'66 Convertible was victim of a hit and run

["Wm. R. Ulman" <twolaneblacktop@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, today has been quite the day.  This morning two buses were seen
coming from the distance just to not even turn onto our street where my
stop is.  Several people finally gave up and drove in.  I gave a
neighbor of mine a ride downtown as she rides the same bus I do, and
gets off at the same stop.  Today was beautiful, so my neighbor just
squealed with glee when I put the top down, and off we went, in the
express lanes to downtown, off limits to single passenger vehicles.  She
(I never remember her name, she is Asian, and I just always forget) and
her husband have a 2002 BMW, 325i I believe.  Anyway, she could not get
over how big it was inside, and how smooth it rode.  It was fun to have
someone who probably has never been in such an old American car as our
Imperials.

After work, I did not feel like going home with the weather so nice, so
I drove up to the park, and was soon having a big ass Fo*d truck behind
me, a diesel at that, who followed me around, and honked his horn a
couple of times.  I finally pulled over, and it turned out to be an
acquaintance of mine who I speak to often, as he has a '68 Linc**n, and
he does a lot of work on his cars, and really enjoys mine.  We were just
shooting the, well you know, and this Dodge truck pulls up, and then
pulls over, and some guy gets out and comes over and starts looking over
my car, and it turns out his name is Zane, and he has a '59 and a '69
Imperial.  We were all talking and my friend Alan steps away to his
truck and asks me when I got hit!  I said, WHAT!!!!! Lo, and behold, the
front right fender above the bumper is dented in.  Some SUV, or Truck
must have backed into my fender, and I have no idea when, or where.  My
heart just sank.  This is the same side I just had repaired last summer
after clipping the front corner.  Well, Alan is a body shop man, and
swears he can remove the chrome pieces (which are fine, whew!), and pull
out, or fill in the dent.  He said not to call my insurance, as my rates
will go up, they will consider it an accident, regardless of my not even
being in the car at the time it happened.  He swears he can match the
paint, and if I buy it, he will do the repair for $150.00 + I buy the
paint, and new clips if needed for the chrome strip along the fender.
He does not know if they will be reusable, but said they are the same
his Linco*n uses, and are readily available.  This must be true since
the body shop that did such a great job last year was able to get them
no problem.  Last year, the bill was over $1,600.00 and J.C. Taylor paid
that with no problem.  Now the car is a daily driver again, and I'm sure
SAFECO will not be as nice as J.C. Taylor, plus per Alan, it should not
cost more than $500.00 even if he did it on shop time, which he isn't.

It really pisses me off that people don't take responsibility anymore.
Alan was saying he was sure it was a Chevy truck, because there are
three rubber streak marks, and he says many late model  Chevy's have a 3
ribbed bumper strip.  I just can't think of where, or when it happened.
Doug, who parks next to me in my Condo drives a BMW, and the dent is
above the bumper where the fender comes over the high point in the
bumper.  I guess I should be thankful none of the trim pieces were
damaged.  Man, I just get a job, and can see food on the table again,
and maybe some of the more basic living items one takes for granted
until every dime you make goes to cover the mortgage when you have been
laid off twice in 18 months, and my newer car got repossed, etc...

I just hope Alan knows what he is doing.  I tend to be a little leery
about backyard bodywork, and mechanics.  I have seen his Lincoln though,
and he did quite an nice job on that.  I gave him the paint touch up the
body shop gave me last summer, and he is going to have it matched later
in the week.  He is willing to do the job this weekend if I can be
without the car.

So, back to Zane, who recently moved here from Denver, and mentioned
Wayne Jorgensen, and his red '66 vert.  Zane had been a member of the
list before, and now may join again.  I have his number, so I will try
to keep in touch with him.  He seemed like a nice guy, and I would love
to see his '69.  I told him I wanted to get a '69-72 Fuselage Imperial.
Who knows.  Anyway, Alan is going to also, for free, remove my drivers
door, and paint, and replace the hinge with the one I bought 2 years
ago, and have been carrying in my trunk, and fill in the nick in the
left front fender from where the door swung open to far and chipped the
paint off.  I am grateful for his kind offer, but am also nervous about
it too.  I could report the damage to my insurance, and pay higher rates
for 3 years, or go on faith.  I am trying to give faith a bigger chunk
of my energy these days, so I guess I will go that route.

Thanks for "listening",

Bill Ulman
Seattle, WA
'66 Crown Conv. - Doris Day (needing some plastic surgery)