On my way to work today, I was going down the interstate when I went to change lanes. There was a jeep behind me in the lane I was aiming for, and I checked very quickly to see if I could safely switch. When I looked back up, the truck in front of me was alot closer than I remember it being, so I (lightly) pressed the brakes and began to change.

Then, something happened. All of a sudden, the car began fishtailing and pulling left across the freeway. I countersteered and dodged a car then it decided to go the other way. Unfortunately, the second time I was not so lucky and T-Boned the same utility truck I pressed in my brakes for at 70MPH. It was such a surreal experience. Imagine watching cops when they PIT a car. The utility truck (An '03 2500 chevy pickup), did a 180 across all three lanes of traffic. He then did another 180, and by the grace of god slid right into an access cut for the HOV lanes between the guard rails, took out a couple barrels and came to a rest.

I quickly looked in the rearview to regain my surroundings and pulled over to the shoulder. Looking over the hood, nothing appeared damaged but I knew that couldn't have been the case. I shut the engine off and about cried when I got out and looked.

All that was done to the 2500 was a small dent on the bottom drivers side. It had two very large dents on both sides but luckily the driver was a real nice guy and said they had already been there. He could have lied and said it was from the accident or from taking out the barrels.

I am extremely thankful that the other driver wasn't hurt or his vehicle wasn't severely damaged. I am also thankful I walked away without a scratch, and was able to drive the car home after pulling the fender out from where it was hitting the tire. Also for the fact that once you start really getting into stuff, the damage isn't all that bad. It looks horrible now, but given the fact there isnt any frame damage (car handled fine on the way home) and the radiator support isn't damaged, all I'm looking at is a new front nose, new passenger side fender, two new headlight pockets, and a new front bumper support (Just bought one off ebay for $55 shipped). Also will need a new radiator topmount and filter box since they were cracked. The hood is warped beyond repair, but here is the perfect excuse to stop procrastinating on my ram air hood.

If the truck hadn't have been in the way, there is a very good chance I would have careened off into the woods and flipped the car/hit a tree, since there wasn't a guard rail there. So maybe It's best it happened the way it did.

Before anyone asks, all my tires are new. maybe about 2000 miles on the rears and 1500 on the fronts. Although the backs are Nitto drags, so I'm guessing that had something to do with it. But I've done far more insane things with the car and It's never behaved like this before, so I'm stumped

 

More pictures.

 

Even more pictures.

 

Is doesnt seem like there's any major structural damage...Pick up a new hood, fendor, header panel, and bumper cover and you'll be back on the road in no time!!

 

Yeh, lucky the damage isent too bad. When you take turns at highway speed, definitely wanna take it slow.

But come on, a ram air hood? on a 3rd gen camaro
If you want that look, buy a 4th gen trans am, lol.
Just get a Cowl hood or a stock hood.

 

While I agree the ram air hoods look best on a 4th gen transam and the cowl hoods look best on a thirdgen, a cowl hood wouldn't do anything on a TPI engine except add to the look of the car.

With the ram air hood, they make a special intake filter that will make the hood functional.

 

I thought stock it already gets air from next to the front license plate? Which is the same idea as ram air.

 

I love the look of the ram air hood on 3rd gen camaro's...just my 2 cents, but yea good thing the damage isnt too horrific, shouldnt be to bad to fix, and at least everyones alright

 

Yeah, that damage isn't very bad, it could have been a lot worse. We have most of the parts you ned available on our site if you need them.

 

The stock setup is not setup that way. The way the filters go hold down just in front of the radiator, but are pulling air from the space in front of the radiator.

There are aftermarket "ram air boxes" you can buy that create ducts from the openings on the sides of the license plate up to the air filters, but these will reduce an amount of airflow to the radiator, plus my trans cooler would block them. Since these duct the incoming air up into the filters, I can't see them being as effective as an actual hood.

 

wow...got away better than most i guess..good luck finding parts

 

Man you got lucky, almost took out a truck and then only need a front bumper you came out on top. Weird what happened to your steering though