Wrecked the Diamond T IN the garage.

This morning I went out to the shop bright and early to solve the fuel delivery problem and fix the gas gauge, which was (sort of) related.

Got the fuel delivery problem fixed, which turned out to be a pump that almost, but not quite, delivered the correct 58-60 psi, and then turned my attention to the gas gauge.

I wanted to check the gauge itself, and pulled the gauge panel from the dash, which required the shifter to be pulled out of park, and quickly found it was a break incontinuity of the wire to the sender. Turns out, I'd pulled a plug in connector apart inside a loom, and remembered catching a wrench on it doing something else.

To make a long story short, I turned the key to on, and the gauge then worked properly, reading just over a quarter tank. I turned it "Off" (I thought) and reinstalled gauge panel. I buttoned the tank back up, and put the box floor back down (easier to lift the plywood floor, than drop the tank), and was going to re-install all the trim, but then thought I'd better check the gauge one more time before getting everything all back together.

From the passenger side, I leaned in turned the key to what I thought was "On", but turned out to be "Start". I had evidently left it in the "On", position when I got out of the cab after putting the gauge panel back in, and...

...of course, it started instantly, on the high idle because it's cold, lurched ahead about 6 or 8 feet and crashed into a 4" OD DOM tube I have standing in a pockets in floor for to pull damage. That stopped it before it crashed into the '48 Pontiac convert, my Onan generator and through the back wall of the shop into the Chris Craft which is in an addition on the back of the garage. Thankfully it didn't catch my sleeve, and pull me under the rear wheel, or into the 800lb woodstove it also narrowly missed.

"Why don't you have a neutral safety switch in a new build, Brian?" your saying, and the answer is...

I DO! IT'S IN THE LOKAR SHIFTER ON THE TOP OF THE TRANSMISSION!!! It was adjusted and worked properly when I installed it 2 years ago, and has (seemed) to work fine, until today, when of course, not intending to start the truck at all, it fails or is out of adjustment.

I am sick. The damage is pretty hard to the right front fender, which is buckled in the middle and pushed back about 4" in front. The bumper brackets are bent over, and the left one tore the left fender opening it passes through. The bumper is of course, toast, folded in three places. The hood got shoved back against the cowl and chipped the paint on the cowl, and the grill shell at the front when it got pulled back by the fender. Looks to me like 3-5K to repair.

Thankfully, the grill isn't damaged, nor the headlight bucket or it's mount, and the running board isn't buckled. The fender can be saved, as it is a on-off, being widened 3".

I have Hagerty insurance on it, and just last week added coverage to enable it to be driven. So, I can drive it somewhere to get fixed, because I'm to upset, right now, to even look at it.

 

Wow, something like this could happen to any of us. Am thankful that you were not injured. We can always fix sheet metal.
All the best,
Dale
Cleveland OH

 

Oh man! I'm sorry brother. But, as you know, it could have been much worse. You missed the Pontiac, the generator, the Chris Craft, and no one was hurt. I know it still sucks though.

 

I'm sick myself right now, I love your truck.

I think I just found the reason I need to throw the Lokar neutral safety switch out in the trash and install something more effective and reliable.

Your incident is not the first I have heard where there has been trouble getting that stupid Lokar switch working and adjusted properly.

And it obviously doesn't stay that way.

Sorry to hear of your damage, however someone standing in front of the truck could have been injured badly or killed so I guess there is a bright side.

Larry.

 

Pictures went somewhere else. Here they are.

 

Chin up, look to the future. YOU didn't get hurt, metal will heal.

Best regards,

Cosmo49

 

if it bloody can, it bloody will......murphy's law!!

 

Well, I don't know if it will heal, but everything is fixable!

 

What I'm most upset about is not the damage, because it can be fixed pretty easily, but the time it's going to take. When I started in on the truck this morning, I was making a mental list of all the things I need to do before we debut the truck May 17th in Milford MI at the Tin Can Tourist trailer meet, and this does NOT make the list any shorter. I may end up taking it with the fender in primer.

