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14K views 238 replies 41 participants last post by  FSU_Noles 
#1 ·
Nope, not a joke.

Its 2:45AM right now.

around 11:30PM Saturday night, I was bored, listening to classic rock and decided to go for a cruise. I wanted to drive the '79.

On my way coming back, I go into the left turn lane, blinker on the light is green... I thought I had the green arrow. I nearly stop, nobody is in the intersection, so I start to make my left turn.

The next thing I know is I see headlights approaching rapidly, nothing really clicked until I heard a dull thud, I got jolted forward and my hood went flying up.

I realized I just had a wreck... not a little wreck, a big wreck. Sitting in the car, my foot still to the floor on the brakes and both hands on the wheel, no idiot lights were on, and the 425 was still running. I went to put it in Park... shifters jambed, stuck in Neutral. I go to shut the enigne off.... the ignition is jambed... I yanked the key off and got the engine to shut off, but the key is still stuck in the ignition. I get out of the car thru the driver door.. it is stiff and binding against the fender.

The car that hit me was a ~2000 Toyota Camery. It was a hispanic couple with an infant in a car seat in the back. The baby was fine, not even crying. The women driving was ok, the man in the passenger seat had a cut on his face, I think it was from glass as the windsheild shattered from the airbag.

tow trucks came, ambulance came, fire truck came, lots of cops came. The Camry rolled off tot he side, the Caddy is still in the intersection, I walked over and closed the hood (not that it latched) and the grille was hanging, I broke that off and put it on the back seat floor.

so AAA covered the towing, the car is currently at the gated yard. They are closed tomorrow, so I'll go Monday.

In the yard I got to really look the car over. Its definitly totaled. It was an extreme driver side hit, exactly like my mothers accident in her '84 DeVille (also involved with a Camry) The damn thing... the interior lights still went on, turn the key on and the dash lights come on and the seat belt bell rings...

The 425 is a beast though, it was still running... NOTING leaked.. I checked the oil level, it was full, tranny fluid, full... not even the radiator (which was hit) leaked, when I removed the cap, it was full. The whole frame is twisted, the engine is pushed hard to the right and back, the whole steering linkage is bent. The worst is that the frame is literally rolled back into the left front wheel, and it is locked up... we had trouble getting it off the tow truck. The drivers door is dented and the windsheild is cracked (after we got it off the truck) The fan isn't even hitting the radiator.. I wanted to try and start it, just for the self gratification, but the ignition is jambed... I'll deal with that later. If it wasn't for the fact that the frame is bent into the tire, she would roll.

I always told myself is something like this happened to the car, I would rebuild it... but, I don't think that can happen. Everything from the firewall forward AFA the chassis is shot. I am going to try my hardest to buy the car back and store it at our new property up North a bit, as there are lots of very useful parts and stuff I did to this car. I still can't believe this happened. I did not have full coverage, so its a loss on my part.

No tickets were issued... the tow truck driver said it is most likely a no-fault type thing where both parties were at fault.... I dunno man, this was my first car accident, I still can't believe it happened to me, and my car.

The only thing I remember is laying on the brakes trying to see why this car is right in front of me, then getting jolted forward and seeing my hood fly up. From a safety point, the car did great as everything worked the way it was supposed to, I didn't even hit the steering wheel.

My car hit their left fender/door... the Camry has gotta be totaled also... the damage on their car, while extensive, didn't look as bad as mine... then again, I was at the disadvantage both in position and speed, just like in my mothers accident.

The car... To have the frame strightened and all is going to be too much work then its worth. I guess my best bet, with anything on that car, is to find another car like it and swap stuff over... which isn't happening for a loong time due to time/money. It just sucks so much, this whole night I was driving it, about a half hour, I was just so happy with the car, everything has been working perfect, I was really enjoying it, and thinking about the big plans I have for it... its just so hard to comprehend, I am sure when I see it in the day and have time to think it over, it is just going to be so different... I feel like I owe this car something back, and when I start to dig into it, maybe the frame can be strightened out... or maybe it is just my mind going crazy to pretend this never happened.

Nearly 2 years and 10k miles with this car... took it from nearly going to the junkyard to making it a very showable classic. I paid $300 for it and put, all said and done, including new tires, painted door and tune up... less then $1,000 into it. It isn't a loss in terms of money. It does get to me that I could have sold it for atleast $3,000... but its a loss for what it means to me, because that car ment alot to me.

