Not a good day yesterday

[RICH MUISE]

To say yesterday wasn't good is an understatement. This is embarassing as hell, and for that reason I thought about not posting anything about it. I managed to pretty much damage all the sheetmetal on the drivers side of the '57. I decided to post what happened in hopes someone down the road will avoid the same mistake. Long story, but to set up the whats and whys...

I had been posting about starting problems that I was hoping I had resolved yesterday. It appears now that I may have had two issues coming up coincedently, I'm still not sure. Yesterday after getting the new starter and solenoid installed, I took the car out 3 times and drove it back to my driveway fully warmed up and shut it down. Car immediatly restarted all 3 times.

In the past weeks, I had noticed the gear shift wasn't catching the detents always correctly.

I had also thought when I replaced the starter and solenoid, if the issue was still there the next thing to check was the neutral switch. You can probably guess where this is going.

Late yesterday I decided to bring the car down to the local hand car wash place not too far from my house. They have a big metal building, 2 wide and two deep with 2 overhead doors on both ends. I drove it in, put it in Park and shut it off. After they got it washed, they asked me to pull it up front so they could towel it off. Car wouldn't start!! Damn!!. I told them it may start in 15 minutes or so, but wasn't sure. Anyway, they've got cars lined up out back to bring in, and there I was holding up traffic with a no start. I kept trying it, and no go, so I decided to try and find a wire to jumper the neutral switch terminals at the electrical panel. Had I been home I would have made a short jumper, attached it, and tried to start the car. There, I had  to jumper it with just the probe off my multimeter that I had in the car. I had one of the guys that work there reach in from the passenger side and turn the key while I was on my knees with my head under the steering wheel holding the jumper wire on the two terminals. That worked. car fired right up, and as it usually does idles at 2000 rpm for 10 seconds or so. Only problem was I was thinking faulty neutral switch, and I didn't think about the posibility that the switch wasn't letting the car start because the car wasn't in the park position that the position indicator was showing. It was in gear and shot forward. I didn't think this old man could still move as fast as I did. It hit the side of the building's door jamb/overhead door track starting at the bumper and left fender. I just got my feet in the car when the door hit the opening and slammed it shut. It continued down the side of the car to about 2 feet from the taillight before I could jamb on the brakes and get it stopped. The kid that turned the key for me had got out quickly when I hollered "get out", and slammed that door shut. Thankfully he was ok, and he shut the door or I'd probably be looking at damage there also. Had I been a split second later getting my feet/legs in the door they would have been crushed. Had I not done that, the car would have gone across a short driveway and across a 4 lane busy street. So, I've got a lot of thing to be thankful for, but it still makes me sick to think about it.

The damage...first, my shifter/tranny/cable. I don't know what's going on with that, but whatever it is came into full bloom yesterday. The shifter won't move 1/2 of it's normal travel, and it won't actually move the tranny out of gear. No neutral, park or reverse. I kept thinking last night it may have been the cable that I had to weld an extension onto. My worry there was what about all the other stuff I was careful about welding, like the brake pedal rod, etc. It would have opened a huge bag of worms for me if that weld had failed. Fortunatly, it didn't where I welded is still looking good, so I'm thankful for that for many reasons.
The fenders, front and back are scrapped dented, washboarded a little, but salvageable. The door is iffy. It's been pancaked, dented, rippled. the mirror, door handle and maybe the back trim peice are toast.
I also did some light structural damage to the garage, but ewhen I went by last night they had all their door closed, so apparently nothing major. That door opening looked like it had been hit many times in the past from all the rusty dents.

[canadian_ranchero]

sorry to hear this.you were lucky no one was hurt[just the car,that can be fixed]

[RICH MUISE]

About a year ago on the Hamb there was a story someone posted about an accident at a big show. My memory is a little foggy on the details, but it may have been the nsra show in OK city. A guy with a racecar had won the trophy for that division, and they were presenting the trophies inside a building. Apparently they told him they couldn't give him the trophy for the car unless he proved that it actually ran (they had pushed the car in), so he reached in and hit the start button. Apparently either the car wasn't equipped with a neutral switch or it malfunctioned, and the car was in gear when he fired it up. The car shot out, everybody jumping out of its way, the car went outside, across a drive and plowed into a recently completed high dollar Nomad wagon doing serious damage.

