Crash of 2020

[mondshine]

Didn't want to continue to hijack the tweaked post.
I took a cursory look at my crippled car this morning.
I could not find any cracks in the frame horns, but

This photo makes me think that the engine has moved to the left, or rotated clockwise (that silicone coupling hose used to be straight). So I am guessing that the frame horns are bent, and that is the reason the transmission won't shift.

The VS muffler is toast. This left side heat exchanger is nicely boinked (hope the head is OK).

What a mess!
Some new contours have been added to the floor of the engine compartment.
The rear engine tin and pulley tin are AFU. I believe an oil fitting (or maybe the cast iron pump cover) has cracked; that's what left Brad Penn on the road. How about that Shar-Pei style wrinkle on the bumper guard? Looks like the point of impact.

I suppose the next few days will tell me how this will go.
(We had Chinese take-out last night, but there were no clues about this in the cookies.)

More later, Mondshine

[Hyatt181]

Gary I’m glad you are ok.

I’m anxious to see how hagerty goes.

Too bad you just put in the new engine.

[Just_Me]

Major bummer, but I look forward to your chronicle of the repair, that’s a common outcome of a rear end accident, and others may gain from understanding how you tackled it.
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1973 Thing, In Mountains of Angel Fire, NM
1973 Thing undergoing body off restoration
1970 VW Split Bus (Brazilian) being imported

[Semper_Dad]

First things first and I'm glad everyone walked away.

Hagerty was very good dealing with my event and I thought everything was done swiftly and fairly. Sounds like you are covered even better than I was. Not sure what "precious salvage" coverage does. Does that just waive the buy back salvage portion of the settlement. When they totaled my car out they determined the salvage value at about $1200. That was deducted from my full coverage of 12.5K and I got to keep the car.

Worse case scenario is that they total you out. If you decided to rebuild I assume the easiest thing to do would be a rear clip transplant. Tougher decisions if the frame horns are bent. To me, bent frame horns are a mortal wound. Just not economically reasonable to repair.

Good luck. Hope everything works out for the best.
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Walküre Restoration Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737492

[mondshine]

Sorry Semper-
I got the name wrong. The coverage is called "Cherished Salvage".
https://www.hagerty.com/insurance/classic-car-insu...-coverage.

From what I have seen this morning, It looks like a rear clip transplant to me.
The raised portion of the rear parcel shelf is pushed forward about an inch.

If the frame horns are bent, I am hoping they can be straightened, and maybe reinforced with one of those "truss bar" rigs that the hot dogs use on their high HP Beetles.

Having to wait a few days to find out what is going to happen is driving me nuts.
I find it almost impossible to avoid "getting ahead of myself" scheming out the possibilities.

I really want to keep this car. It has been with me for 37 years; through 30 states or provinces. Hopefully cheaper to keep 'er, but no matter what, I would rather keep 'er.

[KAmes]

I can't keep up. I still don't have my blazecut fire thing installed yet and now I have to worry if my insurance is good enough. I know what you mean about getting ahead of yourself and scheming the possibilities, it would be really hard for me to not start taking that apart. Straightening the frame horns doesn't "sound" like it would be that bad (says the person who has never done it). Big talk from me because my next door neighbor has access to one of those frame pulling machines. Does it look like the wheels are straight?

[mondshine]

Kevin-
Believe me- It's all I can do to keep my hands off the car.

I don't know whether the Hagerty adjuster will come to my house or what, but I need to find a way to leave the car alone until I find out.

Maybe I should get a job as the "Welcome Guy" at Walmart to keep my mind occupied. Nah!

[Semper_Dad]

The way if worked for me was the "claims adjuster" (someone sitting in an office in Illinois) contacted me and notified me that a surveyor would contact me to make an appointment to view and photograph the damage. The surveyor would then create a EOR (Estimate of Repairs) document to submit to the adjuster. I did have a list of parts and their costs that I that I offered to the surveyor. After all, you if anyone know what things really cost. Especially with all your non-stock modifications.

Request a copy of the EOR from the adjuster once it's available. Mechanical work per hour gets charged at different rates than paint and body.

