Ok speaking from experience. Brush guards work wonders when you rearend a vehicle. I rearended an 80s model mazda. Smashed the trunk completely thru the back seat and I was only going 40ish. My truck came out unscaved except of a scuff on my bumper.

 

To: Fordxcab4x4To: bigdaddyIITo: apowder97Regards to all,
Ed P.

 

My 1997 F-150 XLT 4x4 has the diamond pattern grill.

 

Sorry for coming in late on this one, I've been gone a while.

Let me rehash this to see if I understand what happened and where you are right now.
So, Ed, your car got smashed from behind while parked. You know the culprit had an F-150 with the black plastic diamond grill. I assume they left something to that effect behind. I didn't read that anywhere.

Here's what I know. The diamond style grill was only found from the factory on XLT or Lariat trims, usually on 4x4 models, but also included on two-tone 4x2s. The diamond pattern on a '97-'98 is tighter (closer diamonds) than the '99s and up due to the slight front end body redesign that occurred at that time. '97-'98 have a full front chrome bumper on the XLT and Lariat models. '99s and up have a plastic front fascia, easily damaged by impact, as well as a painted cap on the bumper. Any impact over 15mph will dislodge that cap, too.

The air bag will also be set off by the impact, unless the bull bar is installed. Then it may take a larger, higher located impact to set it off.

The 4x2s sit lower than the 4x4s by 2-4 inches. If you can find a '97-'98 4x4 and 4x2 you can measure the height diff and then look at the point of impact on the car to determine which model. CSI it, if you will. You should also be able to tell whether it had a bull bar or not by the damage pattern. The bull bar will leave a way different mark on the car than a regular bumper. If it was the bumper by itself there will be a relatively smooth impact all the way across. If the bull bar is installed then you will see the indentations of the mounting points to the frame at the height of impact.

Hope that helps.

-Kerry

 

Kerry,

Thanks again for another excellent, informative response.

Can you take a look at these photos and tell me what you think regarding the bull bar and 4x2 v. 4x4 issues?





I'd draw in measurements on the photos if I hadn't destroyed my copy of MS Paint; here's a list of them in case they confirm anything for you:





I don't know what a bull bar for an F150 looks like and I'm not even certain what it is, but from what you said in your post this looks like bull-bar damage to me - what do you think? Are there many suppliers of bull bars for the truck I'm looking for? Do bull bars come in colors to match the vehicle, or are they typically chrome or black?

I take it a bull bar can be on either a 4x2 or a 4x4?

I'm particularly intrigued by the wrinkle created in the (formerly) horizontal surface of the trunk lid, above the trunk lid ridge and its "dimples"/near-punctures: does this wrinkle look to you like the consequences of an impact from a bull bar? The trunk lid was pristine before the impact.

I don't think I've missed herein any of the issues you raised in your original post; I think this is moving forward.


Much obliged,
Ed P.

PS - the grille pattern used from '99 on has a definite honey-combed pattern to it - it's different from the grille pattern used in '97-98. I'm bettiing there weren't too many regular-cab F150s (and F250s?) sold around here from '97 to '98 with the diamond-pattern grille.

 

As I was typing the answer to you Ed, my router died....

Anyway, here's my figuring of the situation from what you have explained here so far - keep in mind I'm not an investigator, insurance or police. I'm just a regular guy.

I've deduced - it was a '97-'98 F150 or F250LD XLT regular cab 4x2 without a bull bar or brush guard, with an unknown bed dimension. Looking at the pics you have posted, I see that a truck veared away from the car in the driver's side direction as it collided with it with its brakes on. It appears to have hit it from the downward direction.

No indication of a bull bar, brush guard in the damage. You would see more of a vertical component to the damage. The car had at the very least the e-brake set indicated by the tire marks. The truck slowed a bit after the collision, as the skid marks became less apparent. The reason for the more extensive damage to your driver side quarter was the truck was steered away from that direction... hence why your car came to rest up on the curb at the angle it did.

You make no mention of two tone paint or a stripe ending with the Lariat script logo, which is indicative of the Lariat model. The two tone was also available on the XLTs, the stripe was not. 4x4s, STXs, Sport models usually have a decal in the rear quarter of the bed identifying them... in '97 Ford did not offer a Sport or STX version that I'm aware of.

The bumper on 4x4s came with openings for fog lamps. They either had the fog lamps or had a black plastic insert. Either one should have been left at the scene. Another reason to suspect a 4x2.

You did not indicate the color you thought the truck may have been. What color was the street light you saw it under? If it was a yellow/orange pressurized sodium light the color will be tainted that way.

I will provide a list of colors available in '97-'98: Black Clearcoat, Bright Red Clearcoat, Dark Toreador Red Metallic (more of a Burgundy), Light Saddle Clearcoat Metallic (Tan-Brown), Moonlight Blue Clearcoat Metallic (Dark Blue), Oxford White Clearcoat, Pacific Green Clearcoat Metallic, Portofino Blue Clearcoat Metallic (Light Blue), Silver Frost Clearcoat Metallic, Teal Clearcoat Metallic.

So, what was the bed length? Short bed or regular. Do you recall the color?

-Kerry

 

wow not thats damage must be the bid old chormwe bumer that fords use

 

Kerry,

Much thanks again for another thoughtful response. My condolences on the router - our lengthy exchanges probably burned it up.

I'm a little surprised you were able to pick up on the glancing-blow-towards-the-driver-side aspect of the crash - only because I didn't think my pictures did a very good job of illustrating that; it's something that would be clear if you were to see my wrecked car in person.

