Beware of nature, it feels no guilt toward any of us.

[Kern Dog]

A month ago my 13 year old nephew said he wants a classic car and wants my help to build it.
I have a 71 Duster up the hill that I had planned on building a Plum Crazy Duster 340 clone to make a few bucks but this thing with the kid is so much more important. I’ve always wanted to have a kid to guide, to mentor. He was all excited about the car and we have discussed plans for it.
Today:

I went up the hill to look for something and saw that a big branch of a multi trunk tree had fallen. The first picture shows a 73 Dart that somehow missed damage other than scratches. The Duster though….

I guess it could be worse. It could have landed on the roof.

Daylight was fading but I was curious so I grabbed a chain saw….

Hmm. The hood was hard to open but it looks like it got the worst of it.
The grille was already cracked.

The right fender was untouched and just as crappy as it was before. The left fender took damage at the top.

I can fix all of this.

It could have been a lot worse.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Very tragic, glad nobody was hurt. You’re a good mentor.

 

[OneWheelPeel]

Sorry about the car, you can still have fun with the nephew figuring out the metal work, that’s the only silver lining I can come up with.
It was crazy windy today, I had to run an errand and took the old LandCruiser. I get back and a big branch, not as big as yours but substantial, was in the spot the LandCruiser was parked in before I left. If anything it would have taken out the sunroof.
Then while trying to figure out where it came from with my neighbors the only spot on the tree with a fresh break is directly over my corvette, it broke and swung and flew past the vette instead of just dropping down onto it. I got double lucky!

 

[j-c-c-62]

Kudos for the Duster by saving its nearby Black Mopar Brother is my take here.
The Duster deserves a second chance IMO, and this is a good lesson for the young'un to learn, when you get knocked down, pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and learn that every tree will eventually fall down.

And almost forgot, mother nature has no compassion.

 

[1967coronet]

That sucks, But... it could have been far worse. It is great your going to start a project car with your nephew.
This will be something he will allways remember.

 

[icetech]

Duster doesn't look bad at all... just a few more hours work

 

[eldubb440]

I have these big oak trees with stuff constantly falling out of them........ it's a tragic, freak accident waiting to happen

when it's windy, I avoid walking under them

 

[DeltaV]

I can fix all of this.

I was expecting worse

Are you done yet?

Restoration/project thread?

 

[chargervert]

Way to go KD. We need to inspire the next generations interest in the hobby. I gave my friends son a 71 Charger after Carlisle this year, when he told me he was priced out of the Mopar project car market after seeing the prices of cars and parts at the show.

 

[YY1]

I've seen your other car.

You can fix that.

 

[hdwrench]

sad . sometimes timing can really be off .

 

[QuickBpBp]

Sucks to see. Nature almost got me this spring but thankfully this massive cherry missed our jet skis by a few feet and only branches fell on them.

 

[ckessel]

After we had some damage from Oak Trees to our old place, punched holes in the roof of the garage and house, we've made sure there are no trees on our lot that can cause problems like that. Looking at possible tree trajectory was a big item when we were looking for new digs.

 

[icetech]

After we had some damage from Oak Trees to our old place, punched holes in the roof of the garage and house, we've made sure there are no trees on our lot that can cause problems like that. Looking at possible tree trajectory was a big item when we were looking for new digs.

I get stressed about it.. i have 6 massive pines at the corners of my house and like 15 other HUGE trees in my yard.. everytime we get severe winds i stress out bad. Bastards are too expensive to get taken down though

 

[Coelacanth]

I'd say you mostly dodged (heh, I didn't plan that...) a major bullet there. That hood and fender got nicked but you had a lot more parked there that could've been hit much worse.

 

[RJ Squirrel]

Oh man that would have been real depressing had it landed on the roof! I am helping a friend with a 73 Duster, have seen a couple hoods for sale around here they are easier to find than my RR hood was.

 

[chargervert]

Perfect excuse to replace the hood with a fiberglass Sixpack hood. Cropduster part 2 in the works!

 

[Cranky]

After we had some damage from Oak Trees to our old place, punched holes in the roof of the garage and house, we've made sure there are no trees on our lot that can cause problems like that. Looking at possible tree trajectory was a big item when we were looking for new digs.

Some of my trees are now big enough to reach the house....the live oak in front is leaning slightly north but away from the house. I trimmed the south side limbs in case a storm blows it southward. Been thinking about taking it down but man, it produces lots of shade.

I get stressed about it.. i have 6 massive pines at the corners of my house and like 15 other HUGE trees in my yard.. everytime we get severe winds i stress out bad. Bastards are too expensive to get taken down though

I finally found a cutter/trimmer that's cheap and that's great since I'm 73 now and don't much feel like doing that kind of work anymore! He's trying to establish a client base so he will probably go up in price as that happens so I might grab him to cut down a fairly large water oak that's lifting the driveway plus it's too close to the house.

 

[Cranky]

A month ago my 13 year old nephew said he wants a classic car and wants my help to build it.
I have a 71 Duster up the hill that I had planned on building a Plum Crazy Duster 340 clone to make a few bucks but this thing with the kid is so much more important. I’ve always wanted to have a kid to guide, to mentor. He was all excited about the car and we have discussed plans for it.
Today:

I went up the hill to look for something and saw that a big branch of a multi trunk tree had fallen. The first picture shows a 73 Dart that somehow missed damage other than scratches. The Duster though….

I guess it could be worse. It could have landed on the roof.

Daylight was fading but I was curious so I grabbed a chain saw….

Hmm. The hood was hard to open but it looks like it got the worst of it.
The grille was already cracked.

The right fender was untouched and just as crappy as it was before. The left fender took damage at the top.

I can fix all of this.

It could have been a lot worse.

One thing I try not to do is park cars close to trees!! Seen way too many cool cars crushed by them.