[Longhorn Z06]

Last Friday, I got caught out in the worst hail storm I have ever seen. I was at a party in Northwest Austin, and we saw on the radar that a huge storm was moving in from the west. I live north of town, and the path to my house looked clear. So, I left the party at 9:30 hoping to outrun the storm. I didn't make it... I only got about a half mile away when I got pinned down on a hill out in the open (Spicewoods Springs near 360 for Austinites). I could not see anything except golf balls flying past. I thought at any moment my windows would explode. The large hail lasted for about 10 minutes.

When the large hail passed, the van stopped in front of me had busted out tail lights, and the side of it looked like the surface of the moon. I did not get out of my car to inspect. I just wanted to get the Hell out of there and get home to my safe garage. I feared the worst. When I finally made it home, I was very surprised to see that I HAD NO DAMAGE! :jammin: The only casualty was that the hail hammered off my front driver side wheel center cap. I washed, clayed, and waxed the car and did not find anything. I guess having a plastic car is better than I thought. The other cars that stayed at the party were seriously damaged as were the ones stuck out in the open with me. The house where the party was had broken windows and syklights.

Should I be worried about future cracks? Anyone else had their vette out in hail like that?

 

[pat03z06]

We got lucky up in Cedar Park, just a few pea size hails at our place. Same crap last weekend also, I rode that one out at the car wash on Bagdad with a SS camaro and FRC that was with me.

I bet your fine and that you won't have any issues relating to cracking plastic or fiberglass. Dunno for sure but I'm thinking your fine.

I heard it was taking out peoples windshields though. :jawdrop:

 

[ambleZ06]

You got caught in that too. My wife's Envoy is covered with hail damage. We were at Benihana off of Burnet and 183 when it hit. The parking lot looked like it had snowed. My daughter was picking up hail in the parking lot larger than golf balls. O'Well now I am off to meet the insurance adjuster. Thank God my vette was in the garage at home.

 

[IT L GO]

Longhorn Z06, glad you make out fine. When I started reading the post I feared the worse. :thumb:

.

 

[JoeS]

I've been in hail also - not as large as "golf-ball" size - closer to "nickel to quarter" size.

All I could do was watch from my office window as my baby got plummeted. No damage here either.

I was more worried about the glass than anything else. Just count your blessings - I'd say your were pretty lucky.

 

[2MchFun]

Glad to hear she made it through unscathed. I guess there are advantages to a plastic car.

 

[NETfiend]

I've had a similar experience. A week after I bought my z06 I was out in the country when a major storm started brewing. I was outrunning it quite nicely (A solid wall of dust/dirt/debris was blowing up off the cornfields and chasing me. The dirt cloud eventually caught up with me and the visibility went down to almost 0. I managed to find a car wash to pull my car into about 30 seconds before the tennis ball sized hail started falling. Needless to say I was relieved.

 

[Longhorn Z06]

I'm just glad I am not meeting with the insurance company today. I drive my car almost every day, about 15,000 miles a year. A little hail was inevitable in Texas in the spring, however, I did not expect such an attack. As a side note, my F1s with 23,000 miles worked great in the pouring rain! I was not pushing it, but I was driving faster that most following the hail and the tires worked great.

 

[blevett]

I heard about the storm when I got back to town... (I was in Houston for the weekend). I was just happy I had left the Z in the garage and out of the hail.

 

[acwu1972]

i was in the middle of the storm with my car also. no damage at all, that i can tell. I couldn t drive cuz the ice was so high where i was at. (up to the curb) then it all melted and flooded. I was contemplating using my body as a shiel for just a sec. lol

 

[andrewjhaley]

Our lake house got some damage, mostly broken out windows and some damp carpet. I guess that is another reason to own a Corvette, mother nature loves them!

 

[GranBichus]

Amazing... hailproof cars... I knew having a plastic car had to have some advantages!!

Just imagine the face of all the folks on the road when they see you pulling away with not a scratch on the car...

glad nothing happened.

GB.

 

[GOLD72]

My 72 was in a hail storm over 30 years ago. Only damage was pings in the aluminum windshield wiper door. The SMC panels on a vette are pretty immune to hail damage. Your main worry will always be the front & rear glass and side windows if the hail gets big enough.

GOLD72

 

[GOLD72]

Hey Andrew,

I know where YOU can find a 01 QS Z is going up for sale next fall!!!

GOLD72 :jammin:

 

[GClausen]

I had the golf ball hail hit my car as well last August. All I could do was watch. I didn't find any damage right off and was relieved(earlier post). I did, however, find a hairline crackin the paint on the roof while I was detailing my car about a month and a half later. I called insurance and told them about the hail and what I had on the roof. They inspected and covered the item. Now that its documented and new cracks appear, I'm covered. Its been painted on the roof and rear part of the car(because of accident-earlier post) and looks great. Hopefully I won't find anymore. Just be sure to inspect your paint for telltale signs, hairline cracks, and tell insurance company you were in hail storm.
Good Luck.