A deer caused me to wreck my beautiful LaSalle

[z3skybolt]

It is a 1940 5227 and would like to restore it.  Any suggestions appreciated.

Sick at my stomach,

Bob R

[TJ Hopland]

Damage to the front of the car is about the best you could hope for when the alternatives often are upside down in the ditch after rolling several times or head on into the van full of girl scouts.  If you were still alive after either of those options you would be a lot sicker.   Be glad you don't live where there are taller creatures like Moose that end up going over the top of the hood.

[Lexi]

Horrible news. I felt sick to my stomach just reading the subject line. Will keep my eyes open. Do you know if any of these parts were interchangeable with Cadillac at that time? The reason I ask is that I know of 2 Caddies that are '46 or '47 that may be available for parts. I know that some body style changes did not occur until the late '40s, so these may help. Hope you are OK Bob. Clay/Lexi

[chrisntam]

Ugh!  Hope you and the family are ok.  The car can (generally) be repaired / replaced.  Big challenge on the road of life.  Ugh.

Does your insurer assist in locating parts? - I "think" Hagerty might.  Just a thought.

[Jamurray]

Try Jay Stillman in Newmarket, NH. 603-659-4911. I sold him my parts car last year. I assume he's still got it.

[z3skybolt]

 JAMURRAY

Thanks to everyone who responded.  I was in the car by myself at 9:30 pm last night. 1/2 mile from my driveway a deer came out of nowhere. I should have just hit him.  The damage would have been less. But I swerved left and the front tire dropped off the steep edge of the two lane asphalt road.....bordered by a deep ditch.  I slammed into a 14 in. tree trunk at about 25 mph and ripped a hole in my neighbors cattle fence. Knocked me out for a moment. My forehead, face, nose and black eye looks like I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. Neck and back a bit sore today but not bad. All the damage is to the front end except the trunk lid which flipped open upon impact, broke the hinges and flew over the top of the car.

Anyhow  J....I called Jay in New Hampshire. He has the entire clip.  Unfortunately it is for a 1940 50 series.  He did encourage me that Hagerty will help me find parts and pieces.  Mechanically I bent a tie rod and jammed the radiator into the fan with moderate damage to the radiator.

Hagerty's adjuster will call be Monday and we will see how it goes.  There is an agreed to value of $32,000.00  But I expect it will take all of that.....maybe more.

Any further suggestions appreciated,

Bob R.

[Jamurray]

I'm sorry. I realized your car may not have been a 50 series on my way to Rhode Island for dinner. The two series are not even close.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Bob,

It felt sick to my stomach when reading the heading, and hopefully everything will work out.

As TJ mentioned regarding the alternatives, luckily it wasn't worse.    It is always great to have hindsight, but every occasion that crashes occur, it is human nature to try to avoid the crash in the first place, but in doing that, many times the matter ends up being worse.

I have seen where too many people have been killed by suddenly swerving, but it is hard to not let our survival reactions take command.

Hopefully everything will get better, but moreso, take care of your own health.   The car can wait.

Bruce.

[Scot Minesinger]

So sorry about that.  Like others wrote, you are intact and the car can be repaired.  You learned that next time to hit the deer, and even that would have done a lot of damage at a decent speed.  Unfortunately these cars were built much more for style than to withstand a deer hit at speed with minimal damage.  Hope you can get it repaired for the insurance money, plus you will be able to take care of a few "might as wells" too.

Take care of yourself and then to the LaSalle. 

[Cadman-iac]

Bob,
I'm glad you weren't hurt worse, and you certainly could have been. Unfortunately the older cars are not as forgiving on the human body as their newer counterparts.
My philosophy has always been, "if it ain't bigger than the grille,  kill it!"
I hope you recover quickly and don't have any lasting effects from this. As for your car, it can be repaired much easier than you can. I have learned that the hard way.
But I do hope that the car is repairable and the parts not too difficult to locate.

Rick

[fishnjim]

https://tujunga.americanlisted.com/ad/gallery/29135831/

U got two options, find a parts car or make yours one and get another whole car.
I think you could find a nice LaSalle for $32K and part yours.   
If I find any more, I'll post.

https://classiccars.com/listings/view/1345855/1940-lasalle-52-for-sale-in-midlothian-texas-76065
https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1940/lasalle/series_52/101189188

[GBrown #8092]

So sorry to hear about your accident. Glad you're recovering. 
Did you car have seat belts in it?  That was an issue between Frank DeCou and I as well traveled around the countryin his LaSalle. It was on his "to do" list with his planned interior redo.
Not so worried about us, but others. I forgot about Mother Nature throwing curve balls too.  I've been pondering putting them in the '57.

You might try All Cads in Las Vegas. He may have those parts, or be able to track them for you.

Glenn

[39LaSalleDriver]

Wowzers Bob Glad to hear you're doing okay. With all the deer I have within a mile of my house, this is definitely a recurring nightmare I have as well. Especially so since I drive mine quite a bit in the evening and night time hours. Hopefully you'll be able to piece your car back together and get back on the road soon.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Glad you're OK, that's all that counts.
When driving our classics and given the option of hitting something soft like an animal or human versus
something hard like a tree, building or another car - always opt for the 'soft'.

[Caddyholic]

This add is from high ridge. https://stlouis.craigslist.org/pts/d/high-ridge-1931-and-lasalle-parts/7159678763.html

[z3skybolt]

Thanks Jim,

I will be talking to the adjuster tomorrow and will keep this place in my hip pocket. I think I saw a few items that I will need.

Bob R.

[LaSalle5019]

Very sorry to hear about you and your car. Sorry, I'm not able to help out....just another LaSalle owner who, like others, worry about deer as we have plenty of them in Michigan and I've had a number of near misses.  In fact, last night I had two fawns that appeared out of no where but luckily didn't jump out in front. I really feel for you though.
Scott

[Dan LeBlanc]

The last time I drove my 61 Fleetwood before I sold it to David Greenburg, I crested a knoll on my way to Bangor, ME from my home in New Brunswick.  It was about 8am and there was a moose standing in the middle of the road.  I had but a split second to react - hit the moose or go down the embankment on either side of the road, or lock it up and risk the transport about a 1/4 mile behind me plowing into me as he crested the knoll.  I locked up all four wheels, got the speed down, let go of the brakes, and was able to steer around the moose.  I almost had to change my underwear.

If Bambi steps out in front of me in any car, Bambi is going to die.  Bullwinkle, well, I'm likely going to die.

I finished the drive to the car show, got rained on on the drive home, that was it for me.  I posted the car for sale as I had no interest in driving it anymore as I knew the car couldn't be duplicated, and I've moved on.  A 77 Brougham can certainly be replaced.

We occupy their habitat, and sometimes these things happen.  The best thing about your story is that you're still here to tell us about it.  Glad you woke up on the right side of the grass afterward!  Hopefully your LaSalle lives to soldier on another day when time permits.

[Lexi]

"if it ain't bigger than the grille,  kill it!" Rick

Cadmaniac love the quote. Bob glad to hear that you are OK. Clay/Lexi

[59-in-pieces]

Bob,
So glad you made it through alive.

I have been lucky driving through Oregon and Washington states at night where all you see is the white butts of the deer along the roadside - any one could have jumped out and good night - on the one side of the road is a steep vertical mountain side and the other a shear cliff down the mountain side.
Mentally, I was set up that the default move was veer into the mountainside.
Thank God never faced with acting on that plan.

I believe that you were better off in a good ol'hefty thick steel LaSalle, than some beer can thin sheet metal foreign shoe box "jobbie" with crumple zones.

Have fun - and you still can - thank God,
Steve B.