Just was rearended... 1975 Jimmy RIP

[Mike Phillips]

Just was rearended...


Sad but true but my 1975 Jimmy was just rearended...

Was sitting sitting on the road in front of my house waiting for oncoming traffic to pass so I could pull into my driveway and a young man in a 1996 Ford Truck slammed into the back of my Jimmy at I'll guess somewhere between 60 to 80 miles an hour.  He hit me like a missile so my guess is he was really driving fast.  I'll measure his skid marks tomorrow when it's light but they're pretty long.

He hit the rear passenger side of my truck.  The bed of my truck is shoved far enough forward that the passenger door is pushed into the front passenger fender and it won't open and the side of the bed is crumpled.  the front passenger side is lightly crumpled.

On the driver's side the rear tailgate is pushed forward into the bed and the driver's door is stuck shut but I think I can get it open in the daylight.  My guess is the whole bed is crumpled and bent and shoved forward.

I've owned 4 full convertible Blazer/Jimmy's and this was the nicest, most rust free truck out of all of them.

I honestly don't want to keep it because I don't think it will ever be "nice" again, I think it will always be bent even if they try to un-crumple it.

I'll have to get some estimates from body shops to fix it, I'm hoping they can total it and I can get my Insurance company to cover me for what I purchased it for or for what it will take to replace it.  I paid $6000.00 for it and actually still have the webpages from the eBay auction saved somewhere.  

Brand new 454 engine, I've only changed the oil 3 times since installing it.  Brand new rebuild 700R4 Transmission with shift kit etc.  3/4 ton running gear with disc brakes all the way around.

In a perfect world I'd like to keep the running gear and put it into a 1971 or 1972 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 that's rust free.

It still runs and drives but I need to check out the gas tank, fuel lines and fuel pump in the daylight.  It has a Holley Fuel Pump and external fuel filter, the size of an oil filter mounted just in front of the gas tank.


1975 Jimmy 4x4 RIP
1975 - 2009










 

[Layne]

That stinks man. sorry to hear that. rip jimmy

[78 Chevyrado]

Man!  Glad you're ok.  I can't believe that.  I love that truck!  I hope the insurance stuff goes smoothly for you!

[Lt.Del]

I'd be grabbing my neck.  That would put me outta work for about 4 months.

Really, glad you're ok, that's the important thing.

[beastie_3]

Glad your ok. I loved that Jimmy!

[ccz145a]

Sad news indeed. Hope your ok!

[Blazin]

Well that blows, Yeah I would be at the least getting checked out , cat scan, or something? Getting hit at that speed your lucky you didn't get real hurt.

[Mike Phillips]

Well that blows, Yeah I would be at the least getting checked out , cat scan, or something? Getting hit at that speed your lucky you didn't get real hurt.

I seen him coming in my rear view mirror and grabbed the steering wheel, looked at on coming traffic for an escape route and braced for impact.  It was like a slow motion Bumper Car ride.  A car coming at me in the other lane just passed by as my Jimmy was hit and I spun 180 degrees swiping through the oncoming lane.  My truck ended up pointing 180 degrees the wrong direction in my lane with the engine idling.  There wasn't any traffic coming either way so I put it in reverse and backed it into my driveway.

Today I feel fine.  I work out in a gym all the time and I can guarantee you in that brief moment before impact I had a firm grip of the steering wheel with my muscle tightened and I was completely prepared for impact.

I just left a Men's Bible study at Church, we were talking about how nothing comes to God as a surprise.

Everything's good.

[choptop]

Really glad youre ok. Blazers can be replaced. Proof someone is watching.

[Lt.Del]

My truck ended up pointing 180 degrees the wrong direction in my lane with the engine idling.

gotta love a Chevy

There wasn't any traffic coming either way so I put it in reverse and backed it into my driveway.

I would've stayed right there 'til police can investigate.  They usually spray paint where the wheels ended up after the impact to judge how fast the other car was coming. Then a crash team investigation appears to plug in their formulas.  I would not have moved it, it is evidence, and, if, God forbid, you had sustained an injury that took a while to notice, because that does happens when you tighten up your muscles, and adrenaline pumps, it would be a crime scene. Something to think about. Now, any defense attorney would have a field day defending his client becaus evidence was tampered with.

[VileZambonie]

That REALLY sucks! glad you're ok most importantly. If it's totalled at least you have some great parts there. I would get an appraiser to come give you a replacement value of the truck. I'm sure they'll value it somewhere around $12k. Make the insurance company pay or threaten to sue. These trucks are rare and hard to replace. I wouldn't settle for $6k. Do you have pix of the devastation?

[Mike Phillips]

Make the insurance company pay or threaten to sue. These trucks are rare and hard to replace. I wouldn't settle for $6k. Do you have pix of the devastation?

I'll take some pictures and post them today.  I'm open to as much advice as I can get on dealing with insurance to get my truck replaced.  I want to keep the running gear but I don't want my pride and joy to be a bent truck.  I was planning on passing this down to my son in 5 years.

[fitz]

  Glad to hear your O.K.
  That was a beautiful truck but I'm sure you will come up with another one.
Hopefully the insurance company will let you buy it back from them so you can grab the drivetrain out of it.
  Like Vile said, You should get your own Appraiser to give you a stated value of your truck. You seem to have your build up well documented, that should help your case.
  SGTDEL mentioned the Police investigation. This sounds like another area where things are handled differently in different parts on the country. Around my parts the accident investigations are done by the State Police with the assistance of the local police from the town in which the accident took place.
  I think unless it's a fatal accident or one involving serious bodily injury( which thankfully was not the case) you would not see an accident reconstruction team responding to the scene.

[Mike Phillips]

 
  I think unless it's a fatal accident or one involving serious bodily injury( which thankfully was not the case) you would not see an accident reconstruction team responding to the scene.

That is correct and what the Police Officer stated last night.

[Lt.Del]

it must be different, because here, it doesn't matter if it is a fatality or not.  They don't reconstruct the accident necessarily, but, they measure the distances of impact versus where the truck ended up, as well as other things to determine speed and such.  When it goes to court, the evidence is there, and there is no guess work or he said, she said stuff. 

Again, remember, Liam Nessam's (sp?) wife didnt think she was hurt on the ski slopes and later that night the swelling in her brain caused her death.  An injury can take a day or two to materialize and if there is little evidence and the scene has been compromised, the defense attorney will love you.  I see it all the time in court.