Damaged Roadster Repair...

[Datsun-San]

After a bad accident, my '69 roadster has suffered some severe front body damage to the front valence, fenders, and windshield frame. The car smacked into a rotten tree when I swerved off the road to avoid an oncoming jeep cutting the median. The tree splintered impacting all stress on the right front wheel buckling it and ripping the A-arm suspension attachments straight off. From this point the car whipped round backwards in down a 50 or so foot ravine. As it slid down to its stopping point, a fallen log situated at an angle speared up through the windshield between my passengers and my own head. The car, now halted by the log tip over onto its side, motor still running. My passenger and I walked away from the incident with only some cuts. I was late taken to hospital with shock.

 

Damage wise, the chassis is still straight. The fenders both sides are crumpled but only the fenders and bumper are are bent. The front valence is partly bent due to the fender, but beyond that, only the Right front suspension is ruined. The windshield jettisoned from the car on impact, however, the windshield frame is only bent in one small area and can easily be straightened out. Beyond this, the everything seems hardly touched by the incident windshield back. The electronics all work, the sits on three wheels, and the engine starts up and runs without any troubles. Miraculous really...

 

My question is, are there any shops in the Northwest capable and experienced in early Datsun motorcars? I recantly purchased a parts car from Chad Brockelman of Buckley that has most of the parts needed to repair the damaged suspension and body. However, being 16, my restoration of the car so far had no where near prepared me for this (the accident occurred literally a day after putting the car back on the road.) Are there any shops or people that can do such work? If anyone can help I would be greatly in your debt!

 

Thank you for reading this

-Will

[exit64]

So the question is, did anyone witness this and is insurance going to pay out? I'm guessing no as it would be written off as a total. Did you take it to a body shop and have it checked out on a frame rack or are you just eyeballing it and guessing that it is straight? Post some pictures of the damage. If the frame has a twist in it call it a day and use the good bits on a different car. They come up for sale all the time with bad running gear. I would spend the money to have a shop go over this very carefully. If you decide to fix it, Pay the money to have the A arm welded up by someone who knows what they are doing. You don't want this coming apart at speed. Very bad. Get over to 311s.org and see if there is anyone on there that is local to you. Lots of WA folks that know their stuff with the roadster. Also check out Gordon's Garage online and see if he can point you in the right direction. It sucks that you only got to enjoy her for a day but at least everyone was OK. Cars are easier to fix than broken lives.

Mike

aka exit64

[Datsun-San]

There were only two witnesses to the scene,a mother and daughter that arrived shortly after my friend and I emerged from the ravine. At the time, I didn't care about the car as I was more focused on making sure my friend was okay. and resorting to insurance is seeming less likely now we have assessed the overall situation. We had a professional Restorer take a look at the car where were he concluded the frame to be straight. When we use a jig to level the car and suspension, he would be the one we would go to. However, this man's workshop specializes in Alfa Romeo Restorations, not body repair. His shop can repair the suspension provided that I take the components apart and supply them with the components of the parts car.

 

The WA roadster scene has been really sympathetic towards the case morally which has really helped out getting over the situation. But as I see it, I only know of one pro shop in the area to do Datsun and that is Motorworks which then again is most credited to working on renovating Z cars.

[Braden]

that just makes me sick!!!! holy shit dude you guys had angels all around you!!!, what i wanna know is what happened to the driver of the fucking jeep!!!1 that sonofabitch needs to pay!!!!! did he even stop to see if you were alive??? or did he keep on driving?

[hang_510]

Miraculous really...

:blink:

 

GL bringing her back to life!

[spanky]

dude i have a 66 that is a good car to restore or use as parts you can call me tomarrow at 804 892 3658 or 804 265 8513 thanks and good luck

[Datsun-San]

Sorry for the delay, a heads up on the present I guess.

 

The car is now accompanied by a '69 parts car at Vintage Customs workshop up in Burlington, WA.

Our plan is to repair the car using parts from the parts car. However, we do not know if the red car is still straight or not and will find that out with the shops jig after I get back from Rolex 24 hours at Daytona this weekend. Hopefully, things should go well

[Yakuza]

wow.!..sucks man...glad you & your friend are ok.....any pics of the car sittin on all fours?

[izzo]

Jesus fuck, you're lucky you didn't get a tree thru the head. Glad you're ok. Good luck restoring... I might know someone in Puyallup that could help with that shit. Let me know if interested, i has name/address of friend. Just let him know Tim send ya there...