Hot Rods WHAT'S THE WORST INJURY YOU HAVE GOTTEN FROM A CAR?

Back in 85 I was installing seat covers on my brothers 69 mustang and the bungy cord that hooks on the bottom came loose and shot me in the eye filled the lens with blood drove 100 miles to Bismarck to have a needle stuck in my eye to suck out the blood. The worst pain i ever had got a cateract out of the deal.

 

In 82 i got my left pinky caught in a engine stand and split it the whole length, in the same year the same stand feel over with a 327 on it and landed on my left foot which flattened three toes. Lots of stitches from blades and steel and this one in 2016 from a five inch, thin cut off wheel that got away on me and took out two bones, tendons and came 1/4'' from coming out the other side. Now its hard to see the scar. It give me a bit off trouble now days. JW

 

......I think this will be my last visit to this Thread...gall dang!!!

 

That'll make your dauber drop in a hurry!

 

I broke my wrist when I was fixing cars for a living, I had a wrench slip off while doing an alignment on a Vega of all things. Workmans comp paid me $2500.

In later years, I had a wire wheel wrap up in my shirt and got my hand as well. I couldn't get to the switch, it was wrapped up in my shirt and I had to pull the plug... just a bloody skinned up mess on the back of my hand.

 

I was going at it hot and heavy with my girl one starlit night when her foot hit the Covico and knocked the horn cap off, sending the spring into orbit and activating the horn. I jumped out to pull the horn wire, pants still around my ankles, tripped and skinned my knee.

Not the worst injury, but memorable.

 

Shit! Well, better there than across your forehead.

 

winner,winner chicken dinner !

 

Jesus! I'm the luckiest guy in the world. Just burns, blood blisters, cuts and head lumps.

 

Drill bit deflected and went abut 2” into my forearm.
But mostly just cuts and burns
Stitches occasionally.

 

Sledding on the street with my buddy. We were playing "wreck 'em" where the first guy jumps on his sled, the second guy pursues him and grabs the rear of the runner and pulls it sideways, flipping the first guy. Well, I was the second guy, caught the first guy, yanked his sled runner and sent him toward a '56 Chevy, and me, too. He hit the Chevy's left rear tire with his head, knocked him out for a few seconds. I tried to get off my sled but took the left taillight into my lower chest. We both laid on the ground in agony for about ten minutes. He finally got up and went home, and eventually, so did I. I went into the house through the basement door, laid on the floor in excruciating pain for about an hour and heard my Dad come home from work. He asked my Mom, who was cooking dinner in the kitchen, where I was. She didn't know. Finally, I yelled up to them I was in the basement and would be up soon. I didn't want my Mom to know I was hurt so badly as she was a faith healer and wouldn't take me to a doctor anyway. Years later, when I got my first X-ray, the doctors said I'd badly broken five ribs. Yeah, sure as hell felt like it.

 

I've had my heart broken when I had to sell a car like my '51 Ford Station Wagon or my '53 Studebaker or my '40 Willys Pickup.
Wayno

 

Since my skin now tends to bust open with the slightest scratch, I have taken to wearing gloves and a pair of Kevlar welding sleeves when I’m working in tight quarters or where I might hit something if my hand were to slip. Doesn’t stop everything, but the sleeves have helped keep me from having red bruised arms all the time. Plus they are cut resistant and supposedly fire proof, so I don’t get as many burns while welding.

 

Haven't been seriously injured yet but by all rights should have been. Close calls with power tools, reckless work positions, no safety gear, open flame near gas lines and so on... my fingers got pulled through the fan pulley on my V8 and somehow I didn't break anything, just got some gnarly bruises...

I'm a danger to myself when left alone. Usually don't realize I was doing something stupid til after I survive it. Learning shop safety sense a bit at a time. I have more tools and equipment than I should have at my level.

 

Never put Granada spindles on a pre-'67 Ford...PHR or one of the big rags of yore put out that little tidbit of misinformation as it was a clever supposition of the time('80's)...however in actuality it throws the ackerman out of whack creating dangerous bump steer...ever try to chew your way through a steel dashboard?

 

I feel you man...live with it every day...I also "own" a telephone pole off hwy. 7...I did get the car back from the insurance company but in this case "wrapped around a telephone pole" was not just a catch phrase...my GF deleted all the pics of it and my injuries but I still remember that sound... more than anything

 

I wish I didn't "remember that sound. It's been 60 years ago, and that sound is as fresh in my head as the day it happened.

