Here are a few pics to share my pain after I took the wife and kids to the drive in movies...Luckily besides everyone being sore and bruised we are ok but the car is not. drunk and no insurance

 

Ouch,

Sorry about that happening to you but I gald ya'll are all OK. What did the cops do?

Did he hit you moving or when you were parked at the DI?

 

Well he also had a 357 with him so they took him away. I have an agreed value policy and I just want then insurance company to total it so I can go shopping as the car will not be the same if they fix it....

 

OUCH! The most important thing is your family. I am very glad that they are ok. If they do total it. You may want to buy it back and part it or keep for parts for your new one. Hope he gets a lengthy stay in substandard housing with a substandard roomate.
Larry

 

Of course the most important thing is that all of you are okay. It is just a car.

That said, I feel for your loss. I know it's not just a car (yeah, I know what I said).
Please let us know how things go with the settlement (who the insurance co is, and all). I'm sure we can all learn from your experience.

 

People like the guy that hit you are a burden and menace to society. And simpletons ask why insurance is so high.....

 

I agree....he pushed us into another car so the damage is on the other side as well so from both doors forward there is damage as well as stress fractures on the rear above the deck lid where a hard tops pillars would be but the adjuster is claiming that they can not be from the accident but my answer to him is the energy traveled somewhere and in this case all the way back

 

Glad everyone is OK. If the frame is not bent it looks like it might not be that bad. LH suspension, a fender, bumper, mis trim and paint.

If the frame is bent hold out until they total it. Not an easy place to repair the frame and it will likely crack where it was repaired in the future.

Keep us updated. What insurance do you have?

 

Well like I said the damage is the whole front end with damage to the other side. I am sure the fram is atleat tweaked and when it flexed put stress fractures in the rear above the deck lid.

The car is insured through safeco and the adjuster has no clue on where to start or handle it. they did want to total it but since there is an agreed value they atleast are looking into fixing it. it has been over a week and they do not have a firm timeline on the first estimate to see if it is worth taking to another shop to take a closer look. I feel that each day that passes I am cheated out of driving it as here in Seattle the weather could not be nicer and since we do not get alot of it I am anxious.

At this point I want to be cashed out and jump on a plane and go find a 70 Cutlass or 442 convertible big block and drive it home.

 

Sad story, Glad you and your family are ok. Hope the rat spends time in jail on the gun charges.

This looks like another reason to go with collector car insurance. I have been thinking about it for a long time and your case pretty much echo's what I have heard from other guys who have standard insurance on their collector cars.

 

I have had Hagerty on a few cars now and I fill safe based on what I have seen other say when it comes to claims. I hope I never have to make a claim but I am very courious to see how your situation turns out.

I was in charge of the Safeco DRP when I was still an estimator at our body shop. Safeco was usually pretty good about doing things for me with in reason so I hope things turn out like you want.

 

That's too bad. I know what that feels like, I've had 2 cars written off by drunks.You especially hate to see it happen to the classics.

 

Glad the family is okay, that's the part you can't replace. I used to work with a guy who collected vintage VW's (bugs, busses etc.) and had a couple taken out by drunks. He would collect on his insurance, buy back the totaled car and part it out. Once he had his money together he would go to Pomona shopping for a replacement. He always seemed to come out ahead of things when it was all said and done. Good luck to you!

 

Sorry to hear, but at least the fam is OK.

I feel your pain, like my Delta last fall and

 

Consider it a blessing that no one was hurt badly.

Just remember, there is not an insurance check with enough comma's and zero's to replace a loved one.

On the other hand, enough comma's and zero's can replace (just about) any car! Even the one car you loved.

 

I agree we are very lucky and if we were not in that vehicle and in a vehicle and if he did not hit where he did it could have been alot worse.

For those of you who have collector insurance like Hagerty do they allow you to drive the car? I chose Safeco collector insurance for the agreed value (in my case 25K with no appraisal just pictures) and they allow you to drive the car up to 2500 miles per year and the rates were great. To be honest they seem great so far.