There is a bright side, I won't feel bad about taking care of a couple spots where there are some sanding scratches showing under the clear, and a 'how'd I miss THAT" ding on the back of the cab by the rear window...

 

That sucks, but could have been so much worse. Glad you weren't injured, or worse.

My father once took a ride through the back wall of our garage, over a lawn mower, down the back yard, and half way over a short retaining wall, stopping when he hit the neighbors brick barbeque pit! Started with the same fast idle, he turned to look out the back, preparing to back out of the garage when his coat caught on the shifter, pulling it down to 'Drive'!

 

That sure is a purdy truck. You've still got a month until May 17. You could still make it happen.

 

Don't take this the wrong way, but it really doesn't look that bad. The damage really pales in comparison to the work you have done to build the truck. Just catch your breath and go fix it, the damage could have been huge compared to that.

 

Jeez, that sucks man! But like everyone said above, you weren't hurt and none of the other toys got damaged, so chin up! It can and will be fixed.

Love that thing, bring her back, and adjust the neutral switch!

 

such a beautiful truck and such a shame that this happened, guess it could have been a lot worse.

 

IF it's meant to be, it will be. Hate to hear of that bad luck, but for some strange reason the truck wasn't ready to be seen just yet (may have been those bad scratches)...it may have decided it wasn't "good enuff" to be seen at the Tin Can Tourist Trailer meet...

That's what happened to me when I took the '55 Caddy to the KKOA Nats...the brand new engine took a crap 90 miles from home...and the front bumper wasn't chromed yet. Cadillac simply said "Nope, not going til you fix me."

At the very least, you weren't hurt...metal can be fixed...flesh not so much...!!!

R-

 

Yeah, Studedude, you're right. There's always time to do it over, right?

Oh, did I mention I HATE Lokar right now?

Brian

 

As much as I like your truck-I am happier you lived to tell the tale. It could have been so much worse-...luckily the damage is only superficial to an inanimate object. I am sure you will have the truck will be repaired to an even better condition in short order.
It will be a great story to tell and maybe even laugh about..just not today.

 

Sorry to hear about your mishap. Hey you walked away unharmed, and ya had insurance...take it somewhere to get it right for ya and relax.. I hope to see you in Milford on the 17th

 

Man that just sucks! I'm glad you weren't hurt when it happened. Sheet metal can be fixed.

 

Man, that sucks. But I hate to think of what that behemoth would have done to the Chris Craft... Good thing its insured.

 

Damn, Brian. Sorry to see this. Glad that no one was hurt.

 

You're not hurt. That's all that matters. Now fix that sucker!

 

Far out. Similair thing happened to my brother, working under the dash on a gauge in a '36 Ford roadster. A clipped wire fell across the ign circuit. Dragged him & his mate into the shed wall- they were lying on each running board at the time. Smashed into the wall- exit one '36 grille- 2 freaked out dudes.
All this in a shed full of the usual obstacles. lucky no hurt done.

 

Take it like that, show the wound!

 

Good thing you had a bumper on the front, it was sacrificed to save that grille and headlights! Still sucks though.

 

Looks like you missed damaging most of the really expensive parts. You fixed it once, you can fix it again. By the way, it's not just Lokar neutral safety switches. The one that was sent with my most recent Gennie shifter was pure junk!

 

Ditto to all the thoughts expressed above.


Regards,
Ray

 

I've been running this over and over, and I think I'm going to simply use a brake light swich that's closed when the button is pushed in, on a little bracket that the shifter base will push against when in Park. I don't care if it only starts in Park, I sure as HELL don't want it starting in gear again.

Thanks for the sentiments, I feel better already.

Brian

 

Sorry to read this Brian. At least you werent hurt. I lost one of my best friends Monday morning to a work related accident.

 

My sympathies Jeff. I do feel lucky it didn't run over me, or drag me into something along the way. If my sleeve had caught on a door handle, or I'd tried to jump in and bump it out of gear, it coulda been worse.

I'm sorry to hear about you friend. Accidents happen SO fast.

Brian