Thank you for sharing your story with us Bill. I am sorry along with everyone
else to hear about your damage, but it sounds like you've got it covered.
Driving an Imperial as an everyday car means that it will get exposed to the
same things as other everyday cars, even if it is an Imperial named Doris Day.
I am thankful that my Imperials can now enjoy the "good life" and just lounge
around the garage all day, although, that type of non-use also takes a big toll
on them. They need to be used.
You are going to get it coming or going, my friend. At least you and Doris are
getting it on the go!
Keep it running!
Paul
In a message dated 4/27/2004 12:17:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
twolaneblacktop@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
>
> 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)
>
>
>
>
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