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Having just driven 'Cherry Blossom' over the Side of my Car Lift in an Act of Sheer Stupidity from which I will never recover.
I was in total denial as to how bad the damage could be and couldn't even bring myself to look.
As my main focus now was in trying to get her out of the one foot deep hole I had just dropped her in.
At this moment in time I was hating myself for being so damn Stupid, as to drive her right over the edge of the lifter where She them plummeted in to a very deep hole.
To be absolutely honest, I couldn't even bring myself to look but I had a Plan! and you know what they say about those.
Put a Jack under the Center Beam and then Jack her up until I had managed to get the Front Wheels off the Ground.
Then put a thick Plank of wood underneath and lower the Car down on it, then once
having done so, hit on one end of the Plank with a FBH.
Until the Front Wheels are lined back up with the Channels on the lifter, then Jack her
up, remove the Plank and then lower her down again.
With both front Wheels Jacked up in the Air, all I had to do, was to pick up that Plank in front of the Jack and then Slide it under the Wheels. Then hit the end of the Plank with a FBH, until the Front Wheels lined up with the Track of the Lifter.
'What could possibly go Wrong!' The Car Fell Off The Jack! You're Joking! (No I'm Not!)
The Jack Fell Over and dropped the Car for the Second Time!
I was Stunned in disbelief that such a thing could happen, as I was being so Careful but happen it did and my first reaction was 'well there goes the Rad'
In fact I was half expecting the Rad to knock a big dent in the Bonnet/Hood after it looked as if the Jack had hit it from underneath.
Time To Try 'Plan B' Just to Prove
That Lightening doesn't Strike the same place twice.
This time the Plan was to Jack up the Car
and then Jam a Plank at an Angle
Under the Front Wheel.
So when the Jack was lowered down
The Wheel would slide down the Plank as it moved the Car Over.
What could Possibly go Wrong!
Seconds before I took this Photo the Car Slipped off the Jack a Second Time! Seconds before I took this Photo
There was a very loud Bang!
As the Plank Broke in Half
And the Jack then flew up in the Air
Sometimes you can't buy a goal
This was not to be my day
But somehow, just don't asked me how
'Cherry Blossom' dropped into the Track.
And though I didn't plan for that to happen at least I could drive her off
To inspect the damage.
To be continued........................
Last edited by orangeblossom; 09-28-2017 at 05:32 PM.
Very sorry to hear of the misfortune. We have ALL done something silly at some point with our cars and fortunately nearly all of us live to tell the tale, suitably chastened, wiser and perhaps a little poorer. At least you are safe and Beng metal can be repaired. So let's all a be thankful for ghst.
However dire things seem at the time, it is often not quite as bad in the cold light of day. Let's hope that when you jack it up and get it out of there, the damage will be minimal and easily fixed.
Good luck
Paul
Hi Paul
She's been up on that Ramp so many times, that driving her on was almost second nature, 'familiarity breeds content' and all that.
I can't even make eye contact with her, to see what damage I've done.
But look at what She may have fallen on.
The hole that She fell down is nearly a foot deep!
OB, it might sound the most painful way, but before ypu smash up the underside, see if you can drive her out backwards. As said, one of the most nasty sounds but it will only, if at all, cause a little bit of damage to that already damaged. Ypu don't want the jack to crack the Sandwich plate under the engine or the sump to be broken...
You're right, I'm being a bit of a 'Wuss' it's just that 'Cherry' and me have bonded in an Araldite-esq way, to such an extent that She is no longer just a piece of Red Metal.
Maybe it won't be that bad or then again maybe it will.
So I've taken your advice and very carefully backed her off the ramp.
No funny Graunching noises or Pools of Oil and Water and from what I can see, no damage on the drivers side.
But as for the Passenger Side, I dare not look, as there is no way She would have escaped unscathed.
So Tomorrow, I will have to 'Man up' and go and take a look and will put some Photo's up of whatever I may find, on my 'Cherry Blossom' Restoration Thread.
Which somehow no longer seems to be the most appropriate name.
But looking on the Bright Side, I've managed to fix the Merc, so that's a bit of extra light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Last edited by orangeblossom; 09-29-2017 at 04:19 PM.
All your sacrifices to the Great Jaguar Goddess* have clearly not gone in vain: today she has smiled upon you, blessing you with her bounty.
*Clearly a goddess and not a god. Singular or plural, I am still undecided.... All I know is that in my case, she likes regular sacrifices of coolant (I'm not sure where else it is going...).
