hilux Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Stuffed me G27 yesterday. Came off a roundabout circa 20-25mph (honest, as I had to allow for a car turning right who shielded the traffic), gunned it hard, hit diesel/wet or something and the rear went offside big time 150 degrees, couldnt catch it (bl**** LSD, next time I`ll fit traction control) slid off the road (luckily no kerb to flip the car or so I thought) and hit a lamppost about 30 feet further on from the roundabout. The car hit the post (a mate drove me past it today and the post was at 45 degrees so they had to cut the top off), I thought it was going to hit me dead centre and I genuinely said goodbye to everyone but luckily for me it hit just forward of my body. The car spun round and rolled upside down on a downslope, petrol leaking etc etc and me upside down in my harness. Luckily the roll over bars I made held up (even though the struts werent fitted) and the windscreen surround stayed basically intact (although if you look closely you can see that the offside screen where it meets the scuttle had sheared even though it has a 16g steel tube in it) It was the top edge of the screen that hit my face instead of the lamp post. I dont know how I managed to drop out of the harness (next time it will be a 6 point quick release harness where all straps release instead of a lap buckle) but the smell of a sheared filler pipe leaking fuel into the cockpit gives you an impetus I suppose. The drivers door was still ok amazingly so I had to kick it to pieces to crawl out. The bonnet is just sitting on the car in the recovery company garage as it landed the right way up at the front of the car which was by then upside down so I assume the bonnet brackets sheared. The rear wing is split along the top and the laminated screen must have held for a second before the pillar sheared. Looking at photos the offside trailing arms behind the exhaust should be parallel but now arent so I assume the axle has shifted and therefore the chassis in relation to the body (this must have happened for to shear off the fuel filler pipe) It is a telling testament to Ginettas racing heritage and the solidity of the chassis that it was in the condition found at the car recovery garage and according to the recovery manager still rolls and steers. It will be a write off so I`ve now got to battle with the insurers, ho hum. Whiplash (collar when I get tired), 4 glued cuts ( I dont like needles/stitches), lacerations (mainly due to scrambling through a Quickthorn hedge in my haste to escape) a broken nose, bruised right eye (sunglasses) fractured cheek, cracked and bruised ribs, severe bruising, back pain and a right knee that is bruised and swollen where the chassis did bend at that point just forward of a crossmember. I am one lucky SOB and very glad to be alive and consider that the combination of roll over bars and four point harness and that I didnt receive a personal direct hit on the lamp post was all that saved me. It was lucky too that there was a car behind as it was so far down the slope no one passing would have seen me if I was unconcious etc Absolute minimum rule of thumb for my next car..... FULL roll cage Side impact bars 5 or 6 point QUICK RELEASE harness To those of you who have not yet fitted the RAC roll bar........DO SO NOW To those of you who have not yet fitted a side impact bar........I would highly recommend it as the Ginetta at least had the door, sill box section AND chassis which was given the severest test imaginable. I sold the Westy cos I was primarily worried about side entry protection (or lack of it) and have been proved right....I Think Anyway I`m sore and going for a lie down........ TAKE CARE OUT THERE CHAPS Quote
DickieB Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Nightmare. Glad to hear you're "relatively" OK. Hope you recover fully soon. Quote
stu999 Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Not a good start to the new year, sorry to hear about this mate. As you say though, at least you are OK... Tragically, the Blatchat community has recently recieved bad news of the worst kind It is hard at any time of year, but especially so ATM... Quote
jak Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 You were indeed lucky, glad you are on the mend and I'm also glad I ordered the RAC rollbar. Hope that you feel better soon. John. Quote
Rob Navin Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Glad to here you got away with it quite lightly mate. Real shame about the car after all the hard work that you put into it. Rob Quote
Mark Stanton Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Big ouch - glad to read you're o.k (ish) Quote
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 I don't know you personally, but I've been watching your posts on oil pump prime, etc., and been pleased you got it sorted and were enjoying the car. I am really sorry to read of your event. Nil desparandum, there's always other cars, that's what insurance is for, after all. There's no new bodies though, and you still have yours. Still sorry though. Quote
deano.1 Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Sorry to see that matey but as you say at least your still here! Perhaps some good may come of it if it convinces a few more people to fit proper roll bars Quote
Camel_Landy Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Blimey Mate! I'm glad you're OK, but are you ever going to get a chance to drive one of your cars? Mark. Quote
Gromit Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 bl**** hell, after all that work Glad to hear thought that you come out of it in one peice though. Get well soon. Phil Quote
scott beeland Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Scary indeed and glad to hear your ok. I saw the thread re loss of another se7ener over the New Year over the new yr too. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE Quote
ChrisF Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Sorry to read this and I'm glad that you are in 'reasonable' condition...It's ironic that you sold the westy for the reason you did, then carried out all that hard work for this to happen Get well soon Quote
cidersurfer Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Ouch! Glad to hear you're relatively okay. Quote
Buzz Billsberry Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Hilux I'm so sorry to here about your accident and really please the injuries were minor..Looking at the picky's its sad to see a nice car wasted but the main thing is you're ok. Keep your pecker up at least its only the car and your pride thats seriously damaged. Cars and pride can be restored Get well soon bud Buzz Quote
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) Posted January 3, 2005 Posted January 3, 2005 Never met you, but having seen a lot of your posts, makes it all seem a lot closer to home. Hope you get better quickly, all the best. It's extremely worrying how many accidents there seem to be at the moment. Quote
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