How was YOUR day......Hope it was better than mine

Chris Bunker · 07-19-2001, 05:38 PM

Yep, today I wrecked my Porsche.
Spun it off the track at DE.
5 more inches one way and I'da missed the barrier altogether.

Actually the car doesn't appear to be in terrible shape, really. The concrete barrier just caught the front seam of the door as I was spinning backward and wiped out the fender and gave me about 6 inches of stagger on the driver's side. Looks like the strut and control arm are toast.

Thankfully my club's Head Instructor is also the service/parts/bodyshop manager at a local dealership and he knows the Adjuster for my insurance company.

Thankfully I seemed to have come through the incident unscathed, however, I must have knocked my head or something on impact because according to the video (today was the first day with the new camera mount) I seemed to have forgotten most of the English language and was only able to utter a single word (repeatedly) for the first 5 minutes post-impact.

I am in surprisingly good spirits considering I F'd up my pride and joy. But it is just a car, thank god I have insurance, and I only pray things will go smoothly with the repair/settlement.

So help me feel better guys, tell me 'bout the time you wrapped your precious 911 around a Jersey barrier/lightpole/armco/haybale/tire barrier/etc.....

Chris Bunker
78 SC

[This message has been edited by Chris Bunker (edited 07-19-2001).]

john walker's workshop · 07-19-2001, 05:42 PM

just don't tell your insurance company it happened at the track.

jsmarcus · 07-19-2001, 05:48 PM

Wow. Glad to hear you are OK. I haven't wrecked, but have definately hurt (see post on hitting a tire)

I'm going to be the one to ask, but .....will you post the footage? You are still alive and the car can be repaired, but good for you for pushing the car to it's limits!

------------------
Josh
Black on Black '84 Carrera

Natchamp · 07-19-2001, 05:49 PM

That is a real bummer Chris, sorry to hear about it. I don't think I can say anything to chear you up except.....just think of how much fun you were having before it happened!

------------------
Mark
The Beast
mark@hargett.com

Jack Olsen · 07-19-2001, 07:58 PM

That's bad, but it looks like you're covered, insurance-wise, and (most importantly) you weren't hurt.

If you've got to choose between hitting the wall at the track and hitting the wall on the freeway, the track (with a helmet) is a lot safer place to do it.

------------------
Jack Olsen
My Rennlist home page • My Pelican Gallery page • My Porsche Owners Gallery page

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Sorry to hear it.....hope the insurance works out.

jguthr · jguthr's Garage

Chris, if your insurance covers this one I want to know the name of the company and how much you're paying! I agree with John, unless you're damn sure they'll cover on-track incidents you'd better be a good liar. All of the "big" insurance companies I checked with about DE coverage said SORRY.

Will · 07-20-2001, 04:35 AM

Chris - Sounds like you were at Waterford Hills yesterday - I was driving the white '87 Carrera. It's sad to see such a beautiful car damaged, but it looks repairable, and I'm glad you're OK. Waterford seems to have more than it's share of excursions that result in contact with something hard. Do let us know how the insurance thing works out - I've always been curious about this. I have a '97 C2S I'd like to take to Waterford, but I'd hate to damage it and be left with the entire bill. Keep us posted on what happens with your car.

Will
Ann Arbor, MI

EdHut · 07-20-2001, 02:16 PM

All this concerns about whether or not the insurance will cover on track accidents makes me think of the Nurburgring.

Technically the old Nurburgring is a public road nowadays!
OK, you have to pay to drive on this road, and it is only one way traffic, but hey, you can't have everything

Ed

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

Sorry to hear about it. But I'm glad your ok. Without sounding too brass, can you post the video?

------------------
Paul
78SC Targa

Chris Bunker · 07-20-2001, 04:45 PM

Well, the ball is rolling now.
I filed the claim this AM with the ins. co.,
and the Adjuster is going to look the car over Monday AM.

>Without sounding too brass, can you post the video?

Ohhhh suuure, I knew it, thats all you sick bastards want to do is look at some crash footage for your own perverted pleasure! Well, I'm not gonna do it!

Actually I'd love to, but I had a look at the video last night, and unfortunately it did not come out as nice as I had hoped. I am using my 7 yr old Sony 8mm that has seen better days, and I have it mounted on an I/O rig. Although the I/O mount has a rubber isolator the vibrations still freek the camera out every once and awhile and the picture and sound go away for a second or so. The weird thing is that if I fast forward or rewind through a section the picture appears fine? I am thinking the mechanism in the camera is gummed up or something. Besides I have no way of converting the 8mm tape into an MPEG, or a site to host it on, sorry. I could have really used a wider angle lens as well.