Well the Hamb being the Hamb, that posting was followed by many many pages of posts ripping that guy apart. It was peppered occasionally by guys saying to back off, leave him be, etc., etc.
But I seriously doubt he ever returned. His friends posted about how upset he was, it was just eating him up. Well unfortunately I got a small taste of what the guy went thru, and I'm sure glad I wasn't one of the guys giving him hell about the incident. Hmmm, there was a reason I was posting that story, lol. Be easy, be easy!
I'll post some pics, but it's hard to see the real damage, and that being the washboarding/rippling of the metal. The car is insured, and hopefully I won't run into problems because of the way it came about. I'm just not up to spending months doing more body work, so, assuming there is no problem with GRUNDY, I think I'm also going to get the feel of what it's like to be Bob with my car in autobody shop jail.

[Wirenut]

Rick, sorry for the damage on your car, glad you were not hurt.
I read an article where a guy restored a mustang and was in front of it doing some tuning, he revved up the motor and the car launched forward trapping him in from of the car and his garage wall. He sustained some serious injuries. After reading his story I won't put myself in front of a car to work on it, I stand on the side. I appreciate you posting your accident, I honestly believe it will be stuck in a lot of our minds once were placed in a similar situation. I wish you all the best in getting it repaired and back on the road.

[RICH MUISE]

Thanks. The sad part is this is an issue I've read about on other occasions as well. Many years ago I read about a guy who restored a '57 Ford after many years of hard work and lots of $. He was firing it up for the first time. He had several issues, neutral switch not wired, throttle sticking, tranny in gear. He fired the car up, it went to full throttle and shot down his driveway, across his neighbors yard and plowed into a brick wall so hard it buckled the roof on his car. When I read that story, I promised myself I would remember when I fired mine up the first time, the car would have the back wheels jacked up off the ground. I did do that when I started mine for the first time, and fortunately I had no such issues THEN.

[Ecode70D]

WOW !  Rich
    I'm happy that you or someone else didn't get hurt.  You have paid your dues in putting time into working on your car and I'm very sorry to hear about what happened.   I have heard that Grundy is pretty good.  Let's hope that your car is not in auto body jail for too long and that you get it back quickly and are back driving it soon.   
     Jay

[Zapato]

Rich,to say it lightly that really sucks. That back trim piece you damaged are you talking the spear if so there's an extra one out in my shop. And it can easily find its way to Texas. Let me know.

Zap-

[RICH MUISE]

Thanks, Jay. BTW...have you seen the pic I posted for you on the off-topics board?
I'll let you know, thanks Zap. I may be able to fix it, and it's just the front piece of the spear...drivers side of course. I need to take a closer look at it. Right now the car is in the garage with no way to move it until I get the tranny thing fixed.
One positive thing...when I saw the headlight surround and eyebrow were hit first, the first thing I checked was for cracks along the eyebrow since I molded it in and have always been worried about it cracking. No cracks at all...almost couldn't believe it, and it took a pretty good wack. Whatever I did there worked really well.
Forgot to mention...one of the really disappointing things that got me down was that I was so looking forward to shows and cruises. I had to cancel the little mini cruise I had set up with Doug/57Imposter, and I was really looking forward to that.
The car is absolutly driveable as far as the body damage goes, but I don't want all of the unexpected praise I was getting to a daily "what happened" explanation. Some midnight runs will definetly be in order after I get the tranny thing fixed.

[BBoswell]

Like everyone else I'm thankful that no one was hurt. Having been in street rodding and classic cars since the late 60's I have read the horror stories and seen first hand a couple of accidents like this. I quit using neutral safety switches on my hot rods and classic cars years ago as I don't trust them. By not having a neutral safety switch I never fall into that comfort zone of relying on a self installed switch. It also makes me double check everything every time I start the car. I also never start my cars unless my foot is on the brake. I also never leave them running without me being behind the wheel unless I have the wheels blocked. I know some people will disagree but this works for me.

