- Hit a deer Sunday night, while driving the 01 Ford Ranger.
- I have no headlights, the entire lamp is gone, just a bulb hanging out.
- I have no grille.
- The bumper is bent down, inches from the tires.
- The metal frame, the grille was attached to, that the radiator is attached is pushed back a couple inches to where we cant get the radiator out, and hose appears to be resting on the air compressor belt.
- Radiator is bent, and leaking.
- I am not mechanically inclined and have no idea what the official names for these parts are, so bare with me... Im just trying to gather info for my husband.
Other than, it runs great.
I live in the country, thirty minutes from town.
We only had liability insurance on this truck.
My husband works 12 -9p and i work 8-5, so carpooling and sharing the car is going to be difficult and extremely challenging when you throw in three kids that have to be picked up from daycare...
We live paycheck to paycheck.
We do not have a lot of money setting around to sink into this.... AND ITS CHRISTMAS!!
We need this truck.
Im sure there is at least a couple thousand dollars of damage to this if not more, if I was to take it to a collision shop to be repaired.
If we were total it out, it would be months before we could save up enough to have the down payment for another.
We need this truck to work, and as soon as possible.
My husband works for a parts store, so we can get discounted parts. He knows a little about cars so we can prob do the work with out a mechanic.
Here is our plan so far.
1) Get the front part, the main metal piece that the radiator, grille, lights was attached to, get this piece pulled out away so we can remove radiator.2) We have a radiator ordered, but if we cant get it out of the car, its not going to do us anygood. We need to get this metal piece pulled away , back to its original spot.
3) We have a friend at the salvage yard, who can help us with any other necessary parts.So, I need your advice. Please, I need everyones comments, good, bad and ugly.
What would you do in our situation?
HOw do you recommend pulling the front part out, so we can get radiator out, WITHOUT taking the car to a body shop?? Any home remedies here? Tie it to a tree and pull? hah?
What should we be looking for in addition to what we already know for any unforseeable issues in the future?
Ill be more than happy to email anyone a pic, if you can help us!!