was rear ended by to old ladies in their Oldsmobile ( A high speed impact on I35 going north in my Brat ( Zap's old silver Brat..) and got rolled twice and spun. Car is a totaled ( to say the least ) but ..to the shock of all the rescue workers, police and firemen and the witnesses there I walked away..here is a copy of the report I gave to the State trooper:

 

 

Around 4:39pm yesterday I heading North on I35 going to work. Just north of the WalMart distridution center the traffic is slowing down to merge because they have one lane ( the left ) shut down. I'm listening to Greg Knapp on 570am talk about a "macdonalds" bill in the Texas house. I put my car into third and slow down. Then in second with my foot on the brake. As the tach is at 2800-2700, I get the urge to get into the left lane. I don't know why...I did, I just did! So I check my mirrors first left.. then rear...as is my habit. I looked into the rear and see a big Oldsmobile sedan with two older ladies barreling down at me...no time to do ANYTHING.. I think in a flash "they can't stop in time" and ...

WHAM!!!!! they hit me in the rear at full speed.

.....

..........

The car launches forward..out of control, though I try to get control. I swerve right twards the shoulder, then left into the left lane and almost in to a red Pontiac ( Thank God that I left plenty of forward room in my "space cushion" ) and then....

she starts to tumble!!!

thats right...ROLL!!!

as she starts to go over on the driver's side front corner I say "Well Mike this is it!" and pull my self into a ball in my seat covering my head with my hands and pull my legs in....

and ride it out.

She stops on her side ( driver ) and facing 180 from where she started in the left lane..so I spun in the air too!! Front windshield is gone, passenger side window and t top are shattered..rear window..who knows. I unbuckle my self and get out through the windshield. I walk away and sit down on the shoulder..in shock. People on the scene come over to me and tell me to stay down and help. The Olds is in the ditch, front end all pushed in, the two ladies still in the car talking to each other. A guy who stops to give aid and call in the accident lets me use his cell phone and I call Beth: " Beth...I've been in an accident up here on 35 at the Wal Mart distribution center could you call work and tell them I'm not coming in today? "

...........

 

 

Mudrat made my rollbar and bumpers/front guard. If he had not made it so high..and so well...the Troopers say I would most likly be dead. They saved my @$$!! No kidding!!

 

here are some pics:

 

 

Now I've got to get my documentation together to prove that a Brat is worth more than $700..which is what they will try to say it's worth! ( I want it replaced!! It was too bamn handy and useful !! ) I'll try to salvage what I can. My body is now big raw spot.

 

Thank You Mudrat.

 

I miss her already!!

That is a shame. I am really glad to hear that you were indeed able to walk away, literally. The roll bar has become an essential part of our offroad equipment for that exact reason.

 

I am sure Zap can come up with a bunch of pics to prove condition and even some numbers for what all was put in it when he had it.

 

Good luck!!

Mike...you were right with the phone message....."whale of a tale"!!!

 

 

Hey, I'm looking for the other BRAT. It was in Frisco.

 

I'm off Tues-Thurs. Call me.

 

Now you rest and recover. Don't worry about the BRAT....it's replacable. You are DAMN lucky you are not dead, or at the least a para or quad! You need to go to Vegas!!!!!

 

Todd

Hey Mike.....Very glad to hear and See you came out of that one in one piece.....

 

I have several Good Pics of the work we did here, and I can write you a Cost estimate/reciept for all the work I did to it at My place......Pics will also let them see how nice it was Before the wreck.....

 

I must say I'm Most Impressed with how well the RollBar came through.....? No bends, just scuffs.....

 

Call me when you feel good and Solid again.....

 

John....

 

P.S. from the pics , it looks like a bit of touch up paint, and you can install the Bumpers/Rollbar into your Next ride.....

I hate to bring it up at a time like this but...........

 

What are you going to do with the parts

 

Glad to hear your alright!

Glenn

82 SubaruHummer

01 Forester

You definitely want to take the buy back option. The lift, motor, trans, rear brakes, bars and front bumper look savable. Even the wheels and tires might be OK.

 

Good luck, there are a number of them on EBay right now.

Sorry to hear about your situation, but I'm glad you're all right. Like the above posters said, Brats are replaceable, and lives are not. Get well soon.

 

 

 

BTW - Whats up with all the Brats getting crunched? first Laura's and now this one. What a shame.

 

 

Bummer!!! I'm glad you're OK Mike. Looks like I can tell the guy who made the rear bumper that it was pretty friggin solid too. . .

 

Looks like we have to find you another Brat, eh?

 

Here's a quick photo of it. I have more somewhere on CD if you need them.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/37919799/60788236zdbdEN

Ouch, really sorry to see/hear that. Glad you came through it ok.

 

 

On a side note;

That rollbar looks like the one I just traded to Monstaru. I think it was the only think still holding the rusty old brat it came from together. Definitely a worthwhile expense for anyone that is taking their rig offroad.

 

I know there will be lots of people wanting parts from it if you decide to go that route.

wow! Thank God your ok, still looks good to me just make sure nothing rubs and drive it

...Now I've got to get my documentation together to prove that a Brat is worth more than $700..which is what they will try to say it's worth! ( I want it replaced!! It was too bamn handy and useful !! )...

 

Hey man.. Sorry to hear about your loss. Glad you're okay though.

 

I had an 82 GL Wagon that I moved from Portland, OR to Tucson, AZ in... To make a long story short a guy made a left in front of me down here and I t-boned him. Car got totalled out. Anyway, my insurance company didn't give me the blue book value.. they gave me market value from where I purchesed the vehicle! (About $400 more than market value where I live!) So they ended up giving me 1300 for it. You might ask your insurance about that.

Your best bet is to insist that they replace the vehicle with one of similar condition; that's the kicker to the "blue book scam." Glad to hear you're okay. Best of luck.

good job staying alive! i also vote to keep the carcass. you'll end up money ahead. and you could sue the driver for negligence as well.

 

 

i almost got my brat taken out at college today; i rounded the corner of a row of cars and the one on the end pulled out and almost into my passenger's door. I didn't notice her signal but I wasn't looking... and neither was the driver of the other car! it happened so fast I didn't even have time to give her my Inscrutable Gaze of Death.

Call me when its time to drag it home and strip it. I know your back is acting up, so if I hear about you trying to do it yourself, I'm going to have Beth hold you down while Steve and I beat you up.:-p

 

Like everyone else has said. Glad you're ok.

 

One thing to be thankful for.. You have that nice new house with that nice big garage to do all the work in.

Wow, really glad you made it and the Brat looks alot better than it should.

 

John doesnt mess around making cheap crap for sure, another piece of evidence.

i would worry too much about getting more for the brat, as the insurance and possibly civil settlement should cover bring in more $$$

good to here you survived good.

 

 

definately another testiment towards john's fabrication. i still haven't broken any of the parts that he fabbed onto my car.