Hit my first deer.

[sxcpotatoes]

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[porschpow]

As much as I hate to say this, it could've been worse. Glad your ok though

[sxcpotatoes]

Yeah, I figured it might not be too bad in the light of day. I was headed to work last night around 11:10pm or so. Get past the earthen wall/floodgates and this deer comes running out of the brush/street and crosses almost fully before I see it. I hit the brakes reflexively and I think that may have saved the bumper. I dunno if it's pushed in or not. It ended up in somebody's yard and got up and ran away. I was only doing 35 minus whatever my summer tires were able to shed speedwise.

Anyway, So I get out of the car, it's still running, I shut the door, walk up and kick all the bigger chunks of plastic out of the road that I can. Pick up my grille (it's cracked/bent but in one piece) and head back to the car. I get back in, put the hazards on, and a couple people wind up going around me (thanks for stopping, assholes). I thought I smelled coolant so I took the car back home and drove the '82 Mark VI to work.

Well, I am booking it down the same road where I hit the deer, and I see the cop pull out from where they like to sit on a parallel street (because they're screened and they can clock people). F*$%. As soon as I'm able I pull off onto the soft shoulder and put my hazards on in the '82. Window gets put down. (Older than me Lady)Cop rolls up beside me "What's going on here?" I explain "Sorry, I just hit a deer with my other car on the way to work, it got up and ran off, so I kicked the plastic out of the road and went home and got this car and I was trying to get to work without being late, I work at XXXXXXX Bakery." She said "Oh, it happens. Go ahead and go along/move along then"

I lucked out because technically she could have nailed me for speeding AND fleeing the scene since you're supposed to report all accidents with deer even if you don't have full coverage on the vehicle.

It's got a salvage title already. The insurance company wouldn't pay $500 for it, so I run without full coverage on this, and only this car. Besides, you pay the insurance company back all the money they ever pay out through increased rates. So eff it.

I looked on ebay, apparently no one sells '91 Header panels anymore. Also, RockAuto is OUT of them! Sly, did you get the last one!?!?

Got a guy from work who runs his own body shop (for decades) coming to look at it sometime. Ran it opened the hood, everything looks good except headlight wires (one of the buckets is completely gone). I've got a spare header panel and chin thing, I have a better grille than was in it, I also have a spare passenger headlight door and four spare buckets and those new projector lights to put in it. So aside from bolts and screws and stuff, I've got everything needed. I don't know if the hood and fender can be straightened out easily. I have spare paint from when it was slicktopped 2 1/2 years ago, but probably not enough to do it all.

I'm getting the winter tires put on it tomorrow and then picking up my nephew at school in it to run him to his job.

I ended up clocking in to work 4 minutes late.

[dmccaig]

Ouch. The Shooting brake has killed four deer -hence the big steel deer pusher on the front.

Donald

[DerekTheGreat]

Do you eat your road kill? Hope you killed it, stupid animal.

[sxcpotatoes]

Nope, Derek, it got up and ran off. I would have had to hit it harder to kill it and that would have meant more damage to my car. I wish I had been driving the '90, it's got a rear main seal leak starting and I wouldn't much care if I totalled it. Well, besides having to find another car, but that can be fun, sorta. Once the insurance check clears.

[DerekTheGreat]

Well maybe you coulda busted it's legs, it's as good as dead that way. Only thing good about deer IMO is the meat. MMmm backstraps & venison jerky.... Sucks about your car though. What about this 1990 of yours? This TC have ABS & air ride? Digi dash???

[sly]

I got the last one stateside. No clue who got the last one in the Taiwan warehouse.

There is a 90/91 roundy box with a white header panel on it down here in a yard. I'm probably going to use that one if I get hit again and it's not crushed already. Dunno if there's any silver ones down here. But yeah... probably a yard find for ya.

the spendy ones are still available...

http://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Mercury-Marquis-Partslink-FO1220191/dp/B004GEJK5W

http://www.theautochannel.com/autoparts/autobodybestmercury/grand_marquis-1991-exterior_body_parts-7570.html

[BigT]

Ouch! At least you're OK.

[SeanP]

If you were near me there's a white 88-91 MGM parked at a shop/recycler's near my in-laws. Haven't been close to it though, so not too sure what kind of shape it's in... also it may be a little too far for you.

[sxcpotatoes]

I actually have a light blue headerpanel. Full set of headlight buckets, spare set of headlight surrounds, projector headlights. Everything except the nuts, bolts, & springs.

The header panel's bolts may be stripped though.

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[sxcpotatoes]

Bolt holes stripped

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[pantera77]

I've got a good header panel if you need it, think I have a grille, turn signals and headlight bezels too. Let me know if you need any of it.

[87gtVIC]

Sucks dude. Hope you can get her back together.

[gadget73]

At least its a relatively simple repair. Fender looks slightly dinged but not bad, and mostly will be hidden with the header panel on and the paint repaired. No death to people or cars, life is OK.