My e-brake wasn't set; I'd only put the car in park and then left it. Skidding was heard by others though not by me - I've thought it was my car being shoved across the pavement. You're probably right though - you seem to have some experience looking at these things.

The culprit's truck was about 250-300 yards away when I first saw it after the collision. I only saw it from the rear and then slightly to the passenger side as it slowed to round a curve to the right, under a streetlight. I remember the side rear brake lights having a more vertical than horizontal shape to them as they lit up when he slowed approaching the curve; the center/cab brake light also shone above the two side rear brake lights.

The street lights around here have a yellowish cast about them so I try to allow for that: while the culprit's truck looked whitish to me under the street light, I told the cops only that it was "light-colored", to allow for the truck's possibly being that "champagne" (very light bronze/gold) color, or perhaps light gray, though I think most likely it was white. The smudges he left on my trunk lid - in the wrinkle above "VOLVO" - look white now, though that may just be the primer coat, with the true paint color now buried underneath the primer coat as the two paint layers were transferred to my trunk lid. However, of the colors you listed, only "oxford white" and "silver frost" would seem to be possibilities (much thanks for listing the possible colors).

I'm also struck by how mangled the notch is that the culprit left in my trunk lid above the final "v" and "o" in "VOLVO" - what do you thhink about this being from the culprit's hood latch, and the wrinkle in my trunk lid above this mangled notch was caused by the culprit's hood sliding into and over my trunk lid?

As I mentioned before, as the truck passed under the streetlight I remember a shape inside the driver side of the cab becoming visible. I was expecting this to be the back of the driver's head and that I might get a look at his skin color, but then it became apparent that I was only seeing the headrest. Still, this is useful: it tells me the truck was a regular-cab since the headrests on a crew-cab aren't apparent when an otherwise-dark cab is illuminated from above and only slightly to the rear.

I just don't know about the bed length - I couldn't tell from the angle I saw the truck.

I don't remember seeing any decal on the upper left or anywhere else on the truck's tailgate - I remember the tailgate being very plain but let's not forget that we're talking about what I could see and notice from 300 yards away on a vehicle type that I previously hadn't paid any attention to. I didn't sense any two-tone aspect to the paint job, or stripes - from the rear anyway.

I recovered some amber lens fragments that I still need to check against the tail-light assembly on my Volvo - this has been a bit challenging since I can't open my trunk yet. I'll look a little more at this.

So, I'm pretty certain about the color, but I have no idea regarding the bed length.

Please feel free to share any additional conclusions you have.

Still obliged,
Ed P.

 

Ed, don't worry about the router - it was the heat that killed it.

Back to the task at hand-
Your trunk lid should sit below an F150s hood line - Even when the truck brakes and dives. I'll chalk that crease you speak of to a lack of reinforcement or failure of it at that point. The driver would have to have hit your Volvo with more than half of his front end to give any chance of the hood latch touching your car at that point. To me that's not plausible for the damage that's shown.

E-brake/ transmission in park or in gear... all should cause the rear tires to leave trails like that. I picked one.

The decals I spoke of, are on the side of the bed, not the tailgate. Factory two-tone paint on the F150/250LD, from that distance, will only be seen on the side.

You should also consider that Light Saddle color. It's not that dark, and is actually more along the lines of the Champagne color you spoke of.

We're getting somewhere. You've narrowed down quite a bit on your own. You just need to see if anyone put an F150 into a body shop with the White, Silver or Tan colors.... the truck will have passenger side front end damage. These bumpers aren't bullet proof. I've folded my rear bumper on a railroad tie being used as a fenceline king post - at 5mph.

-Kerry

 

Kerry,

I think the next step is for me to see what info I can get out of the state license and registration database to get a list of the trucks in this area that have the requisite characteristics. I may have to resort to the Texas version of the Freedom of Information Act to get what I'm looking for, so it may take some time unfortunately - every day that goes by is another day for the culprit to have gotten his damage repaired, eliminating my ability to tie him to the collision with my car.

Since my Volvo appears to have many useful parts left, I'm also going to look into finding one with a good body and interior but which is in need of an engine, transmission etc., which are all good on mine.

Again, much thanks for the excellent, useful info you've provided; I'll let you know how things turn out.

Ed P.

 

Not a problem, Ed. That's what we're here for.

I'll be waiting for your results.

-Kerry

 

They did make and STX and Sport Model in 1997. I own an all black 1997 F150 XLT STX package 4X2.

 

Well then, if the STX has the color matched painted bumper and Ed noticed it, then you have a chance of identifying it. Otherwise the chrome from the back looks like any XLT. Keep in mind, he couldn't see a logo on the side of the bed an identifying mark of the sport and STX models.

-Kerry

 

To: SPELLY F150

To: kspilkinton

Ed P.

 

Ed,

In 1997 and 1998 models, the only way you were guaranteed to get the diamond pattern grill was to buy a Lariat, a Sport, an STX, or XLT 4x4. XLs did not come from the factory with diamond pattern grills (I'm talking non-Sport, non-STX XLs here - how's that for confusing?). Don't worry about the 4x4s... that's not what hit your car. Sports and STXs had color matched bumpers, something visable to you from the rear, again not the vehicle you have described and they would have left more paint.

This doesn't discount that the owner of an XL put a diamond pattern grill on their truck... it's not too difficult.

You are looking for either an XLT or Lariat regular cab 4x2. The Lariats had the diamond style grill for sure, the 4x2 XLTs had the diamond grill as part of an appearance upgrade. Not sure what that upgrade entailed outside of the grill.

-Kerry