That would be a good custom tag when finished "phoenix"
Larry

 

I think the humidity made it a little misty in here while I was looking at those pics.

 

Very Sad to hear about your beautiful car! It has made me realise that little extingiusher isnt going to cut it!
I have heard of cases where insurance companies if they decide to total it(hopefully NOT) make deals. Perhaps there is an amount they would be willing to pay without totalling it? I'm sure it wouldnt be enough to totally fix it but it may save it from the crusher or salvage title????
Good luck and hang in there !

 

Jamesbo, Just put the car aside for a little time and like any disaster, let the shock of the event fade. You have all the makings of one of the most special cars ever produced. You will have it again. Maybe this time the settlement will allow you to have some younger person crawl under that dash for you. Best of Luck and I know you will make the right choice in the end. Hey after all you did decide to drive an Olds!

 

Absolutely sick over the story. Man...your car was beautiful, hopefully it can be fully restored.

 

Jamesbo,

I am truely sad to hear of your situation. I would do as others have suggested, cover it up and let the initial shock wear off. Take your time, asess your parts status and maybe get some quotes. I would definately keep the car though. Save money while you think about it then go all out and bring it back to life, you could nick name it the Phoenix! Good luck! Now I am thinking of E-MAILing my buddy that is taking care of my car and asking him to disconnect the lighter. My wiring is original and I am thinking now that I should not trust wires that are live while the car is parked. The lighter is on a constant hot, right?

 

So the adjuster said he had everything done in a week.

So I called him last Monday and he said, "I've been traveling and it's gonna take another week."

Ok, So, I talking with my agent today and ask, "How long should this take?" She said, "This should have been done my now, let me call the company as see what the problem us."

About 30 minutes later she calls back and said, "The adjuster is having trouble finding parts to put together an estimate for the repair" [if it isn't totaled]

So, I said, " I have a bright idea, why not have the M-O-R-O-N call me and I can tell him where to get all the parts he wants."

Geeze Louise What a puzzlewit

 

The adjuster may be still trying to find an Olds dealer...

 

.....The adjuster is having trouble finding parts


Gee...... ya think???

 

don't you have most of the parts available in your back yard?
Direct the Adjuster there and offer. I will donate parts if you guys provide labor.

 

I went through the same thing with my claim when mine was totaled. Just talk to the adjuster and help out. Most of these guys do little work with the older cars and they do not know where to start. I remember I asked my adjuster if he was glad it was not another civic, his response was "NO I do not have a data base of parts, parts resources and can't find a shop that will do it " If you do not want the car totaled you may have to walk them through where to find everything. You may be even able to use yourself as a dealer since you have spare parts you can sell to the insurance company or if it gets close to totaled then you donate some of the parts to reduce the quote...

Hang in there I remember I was antsy when mine was hit. It is stressfull but one way or another it will work out

 

It's right down the street next to the Edsel Dealer

 

You're funny Jamesbo!!

 

and across from the Hudson / Studebaker dealer.

 

Years ago my Cutlass took a small hit on the right front when an 18 wheeler turned into my lane. Fortunately we were going very slow. The adjuster came out and he happened to be a car guy with a 390 AMX. I pulled out the Fusick catalog and he used their parts prices and wrote me a very nice estimate. It was probably pure luck.

 

You would think that a classic car insurer would know where to find parts...
Of course Jamesbo's car IS a pretty rare one.

They will proably have to make a complete list of every part used in the interior, along with a roof and proper repaint.

Not sure one should tell them about the parts stash you have - they may want to exclude those from the estimate (though they should not)...

 

Hey, I'm out in Carrollton and would like to come and look at the car. Is Sunday an option? Let me know......Pete

 

Jamesbo,

Sorry to see what happened to your beautiful car. What unbelievable bad luck. Still remember visiting with you a few years back and you showing me your car. Very sad to see it in such a state. Best of Luck in whatever remediation path you choose. May the insurance gods smile on you.

Terry in NY

 

Sorry, It's all buttoned up on Sundays and the Pit Bull isn't friendly

 

I've been following this story, and this is just a nightmare. Hope everything turns out ok, and at least YOU'RE ok, that's what's important.

