[j911brick]

After spending the past couple days reading all the posts I must say:"YOU GUYS ARE MORONS!". Just kidding. You work on enough cars long enough and your bound to make mistakes. In fact I done almost everything described previously in the thread and then some. But at least i have never required a hospital visit (knock on wood). The truth is I have learned over the years that everybody makes mistakes. Most the time it doesn't amount to much or result in injury or death, but that doesn't mean its any less significant. The fact that nobody was hurt is often more a matter of luck/chance than anything and it could have happened the other way just as easy.

In 1972 a stray wheel/tire center punched the windshield of my mother's car sending her to the hospital for a few days.

In 1992 I was traveling on the interstate when a dual wheel assembly came off a 18-wheeler and was headed toward me at 65mph. It came across the freeway at a 45 degree angle, hit a guard rail, and bounced about 50ft in the air. While we were all trying to predict where it was going to land, and steer to avoid it, a Toyota wagon pulled into my path and cut me off. The wheels center punched his grill and brought his car to an immediate halt. The 50lb bag of cement he had in the back kept going at 65mph and hit the driver on the back of the head. Another split second and that wheel assembly might have landed in his lap, or if he had not cut me off I might have hit it. I was shaking for three days after that.

A few years ago I was at the races and pitted in the garages. My friend and competitor was pitted directly across from me. He needed to borrow a banjo bolt to fix his fuel pump and since I carry allot of spares I gave him one. So while he had the front of his car jacked up to replace the fitting, I was working in the engine compartment of my car, with my dually parked right behind me. My buddy finishes his car and calls somebody over to start the car so he can check for leaks. That person forgot to check if the car was in gear. Since it was cold it went immediately to high idle as it jumped off the jack stands. It raced across the garage and crashed into my car, pushing my car back and pinning me against my dually. For a moment I thought I was a goner. The race officials wanted to suspend this person but I talked then out of it. I also would not accept payment for damage to my car. Like I said: we all make mistakes, (even if we don't get caught).

One of my FUBAR moments;
Recently I caught fire to the engine in my 911...three times...in one day. Halon is your friend!

Does anybody remember the Cooper Cup awards?