I was leaving to go on my lunch break at work and I am behind a garbage truck at the stop sign. The driver all of a sudden goes into reverse and backs up straight into me. He tried to take off and pretend like he didn't feel a thing but thats BS. Exchanged insurance info and his boss showed up and told me they are going to pay out of pocket unless it goes over their deductible.

How much unseen damage is done? It looks like the bumper is misaligned, the hood has shifted to the left, the right of the bumper folded in, light bezel cracked, corner dented in and the support rod under the bumper bent. What a nightmare

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Are you going to take it somewhere or do it yourself?

 

I am going to take it somewhere. I have zero experience with body work. Need some help and guidance to steer me in the right direction please. Also ballpark idea of how much something like this runs to repair?

 

They may think because of it's age
it may be cheap. You need to school them.
Usually your choice of body shop.

If you can find an oldschool bodyman to work
with, he will Love it as well possibly, a job out
of the ordinary, less plastic, more metal.

Good luck, that really sucks. But there is SO
much money in garbage removal... no $hit!
You got this...give 'em Hell.

 

I would tell them it all needs "leaded" in and watch them flip out!!!!

 

Hopefully they are honest. Rule #1 - always call the police and get a report stating what happened. Rule#2 contact their Insurance Company and report the loss, unless you are confident they are going to pay you. Body shop labor rates vary, so someone can not give you a price unless they are local. If the bumper is screwed up you are looking easily $1000.00 - $1800.00 minimal. Decide on a local quality body shop, if you don't know one ask you friends or neighbors. Take it in and have them give you a written estimate, have them remove the headlight bezel to get an accurate assessment of the damage, since this is not a late model they may not be able to give you a price on the spot, if you provide them with some vendors that supply Olds parts it will help them. Don't try to get anything fixed that is not related. Once you have the estimate give it to them and hope they pay you. Do not delay - do this as quickly as you can. If this is your daily driver they also will owe you a rental car while it is being fixed or if you have something else to drive they owe you for loss of use while it is in the shop - based on repair time only - after all the parts arrive.

 

I told his boss that I am going to file the claim with my insurance company today and he told me to do whatever makes me comfortable. He told me to get an estimate and fax it over to him. I attempted to call the non-emergency police line and it put me on hold for 10 minutes until I ended up hanging up. Took photos of everything including the truck. I am going to also get in touch with their insurance company to report the accident. Only problem here is I am going out of town all next week for work.

 

#1 Find a RESTORATION shop- not a body shop
#2 Find a RESTORATION shop- not a body shop
#3 Find a RESTORATION shop- not a body shop

Hopefully i got that idea through... Body shops are interested in getting cars in and out- and may or may not be willing to work on a classic car at all... and often the ones that do, really aren't interested in making things "right".

A place that specializes in restoration is going to take full consideration of everything that will be involved.

So find a restoration shop. :-)

 

That damage is $1000 to $1800 just in parts

 

Wow, sorry to see that. Hope you find a good resto shop in your area to fix it. Hopefully some people on here could chime in with a recommeded place.

 

Looks to me like the only damage is to the fender, fender trim, and headlight bezel.

A really good body man could get that straightened out, but you may be better off with just replacing the fender.

Of course, that's based on just one picture from one angle, of a small area, but from what I can see, it's not a bad job at all.

- Eric

 

Sorry to hear about the misfortune but at least it sounds like it is going well so far.
I wish you the best in getting it fixed up just like pre-impact.
They just need to understand that it is a collector's car, not just an 'old car'.

I can believe them that they did not feel the hit. It is pretty light. In a small vehicle, it would be felt.
Long ago at a place I worked, one of our guys parked his new compact pickup on the street, a bit too close to our parking lot entrance.
An 18 wheeler turned wrong out of our lot too tight and pinned the pickup under the trailer. He dragged it to the end of the street. He did not know until someone ran and flagged him down. The pickup was totalled...

 

IMO, it is one of the worst places to get hit on these cars.
my Cutlass had similar damage when I bought it...a lot of " stuff" comes into these corners.....more expensive than one thinks to fix.....my bumper and bracket are still a bit bent!


Ted

 

Unfortunately I see it everyday where someone's recollection of the accident changes, without the report then it's your word against his. Good news is all sounds good as he is wanting you to fax the estimate. He will crap when he sees how much it is going to cost. He is not wanting his premium going up. By calling the insurance companies, by law they have to resolve within a certain time period that the claim is reported.

 

WOW, self esteem issues RG?

 

Get three estimates ask for OE parts lol

I see around 3000.00 bucks maybe looks like there is damage to hood trim possible bumper rad support

 

I agree. the "misalignment" of the bumper and hood looks to be just relative to the fender, which pushed outward at the bottom & inward at the top when it folded.

 

Exactly.

Need more views to be sure.
A slightly displaced core support can be realigned easily.

- Eric

 

I would think that it would still need paint (blend ) in hood and door or that new fender would look like a sore thumb

 

The fender need to be taken off the car and the inner piece of metal took off and hammer and dolly back strait.

 

Thanks for all the responses! Helped me a lot get started in the right direction. I filed the claim last night and spoke to the adjuster this morning. Submitted all my photos and now I need to start looking for a good restoration shop. She told me that the fact that they came back and gave me a business card is a good sign and she has confidence it will be taken care of. Now we need what they have to say. Here are more pics. As you can see, everything got pushed in....hard...

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Hmmmm it's more than $2500 in damage. Hope it all turns out ok for you.

