Mr. Charger, meet Mr. Center Divider. Pics (56k beware)

[Wakko]

Last week, the day before leaving for Dukesfest, I was really sick and in a really really angry mood.  In my ignorant and altered (medicated) state of mind I was haulin booty down the road when some moron in a Mercedes cut me off and stopped.  I slammed on the brakes and avoided him by about a foot.  Unfortunately I jumped the center median in the process.  It could have been ALOT worse, and I take partial responsibility for driving fast in the first place.  I came a foot from hitting the Benz and about another foot from hitting a metal signpost.  I lost two front tires, at least one new Vector (the other one needs to be checked) and the lower piece of the driver's side spindle.  There doesn't appear to be any damage anywhere else in the car, but I'm taking the opportunity to replace the entire steering system (there was a good 1/8 turn worth of play in the wheel, not safe at all) and do some suspension work.  The crash occurred in front of my Charger buddy's neighborhood and my tow truck driver buddy brought the car over to his house for the work to be done.   Considering I have no seatbelts, if I'd have hit the Benz it would have been alot scarier for me AND the Charger.






This is the driver's side wheel.  Impact with curb was maybe 20 mph






I was concerned about the suspension due to the driver's wheel looking a bit cambered (Found out after this pic that the wheel wasn't on that tight, so that might have contributed to the look) and here's what I found when I pulled the steering linkage off:




Lesson of the day, don't let your state of mind control how you're driving.  Granted I wasn't driving crazy, just quickly, and not even THAT quickly (maybe 60-65) but I easily could have hurt myself, the car or someone else.  Ironically, I usually drive the Charger really slowly anyway.  Oh well.

[TeeWJay426]

WOW.... considering how that could have turned out, I'd say both you and the Charger should consider yourselves VERY lucky!

[Doc74]

Holy cow 

How unlucky this may be, you are so damn lucky, I don't think anyone has to tell you what might have happened. I'm glad to see nobody got hurt, the charger can be fixed. Maybe you can return the vector and tell them it just buckled on the driveway 
You may have been going too fast, it's not supersonic speed really and there's some long tracks there. Apart from the underpants soiling experience, how did the charger do under serious stress ? If you can recall that half second where the other half is getting your life flashed before your eyes.

[Wakko]

It did horribly.  I think only the front wheels locked up (the tread picture shows how chewed up the front tires are) and the steering was worn out so it was uncontrollable.  I've never had the car over 70-75 due to the front end.  Obviously that will be replaced now along with the brakes as I get this car in a safer state.

[DodgeChargerNeeded]

Wow that makes me cringe because that is the spitting image of my car other than the wheels. If you need help getting a couple other wheels I have a few sets. Let me know.

[PocketThunder]

  

Might be time to add disc brakes on the front also.   

[Wakko]

Wish I could, but I'm extremely short on cash right now.  Dukefest was expensive for two people and I just ordered a thousand dollar assault rifle for work.  Aren't the disc brake conversions around 800?

[Mefirst]

Damn, that was close... Im happy it didint end up worse than it did..

/Tom

[Doc74]

Ok you did cross just about the dirtiest patch on the road so that's no help but you definitely tried to do a stoppie there.
Either the rear brakes need adjusting or renewing.
As for front discs, don't even doubt it even if it costs a million, it's your life and that of others we're talking about...not to mention ruining a perfectly good charger...j/k 

They are that pricey and more but there's always the option of a and e body conversions which is much cheaper but alas also more hassle. But it's brakes, you can't cut any corners there.
I'd talk to Nycmille, he has done just about the best vintage to modern transfer you can do without having to give up the looks, on the contrary.
If anyone knows what needs to be done to make it stable it'll be him me thinks.

Btw, crashed or not, it looks great Wakko, awesome ride you got. Now you can tell people it survived a jump 

[4402tuff4u]

Good thing you didn't have incoming traffic at the time! You probably would of done major damage to the Charger, yourself and the other vehicle's occupant(s) too. Glad you and your GL are ok Wakko. This might be a blessing in disguise to upgrade your front end's suspension! I know when I finish my restoration, before I buy myself red lines tires and rims, I'm investing in a set of Baer disk brakes first.  

[Arthu®]

Oops that was close, could have been way worse. And drum brakes

Arthur

[Wakko]

The large front drums aren't so bad for the style of driving I usually do.  Part of the problem is that my rear axle seals started leaking and the rear brakes are coated in grease.  I had them apart two weeks ago and cleaned them out and cleaned the vent tube, hoping it was that.  It wasn't, so before the car goes back on the road I will have to pull the axles again and find out why the new seals are leaking already.  I need to install some sort of restraint system (thinking five points and a roll bar) too, so the whole budget has to be thought of.  Since I want to redo the front brakes already, maybe the scarebird system won't be that much more.  I'll do some reasearch in the appropriate section.

[4402tuff4u]

There's a little pipe like tube on the first picture laying there by the curb, that's not something out of the Charger right?

[greenpigs]

 

Might be time to add disc brakes on the front also.   

Might be time to read the previous posts.

[Wakko]

No, it's a PVC marker that attaches to the curbs around here to show where they are.  Lotsa old folks ridin' up on curbs.  I took it out and it scuffed my bumper and hood, but the hood polished out.  Other than that, zero body damage. 

[4402tuff4u]

No, I'm talking about the first picture. Go staright down from the woman crossing the street. See the little tube? looks like a brake line or vent line

[greenpigs]

I see it, looks like the vent tube that attaches to the filler neck, doubt that is what it is. Piece of fuel  line...Better look under it good.

[Wakko]

oh, good catch.  Nope, not from my car.  Still runs just fine...but my Dixie horns won't work!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Sorry for your misfortune Wakko....looks like an easy mechanical fix.

Who's skid marks are those in the pic thats a far away view with your car not in the pic?   Yours as well as the ones over the divider?

Man was the other guy at a dead stop that you had to brake so hard from 60 mph???

[tan top]

you was lucky ,glad to hear know one was injured ,  could of been worse

[PocketThunder]

 

Might be time to add disc brakes on the front also.   

Might be time to read the previous posts.

:scope:He didnt say he was putting in disc brakes, only that he was going to replace the brakes...  they sure look like drums to me.

[Sinister68]

...Considering I have no seatbelts...

No seatbelts?      

I didn't even know you could get a late 60's car inspected without seatbelts?    Thanks like playing Russian Roulette unnecessarily.

You're important to the forum, Wakko -- Install some 'belts!!! 

[Wakko]

Sinister, we don't have inspections in Florida.  The car didn't come with belts when I got it and since I'm invincible and never make mistakes, I never installed them.   The only question now is whether to do lap belts or a roll bar with five point.  I like the idea of five point "Oh, sorry [insert female name here], let me show you how to buckle that right in the middle of your cleavage."

[Sinister68]

Sinister, we don't have inspections in Florida...

Wow! Didn't know that.  How does Florida keep unsafe vehicles off the road?

[Wakko]

They don't.  It's up to the cops to write 316.610 "unsafe equipment" tickets.     I think I'm the only one in the county that does.  I saw some dude yesterday driving a jacked up truck with a bulge in one tire so bad it was exposing the steel belts.  He was surprised when I pulled him over for it too.