Ronald the Crappy Miata

New AC relay arrived.. it's not an exact replacement but the connector is right... But it didn't solve my issue.. more work to be done on the diag side.. 

But I made Ronald into a GIF today! 

[zhaif linkage fixed by sleepyhead]

Tim gave me a tip on how to post a GIF here correctly.

So i came to try it and it works! 

This was supposed to be triumphant post about how i got a new flywheel and clutch swapped into Ronald today... 

Instead.. this is a post to tell you Ronald is in critical condition and probably isn't going to make it. 

The flywheel and clutch job went off without a hitch..... 

And then I got turned into by a semi on the freeway going 70mph while on my way home... He barely caught my back bumper and then that turned me sideways and slowed me down and then I got pulled down his passenger side and Ronald got torn open like a tin can by his front right wheel lugs. 

I feel very fortunate to be here right now.. 

Very happy you were able to make that post. But very sorry you had to make it.

Luckily Miatas are much easier to replace than spacecadets. 

That must have been scary as berk. I love Miatas but that's not a whole lot of metal between you and a semi at speed. 

Holy Crap! I'm relieved it wasn't worse (i.e., you weren't sliced and diced).

Glad you're still with us! That had to have been nuts. I got sideswiped by a lifted Jeep at 25 but can't even imagine something larger at highway speeds. 

Hopefully it's not pushed in too much, kinda hard to tell. Maybe new door and fender could keep Ronald on the road?

Holy berkeley. That has always been my exact fear when driving a miata on the interstate. Only bunder the sheels like some.E36 M3ty movie.

Im truly grateful it wasng worse. Truly.

berkeley, that's the only miata i ever liked.  If you don't want to buy it back please get the amount required from the insurance company to do so.  

Duuuuuude ... as said above, glad you were able to make your post, but damn ....

Damn.....Glad you are ok. That's one of the fears which kept me from ever driving my miatas on the interstate too much. Back road bandits for me. 

Had the car towed to my friends house last night.

Buddy got the left side of the car onto wheels with tires that could hold air.... so it could at least roll..

It's pretty ugly damage... Sure there's a way it could be repaired.. but not one that makes ANY sense at all with this shell. 

Did you have full coverage?  

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

No 

The truck /driver probably did though. Glad you're ok!  That must have felt like it might have been lights out. 

F

Like I said on FB, really glad you're ok.

Ronald could be brought back with some new control arms, quarter panels and a door.

Or it could be time to take Rallcross to the next level with an Exocet conversion!

Whatever happens, the most important thing is what makes sense to you and sometimes that means not making a decision until you're in a better mental place.

Yikes!  I'm glad you're ok.

Wouldn't surprise me if someone on here has all the suspension parts you'd need to rehab the car.  Maybe fenders and doors too.

Not sure what to do about the laundry stains you surely incurred.

that's a hell of a scare you took dude.  glad you're OK.  i can't imagine the noise and confusion.  hope you were wearing your brown pants that day.

suspension pickup points look ok...maybe there's hope Ronald can return, even more haggard than ever.  

berkeley. Don't know you personally but really glad you're OK. That's scary.

Unfortunately it's one of the dangers that comes with driving older cars that are increasingly shrimped by an ever growing modern car. Yes, I know this was a semi that has always been big, but I'd bet that the semi drivers are now more used to looking for larger objects in their mirrors. 

I beat the ground hard Monday morning, got ahold of the truckers insurance agent, found out who the underwriter was and got them on the phone the moment i figured out who they were. It got the ball picking up speed immediately. I spoke with an adjuster last night who upon seeing photos was amazed I was alive and unhurt. We scheduled an inspection for Tuesday afternoon between 1-3pm

I woke up Tuesday morning and got to work and shortly thereafter i got a call from the inspection company wanting to bump the inspection appointment up by 4 hours to 9am. 

Ronald was inspected and to the surprise of nobody is probably going to be totalled....   

I'm expecting a callback tomorrow morning from the adjuster. 

We will see what happens from there. 

I am still waiting on the insurance company because we have been waiting on the police report. 

No idea how the chips are going to fall on this financially. 

Got a call this afternoon from the insurance company.

They're moving me over to the total loss dept as they've verified everything I told them.

so now we wait for next steps

I would assume if the buyback is sub $1000 it's a no brainer for the hard top and spares for Roland?

Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:

I would assume if the buyback is sub $1000 it's a no brainer for the hard top and spares for Roland?

Correct.