If the adjuster wont total it the body shop will push it over due to the time in paint and body repairs as a supplement. Total % is different state to state, not sure what it is in NY. However the owner can give the adjuster a professional appraisal to figure in the value of the car but still the insurance company will only pay to fix the car back to "ORIGINAL" as in factory status. The owner can "buy it back" for salvage value. BTW just because a car can be driven doesn't mean its not a total loss. I have totaled lots of cars that were perfectly fine to drive but required more body work than the car was worth.
I'd say fix the tin, a total re-spray that would stay on budget color -wise and drive the shit out of it. I guess I don't get the total it cause it won't be the exact same as it was part. Yes the paint made a great deal of the car but to total a nice car because of paint is well......... foolish IMHO.
I gotta say another thing, it's good to see a wrecked kustom that DOESN'T have slabs of body filler falling off.
Incredible how everybody seem to NEED to throw their expert advice. fuckin 5 pages of nothin. Just say damn this sucks and be done w/ it. Jeff man, to change the title go to the 1st post, edit, change title, done.
Seems to me if someone else is at fault you have a decent argument for getting their insurance to step up to make it just like it was, or at least send a hefty check that should be enough to at least do away with the dents and get a paint job. If you have to buy back a total, so what? In New York it's a registration only car, there's no title to even brand as salvage.
Body shops or the owner don't always have the final say, the insurance companies do. After all, they are footing the bill just like you or I and we're not paying more that we think "we" should. I'm not saying that the insurance companies are "cheap" (well some are) what I'm saying is that they, like you and me, are not writing blank checks. Many can tell when a shop or an insured is "dinging" them for more money than necessary. The total loss factor may vary from state to state but it's more likely to be by company policy. Some companies determine "totals" based on "salvage value" and some are based on a percentage. That percentage can vary from 75% to 95 or even 100% of the ACV (actual cash value) depending on company policy. Having an appraisal, and not one that is "bloated", definitely aids in your favor. Insurance companies are liable to repair a vehicle back to "pre-accident" condition whether it was an "original", "modified" or a "custom". They are not responsible to make the vehicle "better" or "different" than what it was prior to the accident. Meaning if you want "brand new" parts or a new paint job, you will be paying the difference. Again, depending on company policy, you "do not" always have the option to buy a vehicle deemed "a total loss" back from the company. This is kinda far and few between but there are companies out there that have this policy. Again, they're writing the check and they have rights and policies too. This is true... it doesn't always happen that way... but true. That is why everybody should have "collision coverage" on their vehicle. When the company responsible for the damages doesn't step up to the plate, that's when your company takes over. Your company writes their own appraisal of the damages and subrogates (goes after) the other company in your best interest.
WOW, I didn't mean to stir it up so much, some guys just go off the deep end about details,..........BUT I win!!! the owner just called ins. co is doing a total loss on it and he will buy it back and wants to ship it out to have me fix it. Hopefully this will all work out, I've been told may things before and doesn't workout. so now all you guys that dont think it's totalled . can type away ...at kissin my ......I was right you were wrong . i'm sorry !LOL
Bummer! The car was so rad, but I'm glad you'll get to fix it in the end! The best part about a mild custom, is when its wrecked it can become a radical custom! The tiago ranchero is proof enough of this!
in michigan the bus company would be stuck with the repair bill depending on local laws they probally are but here again reason number 364 why you dont call allstate/statefarm/or geico to insure a classic car you go to the experts like haggerty or grundy
Id love to see the process of you putting it back together.. We could all learn a thing or three from that!
When it gets repaired I'd love to see A...chopped top B..carson style top 3...no top 7...starliner top and glass.. M..maybe a 61 GM bubble top and glass. Anything but that old "top-hat" lid.. I love the rest of the car.
Jeff how kool is that!Glad you get to put a beautiful kustom back together, gotta come see when you get her!
The roof has already been shortened about 10 inches to make the quarter windows shorter, so I don't think and roof changes will be happening. and a carson style woldn't work that great on a 60's style kustom.
findk you sure you didn't set us up on this one ,Post on the 5th the damaged car,2 days later,insurance has totaled the car sold it back to the owner. Come clean man.
So now that's it's totaled does that change the title to a salvage title ? Which would open up a whole new can of worms.
Jeff... WoW ! What a shame, Bro !! I know how much work you had in that car, and how proud Dennis was of it. I'm sure the current owner IS heartbroken...quite a loss of a RARE ride. Especially with the Jeff/Dennis pedigree attached to it. Jonnie
Who is this guy? Never seen KA Cars and Stripes before.... Mcphail can fix it. He fixed my leg- Had a real bad patch of regular skin, now it has a blown Scorpion!
My baby was in much worse shape after she got rear-ended last year and was definitely NOT totaled. My antique auto insurance stepped in took care of all the damages and now shes back and as good as new.
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