I'm not sure if I missed this, but who is your insurance company? I'm a little concerned if they did not contact YOU about getting replacement parts, and they were trying to find their own. Is this not a classic car insurer like Haggerty, etc?

 

Whatif,

Since I called one of their people " A moron" on another thread, I'm reluctant to name them. I was NOT Haggerty. All in all the company has pretty been good. The outside adjuster was out of his league IMHO and wasted alot of time for nothing.[Looking for parts before they totalled it. The insurance comapny settled up with me and is spose to be overnighting me a check. I kept it from them for the salvage value and am working on a sale with another member who restores 69 H/O s. Because of the age the insurance company did NOT require a Salvage title.

The only thing that struck me as odd is I had to fax them a copy of the title to prove I owned the car. [Like I pay insurance to them for a car I don't even own. ]

 

Just found this thread,really sorry to see it.I had a 68 Delta 88 fastback that went up on me.Mine wasn't electrical,something underneath,but I WAS stopped next to some gas pumps,I fired it up and drove it into a field next door,my gas tank blew! I ended up losing all of the hair that wasn't under my hat-it grew back,but the stuff under the hat has since gone away.You were lucky no-one was hurt,and good luck with it.When something like this happens,it goes too fast to think straight.At least you are Ok.
---bil

 

Easiest scam on earth:
Steal a car, buy an insurance policy on it, total it, then collect the check. Or if you're not the stealing type, simply take out a policy on your neighbor's car, then total it. There's a reason they're paranoid.

 

Wouldn't be too hard to catch a criminal that accepts a cheque.

 

I'm sorry for you loss, that's bad news.
Spider

 

Sorry to hear about you loss.

 

If you have room I would take the Car out of the Junk Lot and store it at your house until this was settled.

 

It's at a restoration shop that has a secured lot. I put a cover over it. The only reason I'm leaving it there is that I'm trying to sell it and their shop is easier to get to than my house in the boonies.

 

And not having to tell prospective buyers to beware of the bears when they come...

 

that's good. Let me know on the Mirrors if you part the car out.

 

Heard you sold it Jamesbo, congratulations but I'm sure you're sad to see it go too. Just curious if the new owner told you how it would be repaired?

 

Sold,

He just said he was going to restore it.

 

I'm bummed, I wanted it.
If my car wasn't the hideous light blue and overpriced I would have had a buyer in Texas and could of swung it.

 

sorry to hear your car go but glad to hear you sold it, hopefully the new owner keeps in touch with you and shows you progress on it. I do that with the guy i bought it from and he gets so excited/astonished when i tell him what i do to the car lol.

 

Jamsbo,

Glad you were able to sell it to someone who will bring it back. Now you can finish the half done one you have setting around or.....................

 

Pat,

I've been trying to sell that one since the ark dried out. No one wants a non matching [origionally Trophy Blue w/ black vinyl top] hard top with a 455 in primer.

 

Hmmm, guess I'm a bit on the late side. Too bad you ended up selling it. I do hope the new owner follows through and brings it back.

 

wow........that makes me sick as well. I had a '67 Cutlass ragtop catch fire back in '87 but I was able to put it out quick an there was minimal damage. Turns out the idiot that owned it before me put in an aftermarket stereo and messed up the wiring somehow.

 

Just caught this - and it made me sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry for your loss - I can't imagine how you felt at the time!!
Glad it worked out, both the settlement and the sale, but I'd still have a "void"!!!!

Don't know how many will still read this, but I know from experience the wire to the lighter usually has a 30 amp fuse, [if at all!!] which will still let the wire burn!!!!
I've seen people connect radio's, heaters, and all kinds of crap to that wire, and it stays hot w/the key off!! [on most cars]
I make sure it's isolated, in good shape, and away from ANY metal that could rub it - the only one I'm very careful of!!

Again, sorry for your loss!!

 

Jamesbro, just caught this thread and I too am sorry to hear of your misfortune. Dont worry though, for all the help you have given all the people on this site, you will be rewarded 10 fold.