[djfordmanjack]

BBoswell well said !!!
I am in shock, Rich.....First it's a bummer that your beloved 57 has been damaged. BUT, AND....I don't know where to start.
THANK GOD and those dozens of lucky angles that were watching everybody yesterday!!!!!
I don't have to imagine what can happen, because it happened to me twice. Both times it wasn't my fault but that doesn't matter anyways. Once I had a faulty shifter in my 57 Courier and it ran backwards into the corner of a house, while I was just adjusting the carb. I was so lucky not getting stuck in the door jamb while trying to stop the car. I had just bought the car and was starting repairing other fools mistakes. too late. The shifter was faulty and a much too heavy shifter ball had caused it to sag and put it in Reverse. that was nearly 20 yrs ago and I never stood in front or behind of a car again, when smebody was trying to start or fuzzing around wiht anything. That's until last summer, when we were on vacation with my buddies and I was standing in front of my friend's 55 Chevy ( Yes, I know, we don't do that, but I did anyways). Was holding up the hood because the springs were weak. looking at engine, my 1966 Mercedes was parked 6 feet behind me. My friend had the car only for a few days, not driven it much. another friend had driven it before and just slightly pulled parking brake. As it is manual shift my friend reached in to check if the shifter is in Neutral (which it was) and he didn't think much about and hit the keys. Needless to say she fired right up, the gears were in 1st and I had nowhere to run. car made a giant leap forward and caught my legs between the Chevy bumper and my own car's fender. legs were pretty mangled and bruised and I was lying in hospital for 3 days instead of on the beach. what do we learn from that ?
Never look under the hood of a Ch******* !.....
anyways I was so extremely lucky that nothing was broken and even though I feel pain to this day, I was able to walk after 3 weeks.
Long story short, It CAN and it WILL happen again and again and again. It happens to the most careful and aware persons too.
Please everybody, BE CAREFUL and pay attention to the small details.
BBoswell is right with stepping on the brakes when starting, I do that everytime. But please consider putting back in the safety switch. What happens if somebody else has to drive the car ?
I never leave my cars idling in Neutral or Park without pulling the park brake. There are idiots out there who think an emergency brake isn't needed with Auto cars, especially with the hot rod crowd and they are silly fools.
My Mercedes still has its dents in the rear door to remind me what happened. You might want to think about it that way Rich and drive the 57 as is for a while. Telling people too.
You are a brave man to step up here on the forum and tell this emberassing story, so others will be able to avoid such dangerous situations !!!!!

[hiball3985]

Terrible news to say the least. I'll save my 66 Mustang story for another day, seems we all have one or know some one who has had a similar experience. So my question is was the Ebrake set and didn't hold?

[RICH MUISE]

Jim, the ebrake wasn't on. Actually I had just adjusted it the day before and it holds great. To be honest, I rarely use the parking brake. My daily driver doesn't get it used more than once a year or so, but I would be more apt to use it in the '57.
Guenter...sorry to hear of your experience. Like I said, I was very lucky. I didn't mean to imply I was trying to remove the switch, or permanently bypass it. I was just checking to see if was the issue by bypassing it to see if the car would start. Had I been at home so I had my tools and supplies, I would have done it in a safe manor, but when your trying to rig something up McGyver like away from home...I would have immediatly replaced the switch if it turned out to be faulty, but it's obviously doing it's job well.
Oddly enough, just a few days before when I was checking all the wires to the starter solenoid, I had looked at the wiring instructions/diagram for the car and read a note telling how to bypass the neutral switch for those who needed or wanted to start their engines before all the wiring was completed. Had I not recently read that I probably wouldn't have remembered that the switch could be bypassed right at the panel.

[OUTLAW]

Rich, I have a good 58 300 left door skin you can have, if you come get it...........Rick 

[gasman826]

x2 on everything.  NO ONE WAS PHYSICALLY INJURIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Pride and confidence can be repaired.

Takes a real man to share his setbacks as well as his successes!

[RICH MUISE]

Thanks Gary.
Outlaw...I'll take you up on that. Oddly enough a few hours ago I was thinking about how much work it would be to replace the whole door considering 100% cleanup, electric window fitting,seals, glass, etc. I got to thinking if I could find a door it might be easier to pull the skin off it and just use that...finding just a skin was something I didn't even think would happen. AWESOME!! I'll need to figure out when I can get down there, but I will. PM me your contact info if you would, and when your normally available.
I get to meet another forum member as well!!
you guys are tops!!