My 360 is never coming home after hitting that damn raccoon

So, after hitting the raccoon with the 360, the car went down to Jim’s for some R&R. No biggie, State Farm has a special ‘hit a furry critter’ discount on the deductible, so I’m not out much. The bumper comes off, gets repaired (along with a few panels UNDER the bumper that the damn raccoon cracked) and then goes to a shop next to Jim’s to have a clear bra applied. The sections for the hood and fenders go on fine, but then the guy doing the install tries to place the large bumper section by himself. It doesn’t go on right. When they go to remove it, you guessed it; the paint pulls off the bumper.

SO, the bumper is almost done with its second repaint and has to cure again 2-3 weeks before the next attempt at the clear bra. That will be almost 2-1-/2 months in the shop. And that was after 3-1/2 months while it was down with the dash stripped out.

One REALLY good thing about me being anal with my cars is that I had asked Jim to get the body guys to repaint the air intake plenum covers, as the red was stained all dingy and no matter what I tried, I could not get it clean. Jim asked that since the labor was done, and he was there already, would I want him to do the timing belts early. Sure, I tell him. About an hour later I get a call from him telling me to go play the lottery. The 1-4 belt was just find, but the 5-8 belt was almost hand loose, and he was amazed that it hadn’t jumped yet, destroying the engine. BAM!

I bought a ticket and still lost. That’s ok; I won the damn timing belt lotto!

So, while the Ferrari is stuck in the shop, I guess I’ll just have to make do driving…um…the OTHER Ferrari.

 

I know, horrible isn't it? Actually, I've been red-necking it in the Silverado. This IS Tangipahoa Parish afterall.

 

Three years and 22,000 miles.

 

Man, a redneck with a Lambo; that's even worse.

 

I see that almost every day driving into my hood.

 

L&M did the paint and bodywork, another shop attempted the clear bra.

 

I finally got the 360 back Tuesday; been driving the wheels off it since then. It's SO nice to have it back as a daily driver, it never gets old, and after being gone for 2-1/2 months I realize just how much I love driving it each day.

Bad news is no clear bra. After it was repainted and then cured for another three weeks, the dude that messed it up the first time decided he just didn't feel comfortable trying again. As Jim didn't know anyone else that he trusted to do it, other than some names that had been passed to him (and that I had been without the damn car for that long!) I told him forget about it, I'll just keep repainting it as it chips up.

Then came the big worry that when the sections that DID go on ok on the fenders and hood were going to pull the paint when they came off. No worries, they came off fine.

BUT, when I finally go to get the car, I notice that the paint work was sub-par (to say the least) in the vent in front of the left wheel; it was bubbled and cracked. Jim thinks it may have cracked and lifted going back on the car. I've sprayed a good bit myself ad it looks like bad prep-work to me with the paint lifting. The rest is fine and this will get fixed the next time it's in the shop.

Jim said the timing was found to be off a bit when he did the belts and it does feel zippier to me.

Also, thanks to a smart-ass F-chatter that will remain nameless *cough* gemlender *cough* dropped this nifty raccoon detector off at my office, I should be able to avoid any further raccoon strikes in the future!
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LOL! Great idea! Done!