Only work I did before the surveyor came was "stabilization". I emptied and removed the fuel tank to stop fuel leaking out of fuel line. I also removed the convertible top in order remove fire damaged cargo (blankets, machete, and stuff) and to allow full visual access.
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Walküre Restoration Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737492

[74 Thing]

So sorry to see that this morning. I hope you are ok both physically and mentally.

Definately help point the adjuster in the direction of part prices since you know where they are available and they do not.

I am glad you have classic ins coverage too since dealing with mainstream ins companies at a time like this when you are valuing your car at 25k and they have a value of 8k is time consuming and causes lots of loss of sleep.

You will be amazed what they can do on a pulling jig in the body shops nowadays.

[Ron Domeck]

Since someone hit you wont there insurance be paying the claim?

[74 Thing]

[Semper_Dad]

BTW, you can get insurance for your car during the rebuild process through Hagerty (VUC Coverage).

https://www.hagerty.com/insurance/~/link.aspx?_id=946A47AABC884EB2B1861E61BB359F39&_z=z

I'm waiting till I finish paint and body since that's the biggest expense.
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Walküre Restoration Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737492

[Typ3nut]

Gary,
Hope your doing fine.
Were you able to get a Police report of the accident yet?
I happen to be a witness of this unfortunate incident and by the time I made it to Gary's 181, he had exchanged info, only to realize it wouldn't start / run but as I looked around for where the yellow Mustang was, a Police car appeared.
Mustang was nowhere to be seen. We pushed his vehicle around the corner to safe area for towing.
In Michigan, if you are driving and hit a vehicle in the rear your automatically at fault and issued a ticket. You must call Police and report incident. Leaving the seen can be considered Hit and Run, major fine, warrant, arrest...
Just curious as what the Police follow-up was on this incident?

[77kafer]

I have read that currently in Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster County, NY in the event of a non personal injury accident, after exchanging license, registration and insurance information it is ok to leave the scene due to covid-19 social distancing.
It might be the same elsewhere.
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard

Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer"

[mondshine]

[mondshine]

A little update:

The Well Traveled 181 has been declared a total loss; in that the cost of repair exceeds 75% of its declared value.
Truly a heart breaker after 37 years of fun.

Sometimes, the best cure for a broken heart is a new love, and that's where I am at right now. I bought a nice '73 which will be shipped to me within the next month. More details on that later.

Meanwhile, my policy allows me to keep the wreck, so I will be removing most of the goodies I have installed over the decades.
There will be plenty of useful items that I won't keep (I just don't have room for them), so once I get organized, I will post a list, or post them in the Samba classifieds.

Next Spring, I will be starting over as a "Thing Rookie"... Just like 40 years ago! It should make me feel young again (maybe it just hasn't kicked in yet).

Should be an interesting Winter.

Safe travels, Mondshine

[Semper_Dad]

I kind of figured you knew what was going to happen ahead of time. I'm sure it didn't lessen the blow when you heard it officially. 37 years is a damn long time. Almost as bad as losing a family member.

I'm sure your new acquisition will give you just as much fun for the next 37 years .
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Walküre Restoration Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737492

[obus]

sorry to read this. I will be watching for your new old Thing.
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July 1959 Mango Standard Bus aka Obus L346 L347 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=256592&highlight=
June 1973 Pumpkin Orange Thing aka Othing L30H
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=711775&highlight=
1960 Paprika Red Karmann Ghia Convertible aka Schatze L452 built 5/20/60
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=
66 21 window bus built 8/31/65 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=777273

[kenj06]

Mondshine,
Glad you are OK, sorry to hear that the car is a total loss. I'm sure you'll be making the new Thing your own in no time.
The recent postings by you and Semper_Dad have me re-evaluating the coverage on my Thing and I will be looking into increasing the value and adding the Cherished Salvage.
Hopefully I see you in Toledo in 2021!

[KAmes]

I'm looking forward to seeing what you bought and what your plans for it are. I'm glad to hear the whole bad episode is starting to move in a positive direction, maybe you can reuse some key part to carry the lineage forward. Enjoy new car day!