All your sacrifices to the Great Jaguar Goddess* have clearly not gone in vain: today she has smiled upon you, blessing you with her bounty.
*Clearly a goddess and not a god. Singular or plural, I am still undecided.... All I know is that in my case, she likes regular sacrifices of coolant (I'm not sure where else it is going...).
Hi Someday
I always Top up the Coolant every time I go out and though She may only need half a Cupful, if you don't keep your eye on the ball, then the less you've got the more you use, in a sort of a Self Perpetuating Circle.
As an aside, I saw a 56mm Wide Angle F4 in a Secondhand Shop £450! although it did look the 'dogs' (maybe next time)
56 mm wouldn't be that wide (for reference, my widest lens goes to 8 mm). I assume you mean a prime lens? Sounds strange, and rather expensive - f4 is good, but not great.
Nice to know other people also lose coolant on a regular basis....
I guess. It's just that after reading things about "coolant is a closed system" or "check once every few years" sort of things about cars, regular loss can be alarming.
I guess. It's just that after reading things about "coolant is a closed system" or "check once every few years" sort of things about cars, regular loss can be alarming.
depends on the age... the Jaguar I top up once a month...
the Van (2004) was fine for a year after its last repair and now has a 1.5 to 2 mm pin hole in the pipe that get pin holes... this Time I just ordered a pipe as it found it new for $32US just topping up and waiting... for it to arrive...
I can tell that there is lack of coolant because the engine operates differently, this is before the temp starts to act wired even... (more knocking and pinging... a need for higher octane in a van that uses regular) that is when to run down your leak... luck me right up front for God and all to see.! same with the jaguar... chasing a pin hole here and there.
depends on the age... the Jaguar I top up once a month...
the Van (2004) was fine for a year after its last repair and now has a 1.5 to 2 mm pin hole in the pipe that get pin holes... this Time I just ordered a pipe as it found it new for $32US just topping up and waiting... for it to arrive...
I can tell that there is lack of coolant because the engine operates differently, this is before the temp starts to act wired even... (more knocking and pinging... a need for higher octane in a van that uses regular) that is when to run down your leak... luck me right up front for God and all to see.! same with the jaguar... chasing a pin hole here and there.
I've replaced all the rubber and plastic in the cooling system of my XJ. It still leaks... Neither burnt nor is it in the engine. I assume it is pressed out of the recovery bottle. So I just think f*ck it and get on with it darn car!
Possibly a dumb question, but what's the purpose of the blue contraption? It's in a hole, in the dirt and it doesn't look like it makes many repair chores easier vs a decent concrete floor and jack stands. Many moons ago as a poor sap I built a work base out of machine crate timbers and covered it with sheets of plywood. It made a nice safe work space that would handle an engine hoist without too much drama. When we bought our house the 20' x 40' shed had 2' square concrete pavers in most of it and I could work off them again if I laid a sheet of plywood down for the wheels to roll on. OK for a hoist but no good for a jack.
I will advise that it's a lot safer to use a sheet of 1/4" or 3/8" steel plate on the rims for the floor jack to sit and walk on. I'll do that out in gravel drives as well. Pain to lug around but it works well. Wood is a big no no because the jack needs to roll forward as it lifts.
Possibly a dumb question, but what's the purpose of the blue contraption? It's in a hole, in the dirt and it doesn't look like it makes many repair chores easier vs a decent concrete floor and jack stands. Many moons ago as a poor sap I built a work base out of machine crate timbers and covered it with sheets of plywood. It made a nice safe work space that would handle an engine hoist without too much drama. When we bought our house the 20' x 40' shed had 2' square concrete pavers in most of it and I could work off them again if I laid a sheet of plywood down for the wheels to roll on. OK for a hoist but no good for a jack.
I will advise that it's a lot safer to use a sheet of 1/4" or 3/8" steel plate on the rims for the floor jack to sit and walk on. I'll do that out in gravel drives as well. Pain to lug around but it works well. Wood is a big no no because the jack needs to roll forward as it lifts.
Hi Ranchero
Certainly not a dumb question and you're right it would be Safer on a Concrete Floor, which I never got round to doing, because I've got so many Plates to spin.
As such I keep the Lifter very low to the ground and shore it up with 4 X 2ft Scaffold Poles so that it cannot fall.
Which seems to be the perfect height for most jobs, though working on an XJS is never very easy.
But this Year I am planning to build another 'Shop' to keep my Car 'Cherry Blossom' in and if funds allow will treat myself to a new four post lifter.
09-28-2017, 02:46 PM
Another Fine Mess!
The Car Fell Off The Jack!