I will post pictures with the damage to the other side and keep everyone posted. If I do keep the vehicle it will be torn down repaired and repainted.

Thanks for all of the support

 

I must admit this is already taking a toll on me...What a nightmare...SO here is where we are at..Safeco has a problem with the shop I am at as they have had conflicts in the past over labor rates and needed repairs. The shop manager has a national talk radio show entitled crash talk and seem to be pretty good just by the shop and vehicles that are in there.Safeco's adjuster is saying 9k in damage and the shop is at 20K so far and is not completley finished with it. Keep in mind that the driver rear quarter is buckeled and there are stress fractures in the other side so the car needs a full paint job, the frame is bent and damage to both doors all the way forward. I have to meet with the shop and the adjuster next week to see where we go from here

 

I sure hope things take a turn for the better soon. That kind of stuff takes a toll of a person. Good luck

 

If the adjuster has any clue at all he should see the light once they start pointing out all the damage. Some tend to put bliders on but when you start rubbing thier noses in it they come around.

Have they done a set up and measure or any tear down at all yet?

Post some pics of all the damage you see on both sides.

Mine through Hagerty is insured for 42K with just pictures. Must be stored in locked garage and can't be my primary transportation. Use for limited pleasure driving and shows parades ect. They asked how many miles I would use it a year and I said apox 3500 -/+ they had no problem with it.
I pay $350.00ish a year including free towing if I break down.

 

im glad your family is ok.

the adjuster will want you to keep the car.

dont do it.

it's going to be a while,dont expect things to happen overnight..

 

I am glad everyone was ok. Hopefully that doofus spends a few years rotting in jail.

Keep us posted about what the insurance guy says. Hopefully it goes well for you.

 

Glad you are okay....

 

Retain your own lawyer and turn him loose on the insurance company if necessary. Odds are they'll try to cancel your policy anyway if they have to pay out a large claim, never mind if it was your fault or not.

$20k and rising sounds totalled to me, especially with the damage they're finding. These cars are bad about cracking the frame between the control arm mounts and the torque boxes and this impact hasn't helped that. It may never align properly again.

I don't understand how people get away with driving uninsured. Here, without proof of insurance, you pay $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee before DMV will issue you plates and that money goes into an uninsured motorist pool to help victims of uninsured drivers. Doesn't help much, but at least they're hitting the irresponsible bastards in the wallet.

I don't understand how any fool can get ripped up and then get behind the wheel either. I'm not extremist like MADD, but it's pretty obvious most drunk driving laws are designed to perpetuate the fines and revenue stream instead of getting the offenders off the roads. One county in NC is under state investigation for their handling of DD cases- they have like an 80% dismissal rate and mostly repeat offenders. Statewide average is about 35% dismissals.

 

Glad your OK.............Now on to the car,DO NOT LET THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAVE THAT CAR!!! I have seen far worse restored,Try to buy it back and at least Ebay it for someone to give it a try to make it road worthy................Goodluck!

 

Please keep us up on how Safeco takes care of this. I changed from Hagerty to Safeco last year and I have 5 cars insured also stated value. Hagerty was terrific but my agent said he would take just a sgood a care as they did so I switched. Only claim I had with Hagerty was a glass replacement, but they handled it NO QUESTIONS ASKED! And quickly. So I am very interested in how They treat you at Safeco. Glad to hear the only injury was the mental one over the loss of your car. Sometimes that can hurt just as much. I can relate to the Seattle weather and the loss of Driving time, I am just south of Portland Oregon. Best of luck!

 

Well thanks for all of the support and information. Here we are almost 4 weeks into the ordeal and all I have is the adjuster laughing at the shops quote and the shop laughing at the adjusters quote. Safeco has a problem with this shop due to labor rates and history on other claims so that is not helping me out. The insurance company and the shop will meet tomorrow to discuss how to proceed. I do think that 21k may be high but 9k from safeco is way too low. if I was to gamble I would say it will not total (Although at this point I hope so) and I will take the repair money and split if it is around 15K and I will sell the car as is and go shopping. I am disapointed with Safeco as when I was going to change shops do to disputes in the past with this car they told me they have issues with the other shop as well. That is when I said I see you have a problem with good shops that do good work and not cut corners for you. I love my car but if I do fix it I will not have it done for atleast a year and if I have it fixed at the shop they are telling me atleast 4 months and that is not Ok with me either.

