The Resurrection of Zelda: Fixing a curb override on a budget

[Bryan]

I used to own a 1999 BMW Z3 2.3. I bought it about eight years ago and loved the car, but I sold it just before winter 2018, when I ran out of storage space. The buyer was my neighbor Kim, who in addition to being one of my wife’s and my closest friends, was one of what we called “The Cult of Zelda”—my wife’s women friends who loved the car and to whom I’d loan it for Xanax-like, stress-busting, rolling, top-down therapy sessions. After selling the car to Kim, I continued to maintain it for her, as it was literally three left turns from my house and it gave me a chance to have a little therapy of my own.

Read the full column on Hagerty.com:

https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/the-hack-mechanic/the-resurrection-of-zelda-fixing-a-curb-over...

[Spuds]

Enjoying the story.....good luck!

[wdb]

Both LCA's bent?!? The kid needs to fess up as to what *really* happened. Might save you throwing good money after bad.

[RobertLLR]

Rob, I love the way you think about your projects. (When I do it, however, most of my friends call it over-thinking--even though my long-suffering wife is both willing and patient enough to listen to me exposit endlessly on the possibilities, vagaries and potential financial dangers of a attempting a repair like this.) 

But it is precisely this kind of situation we amateur car guys face all the time, and I love the way you detail all the overriding considerations, assessments, changes of viewpoint, and even the false starts. 

Your writing is terse and incisive, and the whole mood of the  piece just seems...well...just so damn real!

[cassman66]

Rob, I love two seaters and have owned eleven over my many years.  I'm not, however, at all mechanically inclined.  Kudos, then because, even though I don't fully understand, technically, your article was really interesting and fun to read.  It's never too late to learn, either!  Thanks!

[drjim]

Funny how certain cars get under our skin and become family members.

I'll be watching carefully to see this play out.

[SteveC]

I have a Z3 bumper cover if you'd be interested.  It has a little of the typical curb rash that happens to all of them.  It could easily be repaired as it's not too terrible.  I found a new one for a great price, so I replaced it rather than repair.   It's Cosmos Black, I can send pics, and I could ship it to you at not too great of a cost.    

Steve

[MoparMan]

Came here to say that I'm enjoying the play by play, and looking forward to the finish; but I'm curious as to how an allegedly  slow speed parking lot curb hit bent ALL four wheels along with the front suspension parts (not to mention the possible as yet unrevealed unibody damage?)  Good luck moving forward!! 🙂