Nellie, ME's HHR

[DanStokes]

Evidently I haven't started a thread on Nellie (couldn't find it with the search function) so I'll start now:

ME got sandwiched for the second time about 6 weeks ago. After messing with the guilty parties' insurance company they eventually totaled her and we, of course, bought the car back. I made a run to PnP and got parts. I took the bumper covers to Harry (the guy who painted Truck the last time) and when we returned from vacation I got on with repairs.

The "totaled" HHR:






Front bumper bar - more damage than expected.




How to do a tree job when there's no tree. Worked great with a little hammer refinement.




And done:






We have about $500 total in this "totaled" car. DEAL!!!

Dan

[DirtyWhiteBoy]

HaHa, I thought I was the only one who used the "Reese frame puller"

[DanStokes]

HaHa, I thought I was the only one who used the "Reese frame puller"

Naw! Fun story - when our youngest boy was a teen one of his buddies had hit something (cause of damage was undisclosed) and Ben brought his buddy over to the shop thinking I could get the body off the tire. I told the boys this was a "tree job" and they looked at me like I was teasing them (like going on a snipe hunt). Se we took that very chain in the pic and my come-along and went to a nearby side road where there was a handy tree. We tied off to the tree and tried pulling with the come-along but it needed a shock so I took the wheel and we actually got it pretty good. The guys couldn't believe it and my reputation went WAY up! Don't know if either have used the technique since but I bet they remember it!

Dan

[SuperBuickGuy]

Looks awesome. Ready for the next time it gets hit.

[DanStokes]

Looks awesome. Ready for the next time it gets hit.

'Zakly! That's why we didn't go crazy on the repairs but it looks pretty good.

Dan

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Hopefully ME is alright. So how many totals in your life now? The ones I know about counts on one hand, but I can't count, so...

[DanStokes]

Most I bought that way and made $$ on 'em too. ME's fine - it wasn't much of an accident.

Dan

[DanStokes]

Interesting sidelight: The grill looked to be OK (lack of collision damage) but didn't fit quite right at the bottom against the bumper cover. I went to PnP today and got another grill just to see if it was different. Turns out that the little "horns" that stick down from the hood were slightly bent back and outwards so the fresh grill wouldn't fit. The bottom support in the grill was flattened in the accident so the bottom holes were too far apart. I used a ratchet strap to pull the hood "horns" in about 1/4" or so and slipped the replacement grill into place. Issue solved! Now the grill overhangs the top of the bumper cover as GM intended. Should have taken pis but I was rushing so I didn't.

Dan

[DanStokes]

Well, we're at it again. A young guy ran a stop sign at fairly low speeds and ran into ME (who had the right of way) making a left turn. Here's the results:














I drove her home (ME drove Truck) and she's in front of the shop with the door gap taped up and the battery cable pulled to turn off the dome light. So it's off to Pick n Pull tomorrow for doors and fender and I'm SO hoping the white one is still there with the doors and fender intact. If not either Harry or I will be painting again......

For those keeping score this is the second "total" (in insurance company think) in 5 months, neither of which ME had any control over.

Never a dull moment. What do people DO who can't do stuff? Allow the car to go to the scrappers I 'spose....

Dan

[SuperBuickGuy]

does that make it super - totaled?

[DanStokes]

does that make it super - totaled?

Yep. Guess I need to stop painting those targets on Nellie.

Dan

[DanStokes]

I got both doors from our PnP and stripped them yesterday. Out of 5 HHRs none had a good LF fender. So I got on the computer then the phone and verified that the Grand Strand PnP (Myrtle Beach SC area) had 2 HHRs though, of course, they had no idea of what was already gone. I decided to take a chance and drove down after lunch today. Sure enough there was a good LF fender and it was half off! Not reduced in price, actually half off. Someone had pulled the front bumper and bumper cover, hood, and RF fender so it only took about 10 minutes to make my score. Good thing as it was about 55 degrees and raining.

I haven't taken any pics of the doors yet but here's the perfect fender (perfect except it isn't white).

[Captain]

Excellent Score !

[Captain]

Nothing Personal.....
just give me a "Heads Up" if your wife comes to Wisconsin or the UP.......
I will make Out of State Travel Plans Accordingly.........

Soon or Later, that MiniVan is going to have ALL New Body Panels Shortly.....

[DanStokes]

Nothing Personal.....
just give me a "Heads Up" if your wife comes to Wisconsin or the UP.......
I will make Out of State Travel Plans Accordingly.........

Soon or Later, that MiniVan is going to have ALL New Body Panels Shortly.....

NOT a minivan! Right on the title it says "truck" - believe it or not. It's really a compact car but don't tell anybody.

As far as your safety - she keeps getting run into and nothing she could have done about it. Besides, we travel in Vanna the Van so you'll be OK when we come up to see the Grands in MN. Haven't come back thru the UP in several years so maybe it's time to do that again - nice drive.

Dan