Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

[Jimmy B.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

Peter,

Go see Tim Burke Burkes CORVETTES Maitland, FL. He is the best in this state. Also look at his web site.

Jim

[Donald T.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

Peter,

Why do you feel you need to replace the surround? Hard to tell from the pics, and it does look pretty bad. However, it appears to be complete. Replacing the surround is a big job compared with some other body panels. I would make every effort to save the original. I repaired a C2 surround that was damaged just as bad and probably worse. Two TF awards and repairs were not detected by the judges. It will be a lot of work but so will replacing the surround.

[Peter M.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

Hi Peter
I was envolved in wreck with a young girl with NO INSURANCE or DRIVER lenience She told the Police she was wrong from the start. She pilled write in front of my path. I had no were to go. I hit her in the rear wheel at about 40mph I had Considerable damage on my 1972 The GOOD news was no one was hurt
I have Hagerty on that car and they have been incredible
When I called to report the wreck I told the representative that the Young Girl hand No insurance or Drivers lenience and was driving her friends car with NO Insurance I Got a Long Pause then was told do not worry they will handed it.
I was asked if I wanted the car fixed ? I said YES I was told someone would
Be out to look at the car that week . I had already brought the car into the shop. An appraiser was there with in two days told the shop to tear it down
And write up a complete estimate for which they paid to have done.
This has been a long up hill battle but it is going back together. There are suppliers that make the correct press molded fiberglass new Very $$$$$
Most all the parts are out there Do NOT except anything that is not Correct
It will take MUCH longer then you think. Make Sure you take the car to a shop that knows how to deal with Fiberglass and understands NCRS type work hopefully a restoration type shop
Feel free to e-mail me if i can help
Remember if no one is seriously hurt cars can always be fixed

Mike - after all was said and done and your car repaired to your satisfaction, did Hagerty cancel or raise your insurance rate? I have been told that they will not insure a car for five years after you have had a wreck or vandalism. What is your experience with them? Are you still satisfied with them?

[Michael D.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

Check with Home Depot. The perpetrator might be on their security tapes.

[Tom S.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

I agree with the vettesmith recomendation. I don't know craig extremely well but I do think he is very honest and highly respected in the South Florida corvette community. I would trust him with one of my baby's. Tom Stanton #41491

[Jack H.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

I have to agree with the above advice... Last year a similar mishap took place with an NCRS Aussie member's car. He was CERTAIN that the only way to effect repair was via a wholesale replacement of the front clip.

After listening to the advice of several Stateside NCRS members with experience in repairing factory original body panel damage, he worked with his insurance company and located a glass expert in-country down under. The repairs were done professionally (NUMEROUS, thin, hand laid layers to build up the affected areas to approach the density of press molded glass + proper color additive blended into the new glass).

Bottom line, he's back up with primarily the factory original body parts that've been repaired so well, the repairs are undetectable (including surface texture of the back side unpainted panel segments). The job was actually faster than replacing the front clip since he would have been looking at an ocean shipment of the part from the US, less expensive all around, and he's retained the lion's share of factory originality.

BUT, shopping for the 'right' paint and body guy who knows his stuff is where the rubber meets the road in these cases...

[Steven G.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

I purchased a 72' with the same front end damage and finally decided to buy used marker area sections since they were very small pieces and re-use, repair top surround. Mr. Bondo did a previous repair so I removed his work, bought used headlight supports and fit pieces for fiberglass repair. Fiberglass repairs and fillers require lots of curing time to prevent the obvious repair that can or will re-appear later. Steve

[Peter B.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

Just got my car into the shop 2 years later. Hagerty's has been GREAT. I still have insurance with them. My rate has gone up maybe $100 but that is well worth it. I HIGHLY recommend them.

[Don H.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

Wait a minute,
26 months have passed and only now your car is in the shop, and you say your insurance company has been great!?
I would hate to see how a bad one treats you.
I think you should wait until your car is finished before you assess this experience. But I would say that it has not been very good so far.

[John D.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

Hopefully you called the Police and got a accident report. Make yourself very familair with what your policy covers and be prepared for a long skirmish with your insurance company to get what you deserve. It's the nature of the beast to not pay.......

[Peter B.]

Re: Vette wrecked - Please advise me guys!!!!

Actually the delay was my fault. My work required me to travel extensively and I did not get a chance to get on this for that long. Hagertys has been Great