Cool story Bro

[Rudemouthsky]

I make my living as a self employed supplier to the tattoo industry. In order to get an edge on my competition, I spend a good 4-8 months per year on the road, making in person sales calls. My customers appreciate this and so does my bank account. But it can be a bit hard on a vehicle to be relied upon for up to and over 100k miles a year. And my chances for police encounters, exploding wheel hub bearings, fender benders, bizarre events increases exponentially. As an animal rights and veterans for peace activist I'm also able to live my passion as an "outside agitator . I keep telling myself I need to start a blog about my weird life. So as I'm driving through Wyoming, minding my own business, blasting Hall & Oates on the radio, this happened:



Yep that's my hood that broke free of the hood pins I'd installed because as a cheap bastard, I didn't want to replace $400 worth of hood latch hardware on my work beater. Well the pins held up just fine, it was the cheapo linch pins that didn't. After coming to my senses from being understandably quite rattled but successfully navigating to the side of the road using my 3rd eye, I assessed the damage and sorta got the hood back into something resembling it's natural state;



Obliterated windshield, crunched up roof, demolished sunroof, FUBAR hood, and itty bitty glass shards in my otherwise handsome face;



I was able to stomp down my hood enough to get into town and get to work on bailing myself out of this mess. After a few phone calls, I finally got the return call I was waiting for...an anonymous pair of Mexican gentlemen who had my windshield in stock, but if I wanted it installed pronto I'd need to meet them at a specified location, behind a boarded up service station under the cover of a dumpster. AND PAY CASH, A'Si? Si? I coaxed this extremely unsafe vehicle to our meeting spot..



These guys were on time, and had the efficiency of a pit crew. I was glad to have experienced pros completing this crucial job. Thanks, "Jose" and "Jorge"!!!



Next stop was a trip to the local Wal-Murt for plastic tarp, black gorilla tape, new linch pins and a ratchet strap for good measure.





And she's as good as new.




And since life is nothing if you don't learn a few lessons on the way, I'll leave you with a final thought, Jerry Springer style...

After parking my car in a reasonably safe spot in town and thank goodness not getting spotted or hassled by the local law, I dragged my bloody, disheveled self and 2 large suitcases plus a duffle bag down the road the a seedy looking motel to hopefully shower and clean up. As the owner saw me walking up, he hurriedly locked the door. When I got to the locked door he yelled; "we're full!!!" as I looked at the empty parking lot, then back at him, he told me to; "get make the beast with two backsing lost!!!" As I attempted to pull out my wallet to show a stack of cash, he scurried over to the counter and picked up the phone. So I took his advice, and "got make the beast with two backsing lost". Moral of the story? don't be so quick to judge others by their appearance...because one day it may be you that's knee deep in the shit, looking like yesterdays warmed over hell.

After hustling up the cash this unfortunate scenario cost me in Denver, CO (big thanks to Mantra Tattoo and Th'INK Tank!!!) I am back to 100%, I even took another selfie to prove it. Damn I'm handsome...

[Grampa]

I can't stop say'n bro.... bro.

[Rudemouthsky]

Oh yeah thanks for reminding me...it's leg and tan day. Gotta find a Planet Fitness omw to ABQ.

Otherwise I guess I need to be a teevee watcher to get your joke.

[Rudemouthsky]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cool+story+bro

[Privateer]

wow that's nuts.  glad you're OK and were able to mcgyver yourself out of that.

and,
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=107.msg824#msg824

Read the rules

[Howie]

Oh my.  So close to serious disaster.  Glad you are pretty much OK.

[cokey]

Damn.  Had my hood open on me twice.  Both carbon fiber.  First time was 5 hrs away in NH.  Hood cracked hinges bent up to hell.  Just took off hood and left in rear seat.  2nd time, another cf hood, hood survived but windshield didn't.    I'm was only 4 miles from home and had just gotten on the highway.   

It's nutz how fast that hood just appears on your windshield when at speed...

[Rudemouthsky]

It's nutz how fast that hood just appears on your windshield when at speed...

You're not kidding...there was no warning, no slow motion "oh shit!" Moment of seeing the restraints give way and the thing begin to fly up. Just BOOM, like a light switch 'cept it's a "instant hood in your face" switch.

[Rudemouthsky]

Just took off hood and left in rear seat. 

That was my first impulse, till I realized how pliable the thing was. It had actually been bent in half in a low speed collision prior to this. The hood, core support and latches sacrificed themselves to protect my unibody, radiator, and motor mounts which was fine by me.

Twice eh? I assume you were using pins for those CF hoods? I didn't use bargain basement pins which is why this was so shocking. Extremely nice Moroso pins which held up great, but they were only as good as the junk linchpins they came with. I wonder if I have cause for a kawsuit.

[Grampa]

"Trust issues with carbon fiber headlight brackets"


Hopefully you don't get facepalmed by your headlight.

[cokey]

Yeah hood pins.  First time they had broke.  2nd time, I dumbed out and was in a rush heading out to our annual memorial day bbq,  forgot to put them back on after doing engine work.

[Rudemouthsky]

This car was a gift from my lovely wife so I feel extra bad about trashing it. Maybe when I replace the hood this summer I'll seek out a nice CF one, and murder the rest out Mad Max style. Have no idea what to do about the sunroof tho. It's still a great car despite this trip being like the Moview "Tommy Boy". Supercharged 3800 engine FTW

[MendoDave]

Need to hear more stories like this. That is, with a beginning a middle and an end. Something that makes you ask yourself "and then what happened"?
I like the use of lots of Pictures as well.

Cool Story Bro.