Another weekend project..this one unexpected. Hit a deer.....

[John_Nicholson]

On the way to the lease on Friday evening I had a first time experience. I don't know how many deer I have avoided through the years but I guess I finally met my match. We were headed west on 29 at Lake Buchanan and 3 does came sprinting out of the trees. I missed the first one and the last one, but the middle one...well not so much. I will give her credit for one thing. This truck has a substantial brush guard on the front. It is pretty hard for a deer to hurt me but she figured the hole in my otherwise perfect defenses......She just got her head in front of the truck. This caused her to go under the front tire, push the drivers side quarter panel back under the door, and then whip her into the door. Long story short the truck was mechanically sound but I could not open the drivers side door. Took some pictures while they were loading protein at the feed store.

Pushed back a fair bit.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DiscusJohn/IMG_20160402_081838986_zpswptyd37v.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/DiscusJohn/media/IMG_20160402_081838986_zpswptyd37v.jpg.html)

Pulled over a fair bit.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DiscusJohn/IMG_20160402_081845012_HDR_zpsbl66cnsb.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/DiscusJohn/media/IMG_20160402_081845012_HDR_zpsbl66cnsb.jpg.html)

Pushed in a fair bit.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DiscusJohn/IMG_20160402_081834408_zps1itkjrs9.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/DiscusJohn/media/IMG_20160402_081834408_zps1itkjrs9.jpg.html)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DiscusJohn/IMG_20160402_081851334_zpsm2w6rie1.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/DiscusJohn/media/IMG_20160402_081851334_zpsm2w6rie1.jpg.html)


This is basically my wife's truck. She drives 6 miles to work a day and I drive about 90 so I get to take the equinox..LOL...Anyway she was less than thrilled. This truck has over 200,000 on it and we had already started shopping for another one so I figured that I would just save some money and fix it myself.........

I ended up sinking some self tapping screws though some chain and using a 6 foot cheater bar to pull the quarter panel "back into place". I then used a large pair of channel locks to close the hood gap, and took off the door panel and did my best to push the dents out from the back.....of course there was a support brace everywhere I needed to push, but at Sunday afternoon you could now open the door. The wife wanted me to get another trim piece for the door but I just could not see any reason to buy anything for the repair so the old one will have to do...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DiscusJohn/IMG_20160403_151356263_zpsznbhia7a.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/DiscusJohn/media/IMG_20160403_151356263_zpsznbhia7a.jpg.html)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DiscusJohn/IMG_20160403_151400150_zpsoerucjkb.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/DiscusJohn/media/IMG_20160403_151400150_zpsoerucjkb.jpg.html)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/DiscusJohn/IMG_20160403_151403453_zpsis4e4cqv.jpg (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/DiscusJohn/media/IMG_20160403_151403453_zpsis4e4cqv.jpg.html)

-john

[Phillydubs]

Ohhhh fun fun fun! In Jersey there are more than a fair share of deer and deer run ins! Looks like you got by without too much damage, more of a hassle than anything! Good thing its time for a new truck anyways!

[John_Nicholson]

Yea considering that I quite literally knock the chit out of her it could have been a lot worse.

-john

[Phillydubs]

Did you pick her up and make good use of her at least? ;)

Send some steaks my way! Hahah

[pitdogg2]

geesh John anything to get one out of season huh.....

Kidding of course


I played hockey one night with one also, kept running along side of my truck for about 50yards until he decided to take a left we were in for a good race. I sped up he sped up I slowed he slowed I ended up just pushing off the road and we said goodbye:)

[John_Nicholson]

Nope down here you cannot pick them up. If it was legal then some folks would start doing it on purpose.....LOL.

-john

[Jack L]

No insurance?

[John_Nicholson]

I stopped carrying anything but liablity on that truck several years ago. Once the wife gets her ne truck this one it strictly a farm truck.

-john

[Len]

Sorry about the truck John, but glad at least you weren't hurt. Could have been much worse.

[John_Nicholson]

Thanks Len.

-john

[Jack L]

I stopped carrying anything but liablity on that truck several years ago. Once the wife gets her ne truck this one it strictly a farm truck.

-john

Good on you for doing DIY, my guess based on recent similar damage would be 3-4k at a body shop

[John_Nicholson]

Thanks. I come from a long line of people that do just knid of whatever needs to be done.

-john

[Altum Nut]

Looks like a good enough fix from what I see.
Been keeping up with body repairs on my 1996 GMC Sierra 1500 for a number of years John.
Starts every time with 340,000 KM = 211,000 Miles. Don't want to ginks myself but the 305 ci outlasts the Energizer Bunny.

...Ralph

[John_Nicholson]

I hear ya Ralph. The black pickup is a 3/4 ton so it has the 6.0 motor. I think it is still currently at about 207,000. My middle daughter swiped my '97 Z71 as her own way back when she turned 16. It has the 5.7 and it is currently at 260,000+.

-john

[Akili]

Looks like a good enough fix from what I see.
Been keeping up with body repairs on my 1996 GMC Sierra 1500 for a number of years John.
Starts every time with 340,000 KM = 211,000 Miles. Don't want to ginks myself but the 305 ci outlasts the Energizer Bunny.

...RalphGood old 305 ci I have 1996 GMC Sierra too approaching 297000 Km.

[Fishquake]

Is the deer ok?

[John_Nicholson]

Nope. Pretty much knocked the brains out of her.

-john

[ericNH]

Not a bad job on the body work. I definitely wouldn't tackle that sort of thing, especially on a large, heavy-duty truck.

[Darrell Ward]

That stinks! I've had my close calls with deer also here in NC. They are everywhere! Luckily, I haven't hit one yet, although I did kill a dog last Saturday with the wife's nearly new Explorer. It was a total accident, as the dog ran out in the road before I had time to react, but I would never want to injure someone's pet.:(

[Fishquake]

She's in a better place now.