I destroyed my GU

[Squalo]

Hi guys

I'm sorry to announce that I am responsible for the death of a GU IV Patrol :(

I went to sleep on the Bruce Highway late at night about two weeks ago, I probably should have disengaged the cruise control before I did as when I woke up I was still blasting along at 110km/h, in the deep ditch between north and southbound lanes on that part of the highway (between Caboolture and Caloundra exits. Long story short, I got it stopped, but not before it was damaged enough to be declared a total loss, and I came away from the occasion with spinal fractures and broken ribs.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2013/08/211.jpg

[NissanGQ4.2]

Sorry to here mate but at least it was the death of a GU and not the death of yourself or anyone else

Are you insured?

[Squalo]

Yes, insurance co. has been fantastic (Lumley General Insurance). Claytons Towing, Beerwah police, Nambour ambos and hospital, and the random kind strangers who stopped to assist were all awesome too, their efforts helped to make a fairly traumatic situation a lot easier to deal with.

I'm very disappointed to lose my car, she was a great Patrol. But as you say better her than me or - god forbid - anyone else.

[NissanGQ4.2]

Good news is you can now upgrade to a GQ *L*

Plans on buying another Patrol?

[Stropp]

That's not good news mate, hope things get better from here on in and the next patrol is more awesome than the old.

[Squalo]

Yes I think I'll get another Patrol, but I'll have to do some thinking about what model and drivetrain I want. I learned a lot building this one up and now know what I definitely want/need as far as capabilities go. I imagine that the next one won't be a lot different to this one, but I'd be happy in an earlier series GU and spend the difference on the bolt-on bandit stuff :)

[Squalo]

Got more pics of it today. Sad :(

No, not IFS ...

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2013/08/214.jpg


Just a banana-shaped front diff housing... I went up the side of an emergency services u-turn lane between north and south bound lanes, and according to Claytons Towing I flew 17 metres before landing in the ditch again, still carrying a lot of speed. That's when the airbags deployed, and my spine was fractured.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2013/08/215.jpg


Some advertising for Zordo's diff pumpkin protector - it took a massive impact and the diff housing under it looks intact.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2013/08/216.jpg


Front right guard now part of front right door...

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2013/08/217.jpg

[threedogs]

Hope your back is ok. Myself I've broken it once and fractured it another time.
Still walking but only just, Whats the plan for the wreck?

[Squalo]

The wreck is in the insurance co.s hands now. It will end up at Manheim salvage auctions in Brisbane sometime in the next few weeks. Still lots of good gear including the CRD/auto drivetrain that only has 104k on it.

[04OFF]

Ho-lee-fwuck Murray !

Sad to see your car like that, i know what you and that troll have been through, but, it is just metal after all, very glad you are still hear to tell the tale, reading the story , sounds like it could have been a lot worse.

Mate, if you need anything please let me know.

[04OFF]

Oh, and whatever you do , i DON"T reccomend you buy back the wreck and fix it :D

[MudRunnerTD]

Bloody Hell Squalo, glad your ok mate. The Patrol can be replaced.

The Harris Hard case did a great job! He is a Vendor here and plenty of guys running them. Good test.

Hope your back is ok bud. Ribs can suck big time too.

Good luck with your recovery mate.

[Winnie]

Jeezus! So glad to hear you're okay mate. That's all that matters here.

[happygu]

That is really bad news for you Squalo..... and I hope that you are now on the mend.

The one thing I am really impressed with is the fact that the rims are still fairly round, which should silence some of the doubters about the bushability of alloy rims.....

A bit of a wake up call for all of us of what can happen in an instant when you are on the road, as I can only imagine what may have happened if you were going faster, or someone was coming the other way.

Mic

[AB]

Holy crap mate!!!

Glad you are ok though bugger the gu!

[mudnut]

I am very glad to hear you have survived this accident. Only a couple of years ago, I lost an older relative to similar circumstances. Go and buy a Tattslotto ticket.

[megatexture]

Scary stuff mate and so easily done, i nodded off once on the same stretch and woke up on a off ramp doing 125km towards a servo! Apparently even sleeping i have a lead foot lol.
hope you make a full recovery ASAP and have fun modding the new rig once you get one.

[Ben-e-boy]

Not good, I have fallen asleep on the Bruce too, at the bottom of the hill south of the cooroy exit, woke up just before leaving the road, big mistake working 16 hours straight then driving 1200km. Never again.

[Woodsta1704]

Glad your ok Mate. Get well and hope you get your new truck soon. All the best

Woody

[NP99]

Glad your here to tell the tale. I've had the pleasure of Nambour Ambo's a few times, great guys and girls.

[Avo]

lucky you,glad the car copped it and you got away with it(well nearly hope you fix yourself up quick)it's never nice having an accident,but then it does make us realise that they are just cars.Even if we do have names for them and spend more time with them than the Wife at times.

[mudski]

Good news to see your still here mate. Its sad to see your pride and joy go to the gods but your still here and you have another chance. Take that chance with two hands and a fist full of dollars from the Insurer's , and go shopping for another U. Not a Q, no air bags. By the looks of things, you need them.... Hehe.
Great to see, or read, your still here...Get well.

[taslucas]

drowsy drivers die.................

But even worse, they kill.........

Im sorry for the loss of your car but mate you could have killed someone!

Stop, revive and survive is the road campaign here.

[Squalo]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, and Taslucas I couldn't agree more. I got complacent, I'd driven that road too many times after dark and lost sight of just how dangerous that sort of trip is. Never again. It was hard to face my wife when she came to the hospital - her father and stepmother were killed by someone who fell asleep on the Bruce Highway.

