Alright. Tried to do everything right. High pressure side of the oil cooler hose on my 04XK8 Convertible split and puked oil. It's not easy getting to the block to remove the retaining bracket and bolt. So, I removed the radiator hoses and, carefully, safety wired them atop the engine. Had to lock the car up, outside. Won't lock without the bonnet shut. No problem, just hoses on top. They'll compress. So I dropped the lid. A freaking ugly, quarter sized volcano of fractured paint and clear-coat appear, right where the hose sat. Wha? Forgot about the super-duty hose clamps. I wailed as though I'd amputated a digit. Dumbass!
Thanks. Had to vent.

 

oh man i feel your pain i have done the same however it was with a range rover.
i think i would have to self harm if i did it to my XK!

 

Punching that dent into it felt like self harm already. That hood was perfection. WAS.

 

I know exactly how you feel. When finishing up the restoration of my MGA -- there it was, the body shell a perfect black pearl. So now I'll just very, very carefully install the rear bumper. Oops ... that left a mark. Actually, a MARK.

I inquired about going in for a dumbassectomy, but I'm told these procedures never succeed.

 

Sorry to hear about your dumbass mistake..sorry couldn't resist.

Like I have room to talk....

 

Ooooops

I feel your self inflicted pain, my sympathies

 

Did that years ago on an XJ6 except it was the battery bracket laying on top of the motor.

Pour yourself a drink, we've all done it.

 

My condolences. If it's any consolation, you've made us aware of what not to do when closing the hood. I am embarrassed to say that not so long ago I had to use a jumpstarter on our Hyundai when it died about a mile or so from home. Problem was, the alternator was shot, so after being jumpstarted the car would die when I disconnected the jumpstarter. So I left the jumpstarter connected to the battery for the short trip home. I sat it on top of the engine and gently let the hood down. The hood, of course, didn't close, but again, for the short drive I wasn't concerned, figuring the weight of the hood would keep it down. Everything was going smashingly until I stupidly got her up to about 15 mph or so and the hood came flying open, smacked the windshield and bent its corners where they met the fenders (it was not supposed to be opened quite so fully). SCHMUCK! MORON! IDIOT! I should have anticipated that happening. At least I didn't kill myself or anyone else. Tough to see when you have a hood covering the windshield! Please don't tell anyone I did that. Thanks!

 

I know exactly how it feels, my double width steel (heavy) garage door broke and collapsed on my XK8 cabriolet the other day - just missed the folded down hood but creased what was beautiful bodywork above the rear wheel.
Gutted - I just wanted to cry!

 

A lightbulb exploded in my garage & the broken glass rained down on the bonnet of my XJR...so I know how you feel right about now...

 

Bad luck,
Here are a few of my more memorable acts of stupidity:

Took a battery that had been charged overnight to "test" a repaired starter. nice spark and battery exploded in my face.

Drilled a hole through an inner arch to fit a child seat, drill bit went straight through new tyre.

Setting up a gantry to lift an engine out, lost grip and gantry fell onto roof of car behind.

Live and learn.

 

My sentiments.
Carefully closed the bonnet - too carefully, one side not latched.
Almost as per the driver's handbook, I placed one hand above the unlatched side and pressed down firmly. Didn't engage, so I did it again.
Not everyone notices the 3 small imprints from the underside of my knuckles, but *I* know they are there.

 

Bad luck, looks like a lot of us have had similar moments, I bought a new trunk lid for my 450SL, and stored it underneath the car in the garage, In the spring when it was time for the car to come out, I promptly drove over the new lid.

 

Um...went to tighten a loose footrest on my Harley chop, spanner slipped and made contact with a badly insulated ignition wire...fortunately only a small fire. :-(

When I got my (immaculate) Clio RS I forgot that it didn't have reversing sensors - stuck it in reverse outside the vets and backed up waiting for the bleeps that never came, but it did go "crunch" when it hit the low wall behind me. One expensive mistake.

They say these things come in threes... so I'm hoping the Jag isn't next.

I feel your pain.

 

I'm always bragging that my wife is a wonderful driver and how she takes amazing care of her car. So I moved it the other day and backed into low concrete poll. At least it wasn't my Jag. We all do stupid things.

 

OMG, and yet you still carry on.That is fortitude at its finest!

 

My only dumbass moment was dropping the metal hose nozzle on the hood of the car when washing it. 'Left a ding and a scratch. Thank goodness it was on my old '94 VDP - I would have killed myself if it was my XK8.

 

RD.....if there were an award for this, I would give it to you. That is just the kind of story I needed to cheer me up. Thank you.

 

Ah, yes. I had a Sunset Red 94 VDP many years ago. Except for the fact that I couldn't sit up straight in it, one of my favorite cars.

 

The worst car related thing that happened to me like that so far is when I had a supercharged '58 Studebaker Golden Hawk. I had gotten a flat on the freeway and was jacking the rear end up with the bumper jack and a cop pulled up right behind me on the side of the road. Just then the jack fell over and the car rolled right into the front of the cop car. So I was standing thinking "Oh ****!". Fortunately no damage to either car and the cop was actually pretty good about it.






(Complete with fiberglass fins and Stewart Warner gauges and machine turned dash)


Dave