On Wednesday a very large Male Mule Deer decided that it was a good day to die. 11:00 am MDT, Dry pavement, Blue Sky 65 degrees F. Gotta admit it was a beautiful day to die, But did he have to take my Trooper with him?

http://myweb.cableone.net/bcanderson/trooper/96trooper.htm

Oh yea, I was not injured, and the airbags did not deploy. The Deer was so large that it didn't even touch the front bumper, just folded back the entire front end up to the engine. Kinda cool, the structure absorbed the impact quite well, I didn't even get a bruise from the seat belt.

I just got the estimate for the repair of Troopersaurus (1996 Trooper, 3.2L Automatic), $8200. At that price I think the insurance company will total it. So would I be bucks up:

buying it back and rebuilding it?

buying it back and parting it out. (Powerbrute limited slips front and rear, Tera low xfer case gears, Front reciever hitch)

Saying to He!! with it, take the money and run?

er wat?

So... steaks or sausage? Hopefully you got the meat on ice pretty quickly. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I say buy the rig from the insurance company and repair it. Make it a wheeling rig and beat the tar out of it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />

Bruce,

good to hear from you and good to hear that you are okay. Your name came up on more than one occasion at Moab ZuZoo IX. I believe that had your name actually been on the ballot, you still would have been in the running for best trail leader award <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. Lots of folks still fondly remember you!!

Seems like a lot of damage to me, but the heck if I know what you should do. Except for this:

Get your <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" /> to the next Moab event, mmkay???

Seems a shame to let some of the parts die with it but sometimes it is easier. Good to hear from you, bad circumstance. Your ears must have been burning last week. Like Jeff was said, you were talked about . . .

AAAAHHHHHHHH flattery I live for flattery!

Too much work to rebuild it. You could buy one with a blown engine for short money if you wanted a good project vehicle to start with. Buy it back only if the realistic total of sellable aftermarket parts is worth the price plus your time. Don't count on being able to sell a 94 trooper front lower a-arm or other common items. I can't give away junk I have like that lying around.

Yea Swat I figured. The only parts worth anything are the stuff I put on it. Like the manual hubs. Every thing else is scrap metal. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I just couldnt' bring myself to start over with another Trooper. Hmmmmmm I wonder what stuff I could swap over to an Amigo. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

To heck with the Trooper? When did you move to Id?

That is, like, my back yard. I was actually *in* Idaho today.

Michael

it's so good that the deer did not get to the front window. Looking at the damage, I guess it was more like an elk, not a deer.

Pinball! We missed you in Moab! I channeled your them song, "Hey, Get up on that!" in your absence, though it wasn't the same... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Did Bambi get into the engine, or just wad up the sheet metal and structure? I say front-end that puppy and swap in new sheet metal. The hood and fender are bolt-on, though the front lights may set you back some coin. The front bulkhead and right fender sub-structure would require welding, but if the windshield didn't go, that bodes well for firewall integrity, unless the doors are sprung.

You've got some good parts, and I'd love to 'wheel with you again, Bruce! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Randii