PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: GroceryGetter on March 03, 2019, 12:12:51 PM
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Last Saturday the 23rd I had to take the project wagon to work. After my eight hour shift I came back to find the windshield smashed, my fender and door bent, and the A pillar bent. This excellent running car that I barely had six months was already hit and it crushed my soul to see it. I looked for two years to find a '74 or '75 wagon with the four speed.
The good news is that I found the idiot that ran into it. He didn't leave a note, but I had to track his butt down after I learned a house nearby had contract work being done and the homeowner was able to narrow it down to just one guy.
For you body guys I'm trying to source some information. Can I save this frame if I find another wagon door and fender? I don't want to give up just yet.
(http://oi68.tinypic.com/15gxffc.jpg)
(http://oi67.tinypic.com/14dpy5k.jpg)
(http://oi64.tinypic.com/1zgqgix.jpg)
(http://oi65.tinypic.com/eb8v1i.jpg)
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More than likely. As disheartening as it is, the damage doesn't look unrepairable. Biggest problem will probably be sourcing a windshield. Good luck!
Dwayne :)
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I know it is not the point, but tell me this jerk will get what he deserves. My bobcat named "Bob" has been a member of my family for 17 years, I take this kind of thing personal. Anyone can make a mistake, but he needed to own up to it. I hope he gets full penalties.
Bill
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As a retired paint and body man, I can tell you that isn't likely to affect the frame. I repaired a Ford Ranger about a year and a half ago that was hit so hard on the right front that the tie rod end was broken off and the upper control arm was twisted and even broke the steering knuckle, but the frame wasn't hurt at all. And the last time I checked with safelight they had a windshield for my 74 wagon. Also I'm pretty sure that Steele Rubber still has a new gasket for it.
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I know it is not the point, but tell me this jerk will get what he deserves. My bobcat named "Bob" has been a member of my family for 17 years, I take this kind of thing personal. Anyone can make a mistake, but he needed to own up to it. I hope he gets full penalties.
Bill
I want to say I would, but I'm dangling that as a carrot for this clown to cover the repair bill without going through insurance. If those guys did an estimate they'd laugh and total the car.
When I get the estimate he'd better come though or I'm filing the report and charging him with hit-and-run.
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Have faith! In 1992 when my wagon turned 20, I was stopped in a school zone. Unfortunately, a 16 year old driving a truck didn't stop and crunched my wagon's bumper and tailgate beyond repair. The rear wheel-wells also had a slight accordion appearance. To add insult to injury, the kid had no insurance. I thought my wagon was toast because I figured my insurance company would total it. At the time, my horses were boarded and a lawyer's horse was a few stalls from mine. He advised me not to settle. The accident was a few days before Thanksgiving and he said that insurance companies "liked to clear the books before the end of the year." Each time the adjuster called, my husband would tell him that we didn't want to total the car. Close to the end of December, the adjuster finally said that they would cut us a check for $1,400 and not total the wagon. The money was enough to straighten the body, replace the tailgate (73 version as no 72 could be found), put on a new bumper, and repaint the car from the doors back. Most people don't notice the slight variation in color. To this day, we are still driving the car. On a good note: The young man who hit my wagon was someone that I had taught for two years in middle school. He is now a deputy sheriff, has two children, and lives a few miles from us. Whenever we see him, we kid him about our earlier "run-in."
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Just a brief update folks...and a small but good story about small towns. : )
I'm currently stuck in a seven day workweek until we can get a position filled to cover for the guy that left. Because of this (and the non-stop rain recently) I can't get the car over to the shop I wanted to visit (Red's auto body). On Monday I called and gave them a brief description of what happened and how their schedule looked. From what he could do over the phone the guy said to drop on by whenever I could make it. He couldn't take pictures as he was using the shop phone and was leery about using his own personal device.
Two days later while stuck at my job I happened to see a couple of patrons wearing T-shirts for a body shop I've never seen in the area. Curious, I stopped them and asked for their recommendation of auto body in the area and the older gent noted that he worked for Red's auto body. As soon as I mentioned the Pinto he brightened up and said "You're they guy I was on the phone with Monday."
I provided the above photos to show him in person and right off the bat he noted that "Oh, that's not that bad". He's willing to go outside the work hours to accommodate me if there's no other option to get the car looked at which I really appreciate.
Now to get the ball rolling...
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Have faith! In 1992 when my wagon turned 20, I was stopped in a school zone. Unfortunately, a 16 year old driving a truck didn't stop and crunched my wagon's bumper and tailgate beyond repair. The rear wheel-wells also had a slight accordion appearance. To add insult to injury, the kid had no insurance. I thought my wagon was toast because I figured my insurance company would total it. At the time, my horses were boarded and a lawyer's horse was a few stalls from mine. He advised me not to settle. The accident was a few days before Thanksgiving and he said that insurance companies "liked to clear the books before the end of the year." Each time the adjuster called, my husband would tell him that we didn't want to total the car. Close to the end of December, the adjuster finally said that they would cut us a check for $1,400 and not total the wagon. The money was enough to straighten the body, replace the tailgate (73 version as no 72 could be found), put on a new bumper, and repaint the car from the doors back. Most people don't notice the slight variation in color. To this day, we are still driving the car. On a good note: The young man who hit my wagon was someone that I had taught for two years in middle school. He is now a deputy sheriff, has two children, and lives a few miles from us. Whenever we see him, we kid him about our earlier "run-in."
I'm glad you had a happy ending with that encounter. It's hard to find an insurance company that's interested in a 20-year-old car. I suspect you'd face even more obstacles if that happened again today, now that your car is 47 years old. Fortunately, we don't HAVE to accept a total loss and, if we do, we can always buy the salvage back and repair the car. That is precisely what I would do in that case, assuming it was repairable. For the record, I have a '72 Squire and a '74 Runabout.
Dwayne :)
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I forgot to add that initially, the insurance company wanted to total the wagon and pay us about $600. Each time the adjuster called, he upped the amount. I guess after over a month of this, he figured that we would never accept totaling out the car. Plus, it was the end of the year. The wagon is now insured with a classic car insurance company. We already had our 1949 Chevy Styleline Deluxe insured with them. Each year, my husband would call and ask if we could add the Pinto to the policy and finally they agreed. Knock wood, we have never had a claim so I am not sure what the outcome would be.
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I insure mine through State Farm, but on an "antiques & collectibles" policy separate from my other vehicles. That allows for a mutually agreed upon value between State Farm and myself. Of course, the problem is if I am hit by another driver who is found to be at fault. Their insurance is liable and all they are going to see is an old, unpopular car that is essentially without value. Don't know exactly what would happen in that case and hope I never have to find out!
Dwayne :)