 

So, did the bumper actually get pushed to the passenger side? I ask because it doesn't seem to have a mark on it.

If so, then the question is whether the frame horns also got pushed over (they probably did).

If not, then movement of the core support could have caused things attached to it to shift.

If the frame is bent, you'll have to find a shop that is experienced at pulling frames properly.

- Eric

 

The passenger side is where it always has been. The right side used to have that same exact gap but its now flush with the body. I dont know how this happen honestly...that guard rail slammed it pretty hard. I know its worse than it looks that is what is making me nervous.

 

Okay. I see.

So the fender was struck on its front edge, and the side ballooned outward. That makes sense, and makes frame damage less likely.

The core support is not that important, as it can be persuaded by a conversation with Mr. BFH.

If you wrapped a few A-bodies around poles as a kid, you get a good feeling for what gets damaged.

- Eric

 

Wow, I had the same experience, driving down a neighbor hood street and a city trash truck decides to back up as I was passing, took out the qtr panel on my 82 El Camino. I took a lot of pics, had the most expensive body shop in town write a bid, and the city cut a check within a few days.
Good luck on the repairs, hope you can find a musclecar friendly shop.

 

I went to a shop that had an original W30 parked in front for the longest time. The owner of the shop referred me to another shop but he told me they will want to get paid. He said if my car isn't anything special the insurance company will try to total it out. How would they get the accurate value? He said by researching online sites. Its a 4 door "convertible hardtop" which is the post less window version. They only made 500 of them in 68. I don't want to lose the car. Sentimental value and the amount of money I'veput in repairs. Anyone understand how this would work?

 

The more pics you show the more it looks totaled out.
It may need the engine rebuilt and new interior!

 

What kind of policy do you have on it

I have a classic insurance policy on mine at I insured it for 10k tell it gets shinny paint after its shinny it jumps up to 20k but there is mileage restrictions and storage

 

Yeahbuddy, this kind of turned my stomach. If it's the car I'm thinking of, it's the four door, yeah?, I love this car! Too bad you can't get the trunk fixed as part of the deal ;-)

 

Wow, you should have posted all of those pics originally. Frt bumper dents, grille damage, H/L housing damaged, fender back into the door - some serious bucks. To answer your question on T/L - every state has different guidelines. But basically it is based on the repairs cost vs. the Actual Cash Value (ACV), or if you have a stated value policy that value. The ACV is based on the model, options, mileage, condition and any refurbishment costs, sorry sentimental adds no cash value. All of that is sent to an evaluation company that does the research. If it reaches a certain percentage of repair vs. ACV they can call it a T/L. It depends on your states DMV laws if you can owner retain your vehicle and if you can repair it or only keep for parts only. Your Insurance adjuster would be the person to fill in the state specific guidelines. Get your receipts together for all you have done.

 

So if the insurance company calls it a total loss, does that go on the car's title?

 

YES
Salvage / rebuilt restored
If they go total it you can usually buy it for a fraction of the cost my co worker car got hit it totaled 2500 check and he bought it back for 500 I paid it drove it for a year pulled the dent out primed and sold it for a grand

 

Well I hope they consider those new wheels and tires when they cut him a check.
Yeahbuddy, I understand the sentimental value issue. One of the reasons I bought my 71 Supreme was because My dad was a Cutlass man. He had a Supreme AND a 442, brown with white stripes. I lost him a couple years ago.
We drove to the dealer to look at a '68 Barracuda but when the wife saw the Cutlass, she pretty much demanded I buy it instead. I'm glad I did.

 

Yeah, I got the car after my Dad passed away also. Was 22 and the bank didn't take the fact that the Lexus I was driving at the time was under my Dads name so they tried to sell it back to me. I didn't have the money or the credit so I gave it back then found this Cutlass. Been working on it for the last 3 years and it's really turned into a solid running car. Sentimental because I got it when I was down and out and it's improved/grown over the years with me.

Here is the side and back views to answer your question earlier


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And yes, the original build sheet was under the carpet.

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This is the part that is getting me. They won't tell me what they think the car is worth until they have someone come inspect the car and do the research. I asked how they plan on finding out the value and my adjuster is saying she doesn't know the process. Make an appointment with a shop and they will work it out. This is starting to look gloomy.

 

Find another shop that understands "vintage cars" that has experience working with insurance adjusters who have no idea what an "old car" is worth, find some appraisals for a Cutlass in #2 condition, and stand your ground. Their truck damaged YOUR property..

 

Wow - one of the finest looking 4 doors I have seen in a long time.
Best of luck in the repairs!

 

I work at a dealer ship that also has a collision shop with in the dealership.
I have dealt with most insurance company's and I think most have the victims best interest when you involve your own insurance company to help guide you threw it. if you don't some (not all ) try to low ball and sign your rights away you are the victim here and I would have a classic car aprazel done. it might cost you a few hundred but could make the difference from 3000.00 car to a 10000.00 car
If they do totall it I would ask about buying it back its really not that much damage ,

 

I got a PM back seemingly not so happy with my response so here's my take on the parts cost:

Eyebrow moulding $40
Headlight bucket hockey stick looks bad $40
Solid used core support $300
Bumper $350
Fender $400
Headlight bucket (because you know it's cracked under there). $100 if you can find a restored single, $400 if you need to buy the pair from Fusick
Don't know if the door paint is damaged but probably is

I could go on with other little things but those are prices a shop is too going to have to pay to get everything in a timely manner. Those are just material cost. Labor and paint are going to at least double the cost above.