MADD was mentioned above but maybe I will start MCOADD (Muscle car owner against drunk drivers) (though I would not call mine a muscle car but muscle worked better than classis)

Just to vent I am frustrated with the whole thing and just want resolution as quickly as possible. I have even thought of shopping for a very very clean body car and transfer over everything else.

On a side note what is the difference between the hard top's frame and the convertiblle besides the trany brace not unbolting?

Thanks guys and there are a few pictures above and will keep you all posted on Safeco but right now I am not happy with how they are handling it and how they have issues with these shops as we know it is not so easy to find a collision shop that can do good work or one that will touch a car like this.

 

The convert frame is fully boxed from the front to the back of the rear axle...so the trans crossmember is wider and shorter side to side...and it does unbolt there are secret holes in the frame where your 'long enough to reach the bolt socket extention' can get at the bolt

 

Well to give an updat the nightmare is comming to an end 4 weeks later as the vehicle is being totaled by the insurance company. they made the decision last night and have not heard what the salvage value will be. As hard as it is I am pretty sure I am just going to walk away and not keep the car. Of course that may change but it is time to look for another vehicle and I would really appreciate any and all help as I would really like to find a 70 or 71 442 convertible 455 buckets and console Looking for one that is original and very good driver condition or better or maybe an SX.

I will continue to keep you posted on changes and if anyone is willing to be a resource please let me know as I could really use other olds luvrs to maybe look at vehicles if you guys are located near vehicles of interest. I have never purchased a car that was not local but do not think I will find my next car if I do not jump on a plane and what better way to get over the Cutlass than to drive a 442 cross country.

Thank you all again!!

 

And I think this is why insurance companies often "wait it out" dragging these things on and on and on.....

I hate it and hope you can get over this in your way, whether it is with another Oldsmobile or this one. Good luck.

 

Thank you Olds guy. I really thought at the beggining of this that I would just redo my cutlass but in my mind throwing money at a car with a now salvaged title does not sound to apealing and then missing out driving it while the repairs are done. time to just detatch emotions from my Cutlass as hard as that is and get attached to a new one and upgrade at the same time and get that "sledgehammer approach". I just hate to see another classic removed from the streets. Even though I am a big Olds fan i love seeing classics out and about especially if its an Olds but even if its another GM product or those other guys too

 

Personally, I would buy it back and sell the parts. At least that way there are still some parts of it that will still be on the road. Or if you get the same year and model you would have some spare parts in case this happens again. Believe me, I was looking for front fenders for my 69 for a LONG time, they are out there but few and far between and usually in pretty bad shape. Same thing with doors, quarters, and sail panels. If you have a quarter panel repair you can't get the sail panel that mates up to the door so if it is damaged (like mine was) you are out of luck. As far as parting it out, you can definately get more money from the parts than you would have to pay to get the car back. Just my two cents.

Good Luck!

Keith

 

You know, scrappie has a (I believe) '70-'72 442 vert for sale around here somewhere. I think he just recently posted it. Check cars for sale. Looks to be orig and pretty nice. Maybe you could work a deal? Just trying to help!

 

Hear it's $2000 for a first time offence of driving without insurance and if you refuse a breath-a-lizer another $400. If convicted of drunk driving (over .08) you get a criminal record. You get jail time if you hurt someone, longer if you kill them....unless of course you're a foreign diplomat

 

Sorry about what happend to your car, but good you and the family are ok. I know how you feel about it never being the "same" even if repaired. You may want to check Grundy also when you are looking insurance on your new car. They do agreed up value with pics and have no mileage limit.