But even harder than that was when I was half asleep in the hospital bed and heard some quiet noises, and I opened my eyes to see my three little kids lined up along the bed with long faces. They nearly lost their daddy.

[mudski]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, and Taslucas I couldn't agree more. I got complacent, I'd driven that road too many times after dark and lost sight of just how dangerous that sort of trip is. Never again. It was hard to face my wife when she came to the hospital - her father and stepmother were killed by someone who fell asleep on the Bruce Highway.

But even harder than that was when I was half asleep in the hospital bed and heard some quiet noises, and I opened my eyes to see my three little kids lined up along the bed with long faces. They nearly lost their daddy.
That just made me tear up and think of my too kids. Thanks. Now wheres' the Kleenex?

[taslucas]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, and Taslucas I couldn't agree more. I got complacent, I'd driven that road too many times after dark and lost sight of just how dangerous that sort of trip is. Never again. It was hard to face my wife when she came to the hospital - her father and stepmother were killed by someone who fell asleep on the Bruce Highway.

But even harder than that was when I was half asleep in the hospital bed and heard some quiet noises, and I opened my eyes to see my three little kids lined up along the bed with long faces. They nearly lost their daddy.

Well it sounds like you know better than me what could have happened. Glad you're ok mate and wish you the best of luck getting another patrol on the road:)

[Bloodyaussie]

You bozo!!!!!!!!

Glad you are ok and no one else was hurt mate.. my mate use to drive from the middle of the territory to the QLD coast all the time and he was under the pump as time went so he would drive 10 min then jump out the car and run around it twice then get back in and drive another 10min just so he could meet his schedule......

I also think one of the problems was the sticker on the back of your car... it may have contributed to the accident??

[taslucas]

I also think one of the problems was the sticker on the back of your car... it may have contributed to the accident??

yep definately, thats the reason it crashed

[Alitis007]

Glad your ok mate and wish you a speedy recovery!

I have fallen as sleep a few times at the wheel and was very lucky untill the last time a Mazda 6 stopped me, fortunately i was only traveling 40km/h.

All the best mate and onto the next Patrol!!!

[Squalo]

I also think one of the problems was the sticker on the back of your car... it may have contributed to the accident??

LOL :)

I'll put one of Andy's stickers on the back of the next Patrol.

That's my second crash in 27 years of driving - first was early on, when I was 17 and rolled an LJ Torana that had too much power for a dopey twit with no driving skills. I hope that it is my last!

[taslucas]

LOL :)

I'll put one of Andy's stickers on the back of the next Patrol.

That's my second crash in 27 years of driving - first was early on, when I was 17 and rolled an LJ Torana that had too much power for a dopey twit with no driving skills. I hope that it is my last!

its funny how most of us can safely drive tracks like in your avatar squalo but all to often its the "safer" highways that create problems.......

[Squalo]

its funny how most of us can safely drive tracks like in your avatar squalo but all to often its the "safer" highways that create problems.......

Too right.

In my case, complacency was a big factor in shaping the course of events. I've always been a switched-on road user, that's how you stay alive as a motorcyclist. But it's quite a few years since I've ridden and clearly my level of competence has declined. Might be time to get a bike on the road again and sharpen up the skills.

[04OFF]

I was thinking before Murray, i bet your very glad your car has all legal mods now mate !

[growler2058]

LOL :)

I'll put one of Andy's stickers on the back of the next Patrol.

That's my second crash in 27 years of driving - first was early on, when I was 17 and rolled an LJ Torana that had too much power for a dopey twit with no driving skills. I hope that it is my last!

I rolled my first car......yup an LJ Torana I was 16

[Hodge]

Sorry to hear about the incident mate, but glad to hear you're still around to write here about it, as it could have been much more sinister.

[taslucas]

I rolled my first car......yup an LJ Torana I was 16

I rolled my first car too!
I was 15, over in the back paddock of the parents farm. "rally spec" Mazda 929 wagon lol. Too hot into the hairpin bend and hard under (hand) brakes when the front tyre popped lol

[Winnie]

I rolled my first car too!
I was 15, over in the back paddock of the parents farm. "rally spec" Mazda 929 wagon lol. Too hot into the hairpin bend and hard under (hand) brakes when the front tyre popped lol

It was a datto 200b for me

[krbrooking]

So glad that you are still alive mate. Sorry to hear bout the car though. Hope everything works out well for you mate.


Sent from my iPhone using Motorculture mobile app

[taslucas]

It was a datto 200b for me

Good rally car's those:)

[PMC]

G'day mate,

Sorry to hear about your accident and has everyone else has stated, you can replace the Patrol. As long as you are OK, that's what is important!

PS, now you too can buy a 3lt Patrol cheaply and join me on the DARK-SIDE by doing an engine swap with a Cummins 5.9lt turbo diesel! lol

Regards,

RLI

[BiLLz0r]

Sorry to hear about the crash. It seems the bullbar did a decent job though considering the speed and impact you must of had. Lucky to be here and share more days with your kids.

Bring on the next GU build.

[Squalo]

PS, now you too can buy a 3lt Patrol cheaply and join me on the DARK-SIDE by doing an engine swap with a Cummins 5.9lt turbo diesel! lol

I had a read of your build topic and looked into that motor - wow, very impressive donk! I'll be watching with interest.

Found out a bit more about my crash from the towie who recovered the GU - I knew I'd gone airborne in the crash, turns out I'd gone along in the ditch until I came to an emergency vehicles u-turn lane, where the ditch met an embankment - I launched up that embankment and according to this guy landed 17m to the north, back in the ditch.

So yep, luckier than a lucky thing to be able to walk away from that.

[BigRAWesty]

Geeze mate you one very lucky person. Complacentsy is a killer ain't it..
Time to mend now and start the search for another patrol, with the right stickers this time..