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MOST IMPORTANT: I'm physically uninjured, and nobody else was injured either. It seems that despite its stunning colour and bright headlights, my E-Fire, in the curb lane, was not noticed by a guy in a very large Dodge Ram pickup when he was changing lanes- he just could not see me under his enormous hood. I was tapped on the driver's side by his wheel (you can see the enormous skid mark all over the door- that's not gonna buff out!). I was spun around, and corrected back somehow, and then pushed along sideways from passenger side, all at mercifully low speed. The insurance assessor visits the collision centre yard today or tomorrow, but body damage is pretty extensive- both doors, both rear fenders and the hood are mangled on one side or the other. Driver's side rear tire was ripped clean off its rim and the steel rim is toast, and the car couldn't be pushed so I'm expecting drive system damage. The electric systems all reacted exactly as they should have- no fire, no shocks- and the emergency shut-off pull cable pack disconnect on the dash worked perfectly. But given the damage, I'd be very surprised if insurance didn't write it off- I'm confident they know the cost of a restoration of a classic vehicle and want no part of that. So the hope is money and the right to salvage- wish me luck!
I'm always asked what I would do differently about the E-Fire project if given a chance to start fresh. I always say one thing first and foremost: had I known how brilliantly the whole thing would turn out, I would have started with a car in better condition- one without terminal car cancer- a nice Arizona, New Mexico or California car. I'd have junked my Spitfire, despite the sentimental attachment of 30 yrs of ownership. Number two, with hindsight I'd have waited a year and used batteries from a crashed Chevy Volt to save about 3/4 the cost of my pack, but that's water under the bridge now! After 16,100 fossil-free miles, are there any regrets about doing this at all? Even with this outcome? ABSOLUTELY NOT- this has been one of the most gratifying projects I've ever done. Teaching Jacob hands-on skills, and showing him what can be done if you put your mind to something? Worth every minute and every cent. Learning the immense amount that I needed to learn to do this project? Worth every minute spent painstakingly applying filler and flat-sanding that hood- every burn from welding, and every cut from sheet metal. Driving this car to and from work has been the best part of my day on many days for three and a half years. Even sitting in notorious Toronto traffic in this thing has been a blast! Talking and writing about this car, and showing it off- to car enthusiasts, kids and environmentalists, has been very gratifying.
So- anybody know of a low rust Spitfire, pre-1977, with a great body and frame, decent interior and a blown engine? Or maybe a TR3 this time? With (likely) a parts car to salvage, anything other than Spitfire would likely be crazy on my part, but the gears are already turning...