Ah gosh... sorry for the really long post.. I know its not the type of post someone would make after such a thing... but I am just shocked and frazzled, still can't believe it happened.

Tomorrow I'll stop by, even though they are closed, I'll snap some pictures... Monday I'll get more. The end of the 1979 Sedan DeVille d'Elegance has come... atleast for a while.... after such an amazing, faultless trip down from NY to FL....

Yes, I am glad it wasn't the Coupe.. I don't know what I would have done in that case... but still my mind is going crazy... WHY did I decide to go out for a cruise... but then again, driving and listening to music is one of my favorite things in the world, so I guess we need to ask ourself... why do we do the things we enjoy?

ah gosh... I gotta get some sleep now.
 
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#2 ·
:(





The most recent pictures... our mini-meet in Tampa... LAST WEEKEND!







After looking at the pictures.. I gotta say, its really starting to set in, and I am quite upset right now... if it keeps going at this rate, I can just imagine the amount of ideas running thru my head to fix it up....
 
#4 ·
Eeeeeccchhhh.... I dunno what to say dude......, I really don't... If you could see my face though..... That royally sucks... All the ****in' work you put into it too, it was one of the nicest '79's I've ever seen too. Maybe it's just a bad time for you to be driving what with the flooded Coupe and all.... I don't even know what to think about this. I drove my Fleetwood home tomight in 2 inches of snow and had a mental image of something happening to mine at around that same time.... You're a hell of a mechanic though, I'm sure there's something you could do.... Maybe buy another '79 Sedan and swap everything over? I don't think anything I say will console you but I definately feel for you.... I'll be sure to let you know if I spot any on ebay or anything like that.
 
#5 ·
Sorry to hear that.

So you think the Camry bent the frame on that car? I'd be surprised if it did. We got this '87 Regal for parts and as we got into it we found that as bad as it looks, it's really just cosmetic and mechanical. Frame's not bent at all:

http://www.turbojimmy.com/86_limited.htm

Anyway, if I were you I'd think about hanging on to it if the frame's not bent. It is/was a beautiful example of a classic Cadillac.

Jim
 
#6 ·
OH No!!!!!!!!!!

I am so sorry to read this.
What a beautiful car, you must have put so much time into it (which is always the bigger issue than money).

I hope you can somehow salvage it.
To have save it from the junkyard and for this to happen, that is such cruel luck.


Obviously, the main thing is you're ok.
As hard as it can sometimes be, it's always worth remembering that things could be worse.

Good luck to you.
I hope you can bring her back.
 
#11 ·
Hey Rick - I don't understand about the accident - were you making a left turn, and the Camry hit you while in the other crossing street? If you were making a LEGAL left, then they would have had a RED LIGHT, no?

If they hit you on your drivers side, I figure they could not have been in the opposing, oncoming lane.. ???

Confused..
 
#12 ·
turbojimmy said:
Sorry to hear that.

So you think the Camry bent the frame on that car? I'd be surprised if it did. We got this '87 Regal for parts and as we got into it we found that as bad as it looks, it's really just cosmetic and mechanical. Frame's not bent at all:

http://www.turbojimmy.com/86_limited.htm

Anyway, if I were you I'd think about hanging on to it if the frame's not bent. It is/was a beautiful example of a classic Cadillac.

Jim
I'll say it right now... that Regal is in bettershape then my '79.

Not only was the impact ectreme driver-side... but with the Camry going ~40mph, the way it hit, all that force pushed the whole front end left.

The passenger headlights aren't even broken, while the driver side bumper is pushed passed the tire. The whole A-arm is bent back.

The impact broke the brand new hood ornamanet right off the car, the engine bracing under the hood, part of it just ripped right out, you can see the frame is twisted.

I need to go back in the day... today I'll pass by, they are closed but I'll get some pics from the side of the fence.

The left front tire is stuck since the frame is pushed into it... the tow truck driver hammered a ski under the tire and put oil down and between letting the whinch go and both of us rocking it, we were able to get it off. I thought maybe let the air out of the tire and let it sit on the wheel, atleast it'll roll... but he said not to do that.

If it was a direct head on, I don't think it would be near as bad...

the air cleaner is resting against the rear passenger side engine bracing, the alternator is jambed into the side... the brand new battery looks like it'll be tough to remove.
 
