Z Damage

Ash and I when to lunch on November 12th at noon to get some delicious Vietnamese food. We finished our meal and went on to the Hong Kong food market to get some noodles for later. We chucked our cargo into the back of the Z and got in. When we pulled out of the spot, and were in the middle of the aisle, Ash noticed a white Honda CR-V. Thinking quickly we honked the horn twice, but it was too late. The driver didn't notice my bright yellow Z. The CR-V's spare tire sunk into the back corner of my precious Z and pushed in the sheet metal. It doesn't look like much, but you have to keep in mind, this isn't a bolt in part. The Z was built on a unit body frame. This piece of stamped sheet steel represents a portion of the pillar between the hatch and the quarter panel windows, the rear portion of the door jamb, the wheel arch and a portion of the rear that goes from the edge of the hatch and down to the edge of the exhaust pipe. Since a decent auto-body shop (Lakewood Car Clinic, Inc.) is just around the corner from my house, I dropped by to get a estimate. After taking some notes, Steve (the manager) punched some facts and figures and (professional) estimates into the computer he printed up a price breakdown of $2,718.41. I wasn't too shocked, considering the NOS (new old stock) sheet steel costs around $950.00 from my source. Fortunately, Steve is a professional, and his estimates reflect a professional replacement of the sheet metal, and not a hammer and Bondo solution (which is thoroughly unacceptable). I will get a few more estimates, but since these estimates are done to an industry standard, I'd imagine they will all be about the same cost. Half of the price estimated was in paint and clear coat, blending the paint with the original paint. The accident was not my fault, and I'm certain that the responsible insurance company will pay for the damages in full, to get my poor Z back to where it was before the accident. So, shed a single tear but, remain strong with the knowledge that this 240 will drive the streets of Houston with it's original body lines once again. Not to mention, the entire rear of the vehicle will be freshly painted yellow again.

	A trip to Pho Tau Bay goes horribly wrong. Click on the links below for close-ups.
	Ash and I when to lunch on November 12th at noon to get some delicious Vietnamese food. We finished our meal and went on to the Hong Kong food market to get some noodles for later. We chucked our cargo into the back of the Z and got in. When we pulled out of the spot, and were in the middle of the aisle, Ash noticed a white Honda CR-V. Thinking quickly we honked the horn twice, but it was too late. The driver didn't notice my bright yellow Z. The CR-V's spare tire sunk into the back corner of my precious Z and pushed in the sheet metal. It doesn't look like much, but you have to keep in mind, this isn't a bolt in part. The Z was built on a unit body frame. This piece of stamped sheet steel represents a portion of the pillar between the hatch and the quarter panel windows, the rear portion of the door jamb, the wheel arch and a portion of the rear that goes from the edge of the hatch and down to the edge of the exhaust pipe. Since a decent auto-body shop (Lakewood Car Clinic, Inc.) is just around the corner from my house, I dropped by to get a estimate. After taking some notes, Steve (the manager) punched some facts and figures and (professional) estimates into the computer he printed up a price breakdown of $2,718.41. I wasn't too shocked, considering the NOS (new old stock) sheet steel costs around $950.00 from my source. Fortunately, Steve is a professional, and his estimates reflect a professional replacement of the sheet metal, and not a hammer and Bondo solution (which is thoroughly unacceptable). I will get a few more estimates, but since these estimates are done to an industry standard, I'd imagine they will all be about the same cost. Half of the price estimated was in paint and clear coat, blending the paint with the original paint. The accident was not my fault, and I'm certain that the responsible insurance company will pay for the damages in full, to get my poor Z back to where it was before the accident. So, shed a single tear but, remain strong with the knowledge that this 240 will drive the streets of Houston with it's original body lines once again. Not to mention, the entire rear of the vehicle will be freshly painted yellow again.