Traveling up to wonderful Door County (aka Martha's Vineyard for Chicago people) and a truck ahead looses something mechanical. I run it over, no way to avoid.

Well I thought I would just run it over. But I turned the round-ish object on edge and it takes a cut down the rocker panel from front to back in some spots. I have one gash and cut under the driver's seat and a good dent/abrasion on the rear lower control arm.

As for the fuel lines, I was lucky really. They got the paint removed but not NEAR the damage that happened to the other area. Really, I am shocked they were not sliced.

So... what are these lines exactly. I think there are four along the driver's side that go from front to back. One must be fuel, because it leaking from the rubber holder. In fact it may have ended up leaking soon. The impact I feel just "revealed" the rusting line inside that rubber support.

And what size is the fuel line? Of all the work I have done on cars, fuel and brake lines I have never touched since they were always stainless. These appear to not be.

So besides being "lucky" and not having the lines cut through. I also drove for 30 minutes at about 65mph with my hood unlatched. I had popped it when I was starting to look for the cause of the fuel smell.

ninja edit: Oh, and if I cut this line to repair, what am I in for fuel wise. Will the entire dang tank drain! lol

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1991 560 SEL / 185k miles
1992 750il / 17k miles - project car

Two fuel lines - feed and return, one brake line, the small diameter, and two SLS hydraulic lines - pressure and return.

With regard to the fuel line, you can do a temp repair with hose and a couple hose clamps on each end, permanent repair with line spliced in. You can minimize the fuel dripping down on you by clamping the line between the fuel tank and the fuel pumps with a pair of needle nose vise-grips with the jaws duct taped to keep from cutting the hose with their sharp edges. You'll still end up catching a pint or two as the lines, regulator, accumulator, filter, and pumps drain off what fuel is in them.

Probably ought to be prepared to find some other leaks at other points where the lines pass through the rubber clamps, and possibly leaks in the other lines also or you can often create leaks in lines that are already rusted/abraded on their way out.