Well gents, I come to you humiliated and embarrassed.



I had planned to create a progress thread as I went about changing bits on my Miata to suit my desires. I got the passenger seat moved to the driver side but hadn't yet mounted the stock seat in the passenger side.

I didn't want to drive the car to work this morning, but I left the keys to my beater at work so I had no choice. Coming out of a roundabout there's a slight off-camber left over rise. I overestimated the amount of available grip and it started to come around on me (it was raining). Due to the curve being off-camber, it never caught. Hit the curb and into the bushes.



Damage on the driver side isn't too bad.



The bumper came loose but it was secured by zip ties on top and it wasn't in bad shape. I removed it before pulling the car out so it wouldn't get ripped off.

The passenger side is... quite bad. After pulling the car out I see that the right rear wheel is way off (and fubared), the right front wheel is fubared and misaligned... and even the left front wheel is dinged and seems off as well. It's bad.



Had it taken to the collision center at the dealership where I work, where it will sit til Monday when we can take a closer look.

I have been through anger, sadness, and humiliation. I have nobody to blame for myself. Never put a car in the bushes before, and I'll never do it again. Just wish I could have learned my lesson with a different car. It breaks my heart!

The car still starts and will even move under its own power (only went like 3 feet). everything up front is fine. It's going to be a matter of sorting the suspension damage and figuring out what to do with the bodywork. Hardtop is unharmed, both doors open and close perfectly, etc.

I expect it'll end up totaled, but who knows. Anyhow, I'll chronicle its progress here. If it's totaled I'm obviously going to buy it back and either fix it, or buy another one and swap parts.

Feel free to neg prop as necessary.

 

Well that was quick.

Bloddy hell man, so sorry it went down like that. At least you are ok. Rear subframe, suspension components and 6ULs are easily acquired. Rear fender is going to take a biiiiiit more work.

You have the technology, you can rebuild it.

 

Wow, I don't know what to say except I'm glad there were no injuries.

 

Thanks, yeah I feel fine physically. I had a pretty bad headache but I think that was more a combination of stress from the accident and from work (had sales appointments I couldn't miss, etc). These "racing" seats (I was in a Sparco Sprint V) are freaking incredible. I never at any moment felt unsafe. No moving around.

I will rebuild it, and I expect I'll end up rebuilding THIS one. The damage is nothing like what happened to Jeff's car and I think I will be fine to just fix it up.

Anyway... yeah it sucks and I'm an idiot. Wish this had happened with my GTO instead...

 

WOWWWWWWWWWWWWW I'm so sorry to see this Ed. Oh mannnnnn :(

Glad you're ok though.

And just my personal opinion (which doesn't matter) but I would never ever bother rebuilding that much damage. I'd find a shell for transplant if I were you. Again my sincerest sympathy goes out to you man

 

Thanks V. It all depends on what we find when we get it in the air and see what needs replacing. I'd really rather not do a full shell swap because of my current living situation -- no garage -- so it would be a real challenge. I know a guy who knows a guy who does good, affordable work so maybe that would work...

either way, I will buy it back from the insurance company and I will have a miata together by september in time for Miatas at MRLS. I think

 

Holy Fack...

 

Hey, it could have been worse. You could have met a concrete wall like i did.

Air bags didn't go off which is good.
That rear quarter looks a little slammed though.

 

Wow, bummer. Glad it just hooked into trees and not another car!

I have a bad feeling that it may be totaled, like in the insurance company definition of totaled; that quarter panel/inner fender/subframe mount area is a bitch to work on (theres a lot going on there, it's not like unbolting a fender and banging out the core support would be up front..)

However, I don't think it's totaled, like in the real world sense of the word. The suspension damage is likely a couple control arms and not the subframe itself. That quarter is a challenge, but only a bit more work than one would do if flaring the car in terms of re-skinning it and reconstructing the inner fender. Hell, maybe this is a sign from The Divine that you need more tire for your "spirited" driving style, and should buy the Nopro flares I have in a box somewhere. Brand new, straight from Taka Kiara.

 

He has plenty if tire, but rs3s + cold and wet oregon roads led to this untimely demise.

 

Repairing that rear quarter panel will be the biggest pain ever. It will cost an arm and a leg to do it right, and I am certain the car would never "be the same" afterwards. I would advise against it. But, if you are still set on doing it and need parts you know who to talk to I think we have 2 of those sitting behind the shopj

*edit: and if my bro hasn't scrapped the one off my green SE parts car, you can has it for free

 

That's definitely a total because of the passenger, rear fender.

Jeffbucc has clearly demonstrated the path you need to take. In for another awesome build thread!

 

Sorry for your loss.

 

Wow, I'm surprised at the amount of damage! I wouldn't have thought the bushes would crush the car in so far! A least you aren't hurt. I put my old Mustang into bushes/trees on 3 separate occasions when I was hooning around, it's amazing how quickly it can happen.

In for awesome rebuild.

 

No way I would even consider fixing that chassis with the rear quarter damage, UNLESS I had SERIOUS emotional ties to that tub. Just buy another one to transfer your parts. It will be cheaper, faster and better.

 

Uber bummer. Let me know if you need and help to get it back on the road. I do cheap labor if you let me stroke your Absurd flow hardware.

 

Man its the time of year for dying grey NB2s in Oregon, first Doppel toasts his motor, now this ...
Like Josh said, if you need any help, let the PDX people know, we actually have quite an active thread on CR if you want to join us and we generally have a decent amount of projects that all of us are working on, Im sure you would fit right in.
clubroadster.net/vb_forum/49-northwest-pacific/20353-official-pdx-lounge-343.html

 

Wow man, sorry to see. Didn't last too long.
I vote: swap to a different chassis, but I hate anything that looks or smells remotely close to body work.
Glad you fared well.

 

WOW, was not expecting this. When I read the title my heart sank, I clicked the thread and sure enough it was true. I'm glad you are okay, and I'm glad that you have the will to rebuild it.

BUT, that said. Personally, I would never try to fix that. IMHO, that is a total loss of chassis, and it would be best to re-shell the car. I'd estimate it would cost LESS in the end to find a blown motor NB and swap parts, and then you will have a perfect car again - not one that has been raped and rebuilt.

Anyways, i'm very sorry to read this. I'm not going to lie, i laughed out loud when I saw the first picture, then I saw the picture of the rear 1/4 damage, the reality sat in and i felt really bad for you. Sorry bro, the feelz.

 

Way lame. That tub is done, sorry to say. No way is it going to be economical or reasonable to fix that right quarter. Find a clean NB2 and swap the parts. :(