#13 ·
Thank goodness no one was hurt seriously, but I'm really sorry to hear the loss of your Cadi. Like you said it's all part of the plan, and even though it doesn't usually look very good at the time, it has a way of working out. Good luck with whichever direction you chose to go. :)
 
#16 ·
Here is a drawing I made up to kinda show it... I was going less then 10mph, as I was in the process of making my left turn, the speed limit on that road is 45mph, I'd say they had to be doing close to that. I had a green light, I know that much. I thought it was the arrow, maybe it was just a regular green light. I remeber slowing way down, near a stop at the part you woud normally stop at, and there were cars on the otherside but it appeared as if they were stopped, I waited a few seconds and nobody was moving, so I made my turn.

I really have to hand it to Florida for having the most screwed up traffic lights and signals... I don't know how many times something like this has almost happened, or I saw it almost happen. Add to the fact there was light rain... and it wasn't very favorable.

I know the insurance is going to go up... thats a killer. Of course the thoughts of what, if any legal action is going to be taken against me. If it comes out to be a no-fault, and nobody was hurt or anything... then I dunno, from my stand point I don't see myself doing anything against them, as long as they have insurance and what not... it seems like it is going to be between the insurance companies.
 

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#19 ·
Sorry to hear about the 79 being in an accident, but I'm glad you're ok. Hopefully it can be rebuilt or many parts can be grafted onto another one.
 
#21 · (Edited)
OH MY GOD!!!!

Wow Rick I never thought this would happen to you!

What a sad, unfortunate thing to happen to such a fine car!
It would be bad if it was my deVille or something, but it was much worse because you love your cars so much, plus of your three cars, this one was your favorite!


Well I'm very glad that you're ok, because that's all that really matters. And that the beast did a very good job of protecting you, and there are many other very nice deVilles and Fleetwood Broughams of this era for dirt cheap.

It sounds like your car got hit in the same spot as my dad's 1991 Mazda 626, but only much much worse.
Dad was stopped in the left turn lane, turning into the local Rainbow Foods. Kid in a white Cavalier is coming out of Rainbow Foods parking lot, making a right onto the street that my dad is in. Than the kid in white cavalier goes out into traffic, then this girl in the black Cavalier almost hits him, swerves to miss and hits my dad's Mazda (193k miles, the car I took my drivers test in) in the front left corner, and somehow bounces off and hits the rear driver's side door. Anyways my dad and 7 year old brother were alright. But that car was totaled, and actually someone bought it, fixed it and sold it again!?!?! :bonkers:


The 626.

The Cavalier that hit him.

Actually, the Mazda doesnt look that bad when compared to the Cavy, you can chalk that up to steel fenders! I bet if my car was hit in the same region, the fenders would crack and shatter. Oh wait......


And if it's any consolation, I despise Toyotas!
 
#24 ·
Damn man, crashes are just plain no fun. My friend got hit in almost the exact same situation you were in, and it was ruled a no fault as well. I'll wait for pictures to say anything one way or another, but you sound pretty sure its done. At least your ok, and you have the other car down there with you.

It really sucks losing a car that way though, especially after you put a lot of work into it like you have. But who knows, maybe you'll spot that Wrangler or '68 off to the side of the road... Things have a funny way of working themselves back out after awhile.
 
#26 ·
Man that really blows, Night Wolf... :crying2: But as other members have said, thank God nobody got hurt.

My dad used to have a '79 deVille (not the d'elegance trim) the exact same color as yours. It was a really great car.

There's much to be said about driving big cars and having accidents. The odds are usually against the occupants of the smaller car during a serious collision. All the seatbelts, airbags, padded this and that cannot change the laws of physics. F=mv^2. Always has and always will. Believe me, you want the "m" (mass) on your side.

Back in 1982 I was driving my '75 Buick Electra (mega-tank if there ever was one !!) and got rear ended by a cop. He hit me doing around 15-20 MPH and he was driving one of those shitty Dodge Diplomats or Plymouth Caravelles. His hood buckled, radiator punctured and windshield cracked - he was OK. Damage to my Buick -- bent tailpipe (as the rear bumper telescoped in - those were the days of 5 MPH bumper laws - it bent the tailpipe down). Damage to me - spilled my coffee. That's it. I drove off and he was towed.
 
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