Former Eagle Pilot

[Alastair_M]

Hello all, long time lurker, first time poster here.

About three years ago at the age of 15 I decided that I wanted nothing more than to drive an Eagle.
I don't know what it was that really made me decide on it, I think it was how unique, fun, and cheap to insure they are.
When we got the old girl, a fully loaded '88, she wasn't in great shape. Took about a year before she was roadworthy, but it was worth it.
I had a lot of memories made in that car, road trips, dates, it was everything that turns "a car" into "my car".

In August this year, I was driving home one night when a deer stepped out in front of me.
I swerved, ending up in the dry ditch (not the worst, nothing in it and the car's got that sweet 4WD).
The car hit a culvert, performing a front flip and sailing (according to the police) about 72 feet, and 23 feet in the air.
No charges were laid (this is Canada, deer are pretty common) but the car and I were both pretty much write-offs (pic related).
Actually, the only thing that saved me was the fact that the car was incredibly sturdy.

Long story short, I'm in the market for a new ride to take over for my old girl, and figured this would be the first place I looked.

[eaglefreek]

Holy cow!!!!!!!!!!! Glad you made it out alive.

[mo.eagles]

Like eaglefreek said  " HOLY COW !!!!!!!" Looks like you got a bump on your head . Hope all is well and no future complications . I do wonder how something like a Prius would hold up in a crash like that .

[Amc1320]

Im so glad your able to live to tell us your story.

I think there is enough metal in an eagle to make about 4 or 5 new cars, and your picture proves that there is no sustitute for steel and mass in an accident.

I'm sure a nice one will show up here soon, this is a good group here that will help

[JayRamb]

Thank god you are alive. That is a wreck! Sturdy cars tho! Unibody strong! Good luck on finding another soon It took forever to get my jaw off the floor looking at the wreck!!!

[carnuck]

Finding one north of the 49th parallel that isn't rotted out would be a challenge. I did something very similar to your flip a few years ago with my '73 Jeep J4000 pickup but I swerved to miss a dark horse at night on a gravel downhill switchback . I caught a culvert with my left front tire as I was coming back onto the road and it did a slow motion side spin and roll over.

[Alastair_M]

Yeah. Really what kept me safe is that it was built really well.
It landed on the drivers side roof right at the front, but the pillar supported the entire car weight + the impact.
policeman said that anything newer and it would have crumpled right in, they're just not built as strong these days.

[Taylor]

Other than lacking anti lock brakes and traction control, I think old cars such as our favorites are safer and better made than anything new.
I am hoping I can finish fixing mine up for my daughter when she gets her license. Sturdy cars.

[IRON HORSE]

   WOW .. holy S@%T ... glad you're alive. This is why I don't try to avoid hitting a deer .. I took two deer head on, one in a '76 Hornet wagon and the other in a '83 Eagle .. both at highway speed .. because I had spare Eagles sitting around I was able to get both cars back on the road. Of course the deer were dead, but trying to avoid them sometimes is worst than just hitting the brakes and hoping for the best. So glad to see you made it through what looks like an un survivable accident .. Hope you find a new ride soon .. if you were closer to Maryland, I still have 5 Eagles in my yard.
                                                                                                                                                             Regards: Iron horse 

[Mr_Roboto]

, that's an intro! Glad to see you made it out in mostly one piece. You're young enough that stuff will let you know it's there when you're older. Take care of it best you can now. The car is replaceable, even if it is a headache. You're less so.