It's Deer Season for V8q's - (a.k.a., Lucky I found a Great Body Shop)

[James M Dean <aes@idsi.net>]

I'll try to keep this short, to the point and include the "real" Audi
content as much as possible.

About five weeks ago I was traveling on I-90 West toward Rochester, NY
(NY Thruway) at about 75 mph outside of Syracuse, NY in my 1990 V8q. It
was about 6:45 am and I was not quite awake yet. I had a deer dart
across my path from my right toward the median. It was apparent that the
deer was not going to change direction and was headed my way. As I
swerved to the right (behind the deer) my right front wheel went off the
road. As I gently beagn to try and get the V8 back on the road, I
entered a hard right power slide (90 degrees to the highway) off the
right side of the highway.

Now I'm casually plowing up the grassy shoulder at 70 mph for fall
planting season and I begin to take out the five foot reflector poles
that are spaced about 100 feet apart. I understand that these are for
snow plowing so the snow plows know where the shoulder is??  Great
idea?!?!?!....except they should make them from fiberglas instead of
four inch steel U-channel.

The first one I collect on my front right quarter panel, the second one
I collect on my right rear door and the third one I collect on my right
rear quarter panel (and trunk lid) as I SNAP it off at the base.

At about this time I re-enter the highway. As the tires VERY QUICKLY
find traction again on the pavement, I shoot across two lanes of traffic
and into the median. Now I enter a hard left power slide (speed down to
about 50 mph at this point) and collect two more reflector poles on my
left front quarter panel and left rear door. By this time most of my
speed had been scrubbed off (along with paint, fog lights, molding,
etc.) and I came to a gentle stop along the left side of the highway.

Needless to say, at this point I'm in dire need of a fresh pair of
underware and a body shop. Believe it or not the car was drivable (only
about 45-50 mph max) and I was VERY fortunate that the car didn't roll
or that I didn't hit someone else. In retrospect, I think I should have
just locked them up and let bambi have it! BTW, I did miss the deer.

ANYWAY, I was fortunate that my mechanic's brother had just opened his
own body shop in Amenia, NY and that like Greg at AutoFirme, Bruce
specializes in Audi's. For those of you in the Mid-Hudson Valley that
know Greg Hayman of Autoforme, he is now in a new location with his
brother, Bruce,  in Amenia.

My precious V8 sustained ~$7500 in body damage. Fortunately, it was
limited to only sheet metal and a wheel. No mechanical damage. The
entire car was painted. I needed a new right rear passenger door and
right rear quarter panel. Bruce was great at finding parts and doing an
EXCELLENT job on my V8. The car looks like it just left the showroom
floor! Bruce even brought in the local DuPont Rep to ensure that he
matched the original factory color EXACTLY.

If anyone needs a great body man that is Audi savvy and you're close to
the Mid-Hudson Valley in upstate NY, I would highly recommend Bruce. His
specifics are as follows:

Karmann Auto Body
Bruce Hayman
Hwy 343, Amenia, NY
(914) 373-8217

Thanks Again Bruce for making what was a tragedy into something good!

--
James M. Dean (JD)
Tel (914) 486-4134  Fax (914) 486-4701
Pager: (888) 274-7281

1990 V8q (almost as good as new)
1982 911SC
1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee