85 F250 TOTALED Yesterday...

[G. Mann]

Hey guys, I just stuffed my 85 into the freeway barrier at 55 mph yesterday while pulling my 20 ft flatbed trailer with about 14,000 lbs of lumber on it.
Some kind fool cut me off and as I swerved the trailer set up a whiplash that was impossible to recover from. Trailer and load survived with a jackknife and no spills, truck is now "toast" with frame bent in 7 places , all fenders wiped out, cab crushed, bed crushed, and 4 new tires ripped off the rims and ruined. Grill , bumper and front frame horns ate up loads of energy just like they should and no one was hurt but the truck will NEVER drive again. Radiator [just new a month ago] ate concrete barrier for about 200 yards so it's dead, but the fan didn't get bent and my fave old 6.9 was idling when the parts stopped flying and the dust settled so it's still good.

Bottom line, I have to buy a "new" truck.

Anyone need parts? I own this truck and not the insurance company so it will be parted out. Let me know what you could use and I'll work with you. Truck is in Phoenix , AZ. 85021 .

Like many of you, I have put a load of new parts on the truck recently so there is a pretty good "bone pile" to be picked. Sorry, if it's sheet metal or frame it's bent...

Grant...

 

[oregon-mike]

Grant,
Well it's good to hear that you came out unscathed at least! Sounds like a nasty one for surel

 

[tonkadoctor]

Sorry to hear. Glad you're OK which is all that really matters.

 

[4x4TruckinGirl]

dang, that really is crappy.... sorry to hear 'bout the truck.... glad yer OKAY though.....

 

[suv7734]

WOW! Glad to hear you're OK. I bet that was a wild ride .

 

[FordGuy100]

Holy crap man, glad your okay. I cant really think of anything I need right now.

 

[typ4]

Glad you are safe, and also happy you werent driving a toyota or anything light.

 

[84TD]

Bummer man, sorry to hear!!! Do you have pics of the wreckage? I have always wondered how these trcks would do in a wreck. Sounds good if youre ok.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Wow man, that sucks. My brother was devastated when we rolled my grandpas 83. That was his baby, grandpa left it to him when he died. Thus thats why we're rebuilding it.
Sorry to hear about your accident, its rough, was like loosing a long time family member for us.

Im curious, is the gauge cluster any good? Does it have a tach and trip meter speedo? Please let me know.

 

[G. Mann]

Thanks everyone for your good wishes and "feeling my pain" at the loss of the truck.

I got a few pics on the camera phone at the scene will try to figure how to get them downloaded to here in couple days as the dust settles.

I have to say that if you are going to do a Dale Earnheart into the retaining wall these old trucks are the ride of choice. Everything worked to protect me as it folded and crushed. The receiver hitch kept the truck from rolling while it bent nearly 90 degrees [the 2 5/8 ball now points to the side]. When the parts stopped flying and the dust settled both doors still open and close even though they are bent beyond use and the passenger compartment / restraint system protected me. The force was great enough that the 2 inch shaft coming out of the steering box sheared off clean at the box. Every where the frame bent it absorbed energy and didn't transmit it to me, thank you Ford engineers.

6 Nebraska, the gage cluster is in good shape, however it does not have a tach or trip meter. Gages have been stable however for as long as I've owned the truck.

I've located a 92 F350 today and made a deal on it.. will inspect in the morning so "maybe" I'll be back in BOOB in good standing by days end. It's only "lightly used" with less than 200k on the clock... hahah.

Grant...

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Man that sucks... my F350 got hit in the front right corner the second day after I got it, was visiting a friend and went out for dinner, came to find the rattler messed up - bent fender and bumper, dislocated hood, twisted frame horns, whole radiator support shifted about 1.5" to the left. Truck still runs like a champ, and drives straight and all, but with just basic insurance there' ain't gonna be no professional help for it - I just spend the whole day today straightening sheetmetal, got the passenger side almost done, now tomorrow morning I need to figure out a way to push the driver side fender 1" to the right and also make the hood close all the way down in the rear right corner... next week I'm installing a new blinker, and also a new bumper if I can figure out how to pull the old one off. Actually if it weren't for the bumper internal reinforcements the frame damage wouldn't have happened, the bumper and fender would just fold up more but that would be it...

Too bad your truck was so badly damaged but at least you are alright, that's what matters after all. That '92 F350, is it a diesel again, right? You know the 7.3 IDI (which it will have if tis a diesel) is more prone to cavitation issues, so before you buy it better make sure it's been threated with SCAs.

 

[Diesel JD]

Or hang on to that old 6.9 motor in case the 7.3 has a cavitation worm.

 

[The Warden]

Oh, man....sorry to hear about the accident, but good that you're okay. That's the most important factor...sounds like the truck did its job.

What style cab is it? What color's the interior? I'm always on the lookout for red '80-'86 extended-cab interior parts...

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Hey G. Man. Thanks, but Im gonna pass, I thought I'd try though.

While we're sharing wounds, I'll post a few pics of our grandpas truck after the accident.

 

[icanfixall]

So sorry about your lost the truck. Did the fool that cut you off get away? They usually do. I'm glad your ok. Did the police say anything about the load you were hauling? That sounds like it was really over the trucks limits. Yes, these trucks are designed to protect us way better than the motorized trash dumpsters driving around these days from overseas. Gees... All the import designers need to add to these small import cars is add some handles on the sides so someone can just grab ahold and walk it to the grave with the owners in them after a big accident. I think they are called paole barrers handles..