jimrankin Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Whenever you choose to take your car on track, be it autocross, track day or actual racing, you always have in mind and are OK with he fact you can have damage, be it just stone chips and rubber all the way to wrecked through your own mistake or another drivers. What you don't expect is for another racer to damage your car while it's sitting unattended in the paddock and then leave without letting you know. I was up at a great track day at Sonoma yesterday with the Golden Gate Lotus Club sharing the day with a Mustang Club and while RNR were over getting breakfast after our full hour morning session someone decided to not use the marked driveways and cut through our parking. I hope they drive better and are more courteous on track than they were in the paddock. The attached photo is after the fender was pulled out as best possible so I could continue with the day. It had been bent clear into the tire and you can see how it buckled out the upper outer edge of the fender and also in against the body, both much minor in the photo now than before the pull out. I don't think anyone could have hit it that hard and not known it, even with a trailer being the item doing the damage. I just hope it was a late arriving Mustanger, wouldn't want to think a fellow Lotus member did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 That just sucks Jim. Hard to believe that the bastard didn't have the courtesy of taking responsibility for their actions. You don't expect that kind of behavior at an event like that. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Sorry to see that... With any luck, there might be some guy on a mustang forum talking about how some blue car put a crease down the side of his car during a track day event and didn't have the courtesy to take responsibility;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Now that I have WMC fneders on my Stalker, that hits much closer to home. May I vent with you . . . :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: to the tenth power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 I fell much better now, only hope that some day the jerk is parked and some other low life comes along and does a "karma" key job on his baby. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestTexasS2K Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 That sucks to be hit and run. It looks like its repairable. If you need a fender let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 Going to get it as straight as possible, aluminum seems to be more bent than "stretched" so should be pretty close. Then going to use some of the spray on black bed liner type material shaped to look like a stone guard (I know, usually only on the front of the fender) on both rears so they match. Should look OK and if not, I have two new spare fenders so I'm in good shape. Mostly just pissed the other track day driver didn't stop. Would have let it go without cost to him as something under the "shit happens" rule if he had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slngsht Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 man, that sucks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 Decided to go with the "patch" repair for the rest of the year, maybe do something better in the winter, maybe just keep tracking it and not worry it. Got most of the dent out by making a wooden block with a radius just larger than the undamaged fender, lined it with a thick piece of leather and then slowly tapped it into shape from inside the fender well with a body hammer and dolly. The fender paint was cracked near the main body from the large initial bend so had to carry the repair all the way across. Did a tape outline as close to the damaged areas as possible and then made a paper template I could reverse to duplicate the outline on the other fender. After sanding and cleaning I painted it with a textured truck bed liner spray can to make it look like a stone guard. The damage was a bit more than "that'll buff out Dude" but not too bad so pretty quick fix. For some reason the pics won't load so I'll send this and then try the pisc as a separate post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 hopefully.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 last one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pi7ot Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Does the facility have any security cameras? m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnr Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I think you need mudflaps now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimrankin Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share Posted August 7, 2013 If I install mud flaps do I get to have chrome "naked lady" silhouettes on them :-)? Always wanted some of those. LOL. Pi7ot: I wouldn't think they have that much coverage, pretty good sized paddock. If the damage hadn't been contained to just the fender I would have walked the site trying to find a car or trailer with my paint and plastic film on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotus8guy Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 The bed liner looks good, very creative solution. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 If I install mud flaps do I get to have chrome "naked lady" silhouettes on them :-)? Always wanted some of those. LOL. Improvise, adapt. overcome . . . and you will need air horns if you do the naked lady chrome bling thing. Nice job and very creative! :cheers: X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Nice solution, looks good! I swear I must be the least talented person on this board. I never would of attempted pounding out a dent... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihckb2 Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I suspect it was someone with a trailer and never felt it. I did this once with my horse trailer into a block wall, must have just touched it and never felt it. Got home a noticed a damaged tail light on the corner. Went back a couple of days later to the same spot and sure enough there was the damaged tail light lense. Doesn't take much. I'm sure if the guy new what he had done he would be upset, unless he is a complete a--hole, then he doesn't even belong behind a wheel. Nice make up job. Love the paint job on the car, a real beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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