CRUNCH!

356 Porsche-related discussions and questions.
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Ken Lubke
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Location: west mpls

Re: CRUNCH!

#31 Post by Ken Lubke »

As of last weekend, I have been inducted into the ( never thought it would happen) victim of a car sandwich. Sitting at a stop light and 3rd car back never stopped. I was the Swiss cheese in a ham and Swiss sandwich.
Damage was not for the faint of heart. I was so furious I couldn't cry.

I am starting the process of appraisers, insurance, body shops etc.
Any helpful directions from the forum would be greatly appreciated. I just can't fathom being without while repairs are being done. I feel as though I have been violated and don't understand common drivers not thinking.

Will resize pics and get them out.

Thanks :x :x :x

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David Campbell
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Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:54 pm
Location: West Georgia

Re: CRUNCH!

#32 Post by David Campbell »

Ken, I am sorry for your accident and hope your car can be brought back to a good state that puts a smile back on your face. I hope you have a true classic car insurer that has expertise in adjusting and appraising classic Porsches.

Be sure the repair shop has Garage Keepers Legal Liability that is "direct/primary" in case something happens while your car is being transported by them, or something happens at their shop - Murphy's Law.

Mandate the best sheet metal and parts available. Research "diminution of value" and use it to your favor with any appraiser who tries to cut you short. (Diminution in value is a legal term of art used when calculating damages in a legal dispute, and describes a measure of value lost due to a circumstance or set of circumstances that caused the loss. MN is a DV state) Have your insurer go after the responsible party, assuming the at-fault driver has auto liability insurance. I am betting they were distracted on a cell phone BTW.

I don't know your repair shop options in MN, but if it were me I'd insist on a 356 specialist, even if I had to send the car out of state.
Others on the board can help you. Best wishes.
1961 B Coupe
1966 VW Type I
1987 944 NA
2000 Boxster S

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Paul Ahnell
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Location: Lyme, CT

Re: CRUNCH!

#33 Post by Paul Ahnell »

Hey Chuck: Arty OCS from Ft. Sill in March '66. Seems like just yesterday. A lot of water over the dam and C-rats down the pipe since then.
Paul Ahnell
'60 Normal Coupe

Dan Epperly
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Re: CRUNCH!

#34 Post by Dan Epperly »

Update on my situation.
Insurance company sent out an inspector, nice young guy who has a 1960 VW panel bus, so he totally dug the car and was sympathetic. He will submit his report and within three days I should get an estimate from the company.
Meanwhile, I took it to a shop down the street from me. A while back they did a B coupe so I thought maybe they work on old cars, but the estimator there said nope, too old for them. He said they did his brothers car but it sounded like the metal work was done by someone else. He himself couldn't think of a shop in town that could repair it, but he would ask around. He took my info. Hopefully I will hear back from him.
So, now I need to find a shop that can repair it. I usually do my own metal work and could fix this, but I have other things I prefer to do. If I fix it then I might as well restore it, too. Ugh. This is beginning to really suck.

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Wes Bender
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Location: Somewhere in the Gadsden Purchase, USA

Re: CRUNCH!

#35 Post by Wes Bender »

License plate indicates you're in CA. Add your location to your profile and maybe someone will come up with a suggested repair facility in your area......
Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.....

Steven Murray
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Location: Westchester Co, NY

Re: Dash cam

#36 Post by Steven Murray »

There probably aren't any 6 volt dash cams but I have a 12v one that I would use occasionally when hitting the expressway with a low power car. It seems important in a no-fault state like NY where they might say you were 10% a fault because you were born so it can be hard to get full payment. It seems like 2 or 3 dashcams might be needed to cover yourself. In this accident since you were merging lanes in NY the insurance company would say that you must be 50% at fault and just pay half of your claim. Video of the clown shifting lanes like crazy might help lower that to 30%, maybe not.

Dan Epperly
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Re: Dash cam

#37 Post by Dan Epperly »

Steven Murray wrote:There probably aren't any 6 volt dash cams but I have a 12v one that I would use occasionally when hitting the expressway with a low power car. It seems important in a no-fault state like NY where they might say you were 10% a fault because you were born so it can be hard to get full payment. It seems like 2 or 3 dashcams might be needed to cover yourself. In this accident since you were merging lanes in NY the insurance company would say that you must be 50% at fault and just pay half of your claim. Video of the clown shifting lanes like crazy might help lower that to 30%, maybe not.
I'm waiting to hear back on the results of the "investigation" as they call it. I always heard im CA that if you plow into someone from behind your pretty much screwed. But we will see.

Dan Epperly
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Re: CRUNCH!

#38 Post by Dan Epperly »

Life is a learning experience.
So, the insurance comoany found the guy at fault. That's the good news.
Now for the bad. How many of you know that in the state of CA, minumum coverage for collision damage is a whopping $5,000? I didn't, but now I do. So basically that is all I will get.
The shop I took it to estimated repair costs at $10k.
Since the body has other issues, including rust holes and a need for paint I figure I will fix it myself since I can, and pocket the cash, using it eventually for a new rear bumper and ancillary costs.
I feel sorry for people who cannot repair the damage themselves and find it shocking that the state sets such a low minimum. Even on modern cars $5k doesn't get you far for collision damage.
Guess it works out great for the insurance companies though. Everyone has to pay in and yet they don't have to pay much out.

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Mike Wilson
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Re: CRUNCH!

#39 Post by Mike Wilson »

Dan:

Send me a PM. There is a very good Porsche restoration shop in Azusa that did my '63 coupe.

Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

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Doug McDonnell
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Re: CRUNCH!

#40 Post by Doug McDonnell »

He might not want to trailer it that far Mike He lives in Minneapolis ,Minnesota J-3 restorations in Tennessee is a lot closer. As is Bill Kemper @Panelwerks in Mento,Ohio There is also 2 brothers in Iowa I think. Sorry can't remember the name. Richard Sjolund would know and he is from Iowa.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

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Jim Nelson
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Re: CRUNCH!

#41 Post by Jim Nelson »

Who's in Azuza, Mike ?

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Mike Wilson
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Re: CRUNCH!

#42 Post by Mike Wilson »

Unless I misunderstood him, Dan said he was looking for a shop in San Diego.
Jim: Hung Luu Auto Body.

Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

Dan Epperly
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Re: CRUNCH!

#43 Post by Dan Epperly »

I live in San Diego.
Thanks for the offers, but Im a little crazy and like to fix things myself. I've been restoring cars as a hobby for 28 years, so this is no big deal. I would have liked to have had it fixed by someone else because I'm in the middle of a restoration of a 1956 VW Karmann Ghia and don't have the time now to fix this one right. But it would be asinine to spend extra money on one area of repair and then down the road address the others, so, my plan to bolt another bumper on it and work out the dents a bit if and when it cools down here.
On the positive note and will now have an extra layer of patina to it!

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Doug McDonnell
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Re: CRUNCH!

#44 Post by Doug McDonnell »

OK so the Minneapolis thread got hijacked. Nope Doug wrong again. Top of 3rd page was Minneapolis NOT original thread.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

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Mike Wilson
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Re: CRUNCH!

#45 Post by Mike Wilson »

Dan: maybe one of those paintless dent-removal guys could work out some of the dents?

Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

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