From what I CAN gather from the tape, my recollection of the incident, and the darkies my old R1s left on the track, it appears that once I had finished braking for the corner (no trail braking here) and had just passed the apex a moment after starting to apply the throttle, I exceeded the grip of the rear tires and was not able to catch it in time.

As an aside:
I am running the original R1s (of unknown vintage - anyone know how to read date codes on sidewalls?) on a set of 9X16s that I bought last year, and I am afraid that the limit of these tires has just too sharp of a drop off for my talent level at this early stage in my Porsche driving career. I need to find something a little bit more forgiving and progressive in the near future.

Anyway, back to the important stuff...

P.S. If you could all cross your fingers between say 8am to 11am EST on Monday AM I'd greatly appreciate the help!

CB

stray15 · stray15's Garage

Post the DOT number and I will be able to tell you!

Porsche, through and through
Tim
'83 944
http://community.webshots.com/user/strayer15

http://www.geocities.com/tstray15/Home.html

Chris Bunker · 07-23-2001, 05:55 PM

Well, I'm not sure if it was the awesome power of the Pelican Collective who were all pulling for me this morning, or just that MetLife is a great company (I hesistate to say that since this is FAR from over - we have yet to understand the potential far reaching consequences of this matter), hut it appears that everything is going to work out fine.
The Body Shop Mgr said the Rep came by this morning and looked at the car and estimate (which was priced out with all new parts), and had asked about maybe using some used body parts, like a fender and/or rocker panel cover. The Mgr assured me they would not use anything that wasn't absolutely rust free, if they could even find something. Of course the suspension parts will be brand new. He said he'd know more on Wednesday what the parts situation was.
I was so excited that I didn't even ask how much the estimate was, or how long they'd have it.

I've won this first battle, but I don't think this will be the end of it. I have acquired a less than Lillywhite driving record over the past few years, and to my amazement I am not being surcharged for those violations. I don't know if it is because I have never had a claim with them (other than a cracked windshield now and then) or what, but I am afraid my luck is going to run out. I shouldn't even be talking about this for fear of jinxing myself (not that I'm really superstitious).
We shall see.

Well, thats all I know for the time being, thanks for listening.

Later,
Chris Bunker
78 SC in recovery

P.S. I'll have a look at the date codes on the tires when I see them next.

Chris Bunker · 08-31-2001, 08:57 AM

Things have finally turned around. I now have my car back, and it is better than it was before (except for the stigma of having been bent). Yep, I picked it up yesterday after more than a month, and man I never realized how much I missed it until I was back in the driver seat again.

I took the opportunity to make a couple upgrades while the repairs were being made.
The left strut was trashed so I opted for some new HD Bilsteins in lieu of a stock Boge replacement, got the Sports for the rear to.
I decided it was time for some new rubber as well, and settled on a 225/245 set of Yoko A032s.
Intial impression on the tires and shocks from the drive home from the body shop was that it was better riding than my BFG R1/Boge setup from before.

Anyway, it all worked out in the end. My car is better, and I have yet to see anything from the Ins Co. saying they are going to jack my rates (I think I would have since I renewed a couple weeks ago).

Once Again A Happy Porsche Driver,
Chris Bunker

lsolon · 08-31-2001, 10:00 AM

That just plain sucks! Hopefully ins. will cover it. Thank your lucky stars that your here to write about.
I was at a NASA event about 3 yrs. ago at sears pt. The rubber gasket on the gas cap came off. Came around a corner right behind a nsx. Gas had sloshed out of the filler tube, was running under the car and spraying on the rear tire. Hit the gas at about 40mph. The car spun like I was on ice. I landed about six inches from the tires. Didn't know what had happend. Back on track, fished tailed around turn 3. Came off track-black flagged. A driver behind me came up and told me something was spaying on my tire. A little duct tape and on my way.
Good luck!

Will · 09-01-2001, 01:36 PM

Chris,

I'm glad this worked out. I look forward to seeing you at Waterford Hills again soon.

Will

------------------
'87 Carrera Coupe
'97 993 Carrera S
'96 BMW R1100RT

Two Oh · 09-01-2001, 06:01 PM

Thank goodness it wasn't a pre '74.

Glad that you survived without injury.

09-02-2001, 01:13 AM

Remember the film clip with the, Subaru?, that ended on its roof? The drivers first word was F**K...

The worst is probably the things that goes through one's mind the second before impact. You really think a lot in just one second. I crashed a lowly Kia Pride St.car in the winter snow last winter. New front fender and both left hand doors repainted. Oops..