TheSamba.com :: View topic - Kubel and Schwimmwagen destroyed in fire in Amsterdam

Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:06 am

A huge fire at the "Keep Them Rolling" club that is dedicated to WW2 cars
and trucks destroyed 15 vintage cars and trucks.

At least one kubel and one schwimmwagen are gone forever.

Club-website:
http://www.ktr.nl/

Sad! One of the members of the club was on tv yesterday searching through the pile of metal for something worth saving with tears in his eyes.
The fire was so hot that everything is worthless.
He worked on the collection for over 35 years.

Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:42 am

That is really sad :cry: I read it was 2 Schwimmwagens and 1 Kubel?

Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:45 am

Can we organize a moment of silence for this? That's just tragic. :cry:

Tue Nov 24, 2009 2:44 am

Really bad news - fifteen historic military vehicles were lost plus other militaria.

Read more here http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/787-amsterdam-fire-destroys-classic-wwii-vehicles. The article speaks about the loss of "a number of extraordinary German vehicles, including two amphibious Schwimmwagen". A Dutch newspaper mentions two Schwimmwagens and one Kübelwagen.

Hanno

Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:57 am

:o , :shock: ....... :cry:

Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:23 am

#-o

Quote: Griep has a fire insurance, but it covers only the ‘dagwaarde‘ (day value) of the vehicles — instead of the replacement value.

Tue Nov 24, 2009 8:44 am

Wiggy wrote: #-o

Quote: Griep has a fire insurance, but it covers only the ‘dagwaarde‘ (day value) of the vehicles — instead of the replacement value.

Sad, and sobering. Events like this should be considered when insuring your old cars. It really isn't what they are worth, it is what you think the $$ (or EU, whatever) amount should be should you just plain lose them completely. Sometimes cars are so rare, this no "replacement value" because you can't just go out and buy another one, no matter how much money you have. And sometimes cars are fairly rare, but with the right $$ amount, you could go out and just buy another pretty close to the one that was lost.

But if not, IMO, you just have to pick a "walk away" $$ amount and feel comfortable that if you lost the vehicle, you could be happy with that amount and probably go buy something else with.

Not sure about other countries, but antique car insurance in the US is very inexpensive. Although hard to "get in" to some companies (requires detailed appraisals, pictures of where the car will be stored, etc), the statistical insurance exercise shows that drivers of most antiques cars are very careful about how and where they drive them, and where they store them.

Would be interesting to know how the insurance company covering these rare war cars establishes "day value".

Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:45 pm

Having had a recent " loss " with inadequate insurance on my '50 Standard ,
I was able to get an adequate settlement from the insurance company covering the person who hit me . I had to provide ( and pay for ) a professional value appraisal and body shop estimate of the damage which took a fair amount of my time , but in the end , I was able to get enough to have the car properly repaired . My advice to the uninitiated ; get your car appraised at it's actual value , and get as much insurance as is available and you can afford . Antique car insurance is cheap , compared to what you will have to pay out of pocket , if the worst should happen !

Tue Nov 24, 2009 6:53 pm

This is sad to hear....

On the subject of insurance, how do you insure your projects? Can you insure a project that is not a complete drivable vehicle?

Pete

Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:08 am

petevdub wrote: This is sad to hear....

On the subject of insurance, how do you insure your projects? Can you insure a project that is not a complete drivable vehicle?

Pete

I know in the UK you can get a "laid up" insurance from some companies. Not exactly cheap, and full of clauses that would allow the insurer to get out of paying anything...

Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:01 am

No Sprinkler system..........

Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:06 am

Haggerty insures my classics, they offer insurance for restorations that are 'in-process'. I beleive some of the other classic insurers also offer this
Mike

Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:47 am

Hello
Yes very very sad. :cry:
I know the persons very well.
It was one schwimmwagen and one kubelwagen.
The other amphibious vehicle was an amphicar.(press mistake)
Also sad for the other ww2 vehicles and collectibles.
The cars were burned so much even the glass melted.
Also these cars have been playing in some movies.
One of the owners is doing special effects for movies.
He also did the special effects for steven spielberg's
Indiana Jones and the temple of doom.
Gr Raymund

Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:30 pm

:cry: :-&

Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:42 pm

This is the picture i can't get out of my mind.
Gr vwRaymund

Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:41 pm

Why not resurrect it? Or send it to me.

Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:14 pm

ouch :( what a waste

Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:29 pm

2true wrote: No Sprinkler system..........

I didn't want to mention it previously but I was thinking the exact same thing. This reminds me of the event back in the late eighties or early nineties when Reggie Jackson warehoused many rare muscle cars in one facility and the place went up in flames.

Everything was ruined and it was a very hard lesson for certain. There have been many events like this in other hobbies and I just don't understand at times.

If you are a "steward" of a vehicle that is impossible or next to impossible to replace you have an obligation to properly care for the vehicle. It is amazing how much time and money is thrown at restoring vehicles like these yet how little time and money is put into storing them properly and safely.

I feel badly for anyone that has suffered such a loss but at the same time I cannot help but shake my head thinking of the precautions that could have been taken.

There is also a museum in Brazil in which one of the lost "Tucker" cars was found. The owner I believe either died or fell into financial trouble I do not recall which but what I do recall is the facility that houses the Tucker and some other rare cars has been subjected to flooding for quite some time and they are sitting in water often and rusting away while the powers that be decide what is to become of the place.

People take much for granted and as I mentioned, when you are a steward of anything rare or historic you have a lot of responsibility on your hands and should put as much effort and time or perhaps money in the facility that stores them or the insurance coverage to help compensate the loss.

Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:36 pm

With some patience and some wizardry id bet most all of them can be saved. Ive seen some roasted cars put back on the road. Its all in the metal work of course. Dipping whats left then determining what was overheated to the point of no return. That schwim looks savable to me. Get it torn down and get to work. For sure dont scrap them. Offer up for someone to take on and fix. The outcome will surprise you. :)

Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:56 pm

Don't even pretend you don't want to do it up like this:

That'd be so badass. But it does deserve better.