Totaled TJ...Rebuild project

LJameson · 04-01-2009, 12:17 AM

I was on my way to class today when some jerk was tailgating me. When I mean tailgating, I mean I couldn't even see his grill. The road we're on is a 2 lane canyon road, so I see a turn out and hit my brakes to pull over for him. He didn't see me and slammed into the back of my TJ. It sent me out of control, and I rolled my TJ at about 60 mph. Despite landing on it's roof, it only got a cut on my forehead, and walked away with no problems. The Paramedics and CHP said that if I was in a different vehicle, then I'd probably been a Vegetable right now, and that my Jeep saved my life.

Surprisingly, the frame and everything underneith looks very well in tact. The engine compartment still looks 100% normal, and the Jeep sits level. So now, I'm thinking about making it a trail rig. I'll make this a build thread for it, since I know how some of you guys like them.

Jeepster83 · 04-01-2009, 12:22 AM

did the basterd who rear-ended you and caused this get cited and taken to jail?

sucks about your Jeep but ill be the first one subscribed to this thread to see your progress.

i hope you go to court to make an example of this person.

hiline, windshield frame, roll cage. just from the looks of it thats all youll need. forget about doors though if its a trail rig. maybe some soft doors if you really must.

slinger · 04-01-2009, 12:22 AM

Glad your still here

LJameson · 04-01-2009, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeepster83

did the basterd who rear-ended you and caused this get cited and taken to jail?

sucks about your Jeep but ill be the first one subscribed to this thread to see your progress.

i hope you go to court to make an example of this person.

No, the CHP didn't do anything. According to him, I "full on brake checked him." I explained my side to them, but they didn't say who was at fault or anything on that matter. The thing that really sucks is there's no damage from him rear ending me. The bumper just has a few scratches on it (Good advertisement for BESRK), but the rest of the damage was from flipping over going 60, and sliding a few feet. There is one cool thing about it, when I was hanging upside down, all the blood that came out of the cut on my head dripped onto my hardtop, and it looks like someones head blew up.

I'm just really upset about my TJ. I loved it to death. I took damn good care of it, and the tow truck drivers even said "damn, this thing looked brand new huh?" I'll admit it, I was balling, but it's over with now and there's nothing I can do about it now.

cptjaredkent · 04-01-2009, 12:29 AM

looks like you'll need to add the "if you can read this roll me over" sticker now

Jeepster83 · 04-01-2009, 12:30 AM

its california law that whoever rearends the other person is at fault - no exceptions. take it to court. youll win.

reckless driving, following too close (tailgating), and if he/she says they were in a hurry you could also push road rage. road rage is a mandatory 1 year suspension as well.

cptjaredkent · 04-01-2009, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeepster83

its california law that whoever rearends the person is at fault - no exceptions. take it to court. youll win.

yeah, thats how it is here too. You have to be at enough of a distance away that even if the person in front slams on their brakes, you'll have enough time to stop or steer out of the way. So rear ends are always the person in backs fault. I totaled my truck by rear ending someone, there was no way I could fight that. Luckily it brought me to my TJ.

Definitely fight it. You'll win.

Jeepster83 · 04-01-2009, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptjaredkent

Definitely fight it. You'll win.

absolutely. theres no defense for it. get a good lawyer and WHEN you win the losing party has to pay all the court fees as well as restitution and the remainder of your loan if you had one.

LJameson · 04-01-2009, 12:39 AM

^ Funny thing is, this is the third time I've gotten rear ended in my TJ. First two I was just sitting at a stop light and got smashed out of nowhere. Both of those didn't do any damage to my TJ. This one though was a real doosy (sp?). There might not be any mods anytime soon, I still have to deal with insurance and medical stuff. But I just thought I'd start the thread.

Jeepster83 · 04-01-2009, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepfreak4life7

^ Funny thing is, this is the third time I've gotten rear ended in my TJ. First two I was just sitting at a stop light and got smashed out of nowhere. Both of those didn't do any damage to my TJ. This one though was a real doosy (sp?). There might not be any mods anytime soon, I still have to deal with insurance and medical stuff. But I just thought I'd start the thread.

get a paper trail for ALL of your insurance, loan paperwork, medical visits/bills, and anything else thats relevant. especially a list of mods that were on the Jeep and the approximate cost of each item. reciepts would be best.

Dmcastino · 04-01-2009, 12:48 AM

Glad you are alright! And I can only imagine how much it must hurt to see your Jeep like that. As for the guys excuse of you "full on brake checking" him, it doesn't matter, its his responsibility to follow at a distance that leaves him enough time to avoid running into you no matter what sort of maneuver you make. What the heck is it about Jeeps that make them a magnet for tailgaters? I get them all the time, it's really annoying.

protix · 04-01-2009, 12:52 AM

Its good you didn't take to the guy and knock his front teeth out or something cause then you would have ended up paying him (happened to a friend of mine)

Jeepster83 · 04-01-2009, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dmcastino

What the heck is it about Jeeps that make them a magnet for tailgaters? I get them all the time, it's really annoying.

same here. usually lifted super duty fords for some strange reason.

see license plate

cptjaredkent · 04-01-2009, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeepster83

same here. usually lifted super duty fords for some strange reason.

see license plate

at first I didn't even realize it was a vanity plate. I was looking for marks from a superduty bumping into you or something

KKiowaTJ · 04-01-2009, 01:02 AM

That sucks dude, Was a clean looking TJ. Good thing is your ok, Jeep can be fixed and *******s like him will pay. I know in Iowa, If you get hit from behind, Brake check or not, Its their fault for loosing control and are givin a ticket. Hope everything works on your side, Good luck