 

"The worst?" Just the usual, rad cap & hose burns, hot exhaust pieces, etc.
How about "the dumbest?" I ran myself over while pushing my Pinto and leaning through the window to steer . . . .

 

I ruptured a hemorrhoid lifting a tire up to a car on a lift. Had surgery the next day and was barely out of high school. No recurrence since.

 

Damn, forgot about that, and see you’re in Phx. I was in the early 80’s driving a little Datsaun? PU delivering bread for a bakery. Truck was running real hot, so I pull into a station on 24th and near Camelback.
I’m running water over the radiator and such to get it to cool down and the damned neck on the tank popped off.
I had a face that looked like it was made up for a horror movie, burnt, scabby etc. I tasted antifreeze for what seemed like months.
Called my mom in Ca., she got with someone and sent me a quart of Vitamin E oil. Shit worked, once the scabs fell off not a hint of an issue.

Thanks for the bad memories

 

Grinding under the avatar, and thought I was doing the right thing with a faceshield on. Finished the job, rolled out from under the car and took the faceshield off. I know better, but didn't fluff out my hair before taking off the faceshield (and its only short hair). Sliver of steel came off my hair/forehead and into my eye.

Inside the house, take a look in the mirror. Can't see it, but it is excruciating. Eight-year old daughter was the only other person home. She took a look... the sliver had rolled "under" the eyeball, and can only be seen when I'm looking 100% upwards (eyes nearly rolled back in my head). Looking that way, I can't see anything in the mirror. No hope of getting it out myself. Give the daughter instructions on how to just "touch" the sliver with a damp Q-tip to remove it, and pray she goes gentle.

One of the most frightening things I've seen is an eight year old coming at me with a wet Q-tip. She got it out though.

Came pretty close one afternoon during a heavy thunderstorm. Drilling brackets, and nearly done. Rain was heavy enough to back the drains up and give me 1" of water running across the shed floor. Almost finished drilling, so kept going... standing in the water. A big flash, a loud crack of thunder and I get a mild jolt up through my legs. I quietly thanked the man upstairs, unplugged the drill and found something else to do for the afternoon.

Cheers,
Harv

 

Heading home from the ‘08 NSRA Nationals in Louisville in the TBucket shown drove up the ramp and hit a strange spot in the pavement (a dip) and felt my lower back go pop - the results 2 herniated disc - surgery- and still taking pain meds to this day. Later that years old the T and bought a shoebox, but to this day I still miss the T. There’s nothing like a T.

 

I almost lost my pinky when the homemade springs compressors let loose under pressure and caught my finger. It was mushroomed out. Called a buddy to take me to the emergency room, wrapped it in electrical tape instead and we finished putting my car back together.

 

not actual car injury but, automotive related - last week wife & I flew from Nor-Cal down to San Diego. planned to go to a couple of car shows, visit friends & family, etc - first stop at a store in town of Fallbrook (now call it Fall-Break). wife tripped face down on a parking lot speed berm. ended up with broken shoulder, sprained wrist, black eye, etc. quick end to our "trip". had to drive rental car home. be careful out there.

 

I can’t “like” that. Just hope she recovers quickly.

 

Jeezus! You guys are scaring the s**t outta me! I'm gonna go to bed and pull the covers over my head and ain't coming out!

 

- Thanks for the sentiment - Doc says about 6 months to heal - about another 6 months to get strength back -

 

Damn JJ. In my thoughts and hoping for a strong recovery.

 

I was 10 years old and a 48 Merc. woodie hit me threw me 20 feet into a ditch and stopped with me pinned to the ground by the front tire , luckily I had a leather aviator heavy jacket on . Bruised but not hurt , I think that was the start of my back problems . Turned out the driver was drinking while driving. But it was a HAMB approved car ! Since then I had a love for all Mercs. owned 3 of them .

 

When I was 15 yo I was racing home from school on my bike to meet a guy selling some mags for my first car. When a car pulled out in front of me, I t boned him in the drivers door. My wrist took most of the hit on the side view mirror shattering my wrist and 6 inch cut to the bone ( almost lost my hand ) 4 hours of surgery and 6 days in the hospital, later I get home. And no wheels.