'59 Pacer damaged in transport -- need help!

[jdalrymple]

Good luck on the claim. Your research and comments apparently made an impression on this Mr. Reavis, if indeed that is his real name .

Sounds as though his business endeavor may be something less than legitimate.

[Ganglin]

Originally Posted by markdoane

There's quite a history on this unit. If you want to see the P.O.'s work, see this thread.

And here is Eric's photo album.

It would be interesting to know what happened that Eric gave up on this unit. He was working so hard on it and then his thread just ended. Profile shows he hasn't been here since last April.....

[Aerowood]

Is the street side top skin damaged in any way or is it just strap chaffing marks. I'm not sure what I'm looking at in photo #3? Is the frame crack at the top of the frame?

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I am supposed to stay in my corner, but this thread has me chaffing at the bit... Have you contacted your own auto insurer? My trailer is covered by the insurance of the tow vehicle. I also have a special rider to cover additional coverage due to the vintage factor, but that is to give additional liability(this is a whole separate thread about liability and the vintage vehicle) ......

I'm not an insurance underwriter, however EVERY time you contact your national carrier's claim center with a potential claim, your rates can go up! If you have a local agent who is a friend, then ask him/her privately if it's worth contacting the claims center.

Here is an example... someone dings your bumper - $700 damage. You have $500 deductible. PAY FOR IT OUT OF YOUR POCKET! You'll only get $200 from the insurance company and your premiums will go up $75 per year forever! There's a good chance your new trailer which isn't in towable shape isn't covered at all, but just starting a "claim" that is denied could raise your rates.

Of course your damages run into the thousands, so if it IS covered by your car insurance this is a claim worth filing. They can only cancel you after the fact, and a new company won't consider the old claim.

I would also avoid "TV Lawyers". Our company "Answer Center" has experience with them as clients. They DON'T litigate, they run "settlement factories"... and are only interested in getting the most cases to the quickest settlements possible. You? You get screwed.

I would go after the tow driver any way you can, and I'd certainly get a local TV station, or even 60 Minutes in on the project if you don't get immediate satisfaction from his insurance company.

It just makes me sick to see this fine unit screwed up by such a careless and stupid driver.

Paula

[Ganglin]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

I'm not an insurance underwriter

-

If the trailer was not added to the policy - there is no physical damage coverage - turning a claim in would be a waste of time. Your correct that some insurers add a claim event to the file even if there is no coverage or payment.

The only automatic coverage for a trailer on the auto policy is Liability and Med. Pay - ONLY while the trailer is attached to the insured car.

[Mikethefixit]

Corraleno
I'm glad U are getting some solutions to the problem. I knew this guy was messin U around. He had insurance, he just thought U were stupid enough to fall for his line.He In evidence Did NOT KNOW what he was doing. I never would have tied that trailer down like he did. I hauled alot of machinery in my 45 yrs with no damage or claims.This guy didn't have a clue,just anyway to get it there. Best of luck Let us know how this all plays out
Roger

[Corraleno]

Originally Posted by Ganglin

It would be interesting to know what happened that Eric gave up on this unit. He was working so hard on it and then his thread just ended. Profile shows he hasn't been here since last April.....

Eric said it was just too hard to find the time, with 2 small kids and a busy job. He kept it on a rural piece of property he owned, about 45 minutes from home, and he just couldn't find enough time to get out there and work on it. Plus, as several members here have warned, taking the shell off the frame dramatically increases the chances of giving up! I looked through his restoration thread and his Picasa photo albums before I bought it, and it seems like he did everything right in repairing the frame, replacing the floor, etc. Not sure how well the body went back onto the frame, I just hope it doesn't have to be lifted again.

[Corraleno]

Originally Posted by Aerowood

Is the street side top skin damaged in any way or is it just strap chaffing marks. I'm not sure what I'm looking at in photo #3? Is the frame crack at the top of the frame?

I believe it's just chafing from the strap, there doesn't seem to be any denting there.

Photo #3 was taken standing in the doorway looking down at where the hinge side of the door frame is supposed to meet the floor. The door frame, and the adjacent part of the corner panel, has pulled away from the floor/c-channel and is hanging in space. (I put a chair cushion on the patio floor when we took the door off in case it dropped, which you can see through the torn aluminum, that's probably adding to the confusion.)

And the crack in the rib is about halfway between the top of the door frame and the center point of the ceiling. If you were standing at the back of the trailer looking forward, with the door on your right, the crack would be at about 2:00.

[NevadaGeo]

I always find it interesting in watching contractors or companies go so far out of their way to not do the right thing, and then result in having so much more negative advertising. Instead of stepping up, doing the right thing, fix up their boo-boo and then having a few thousand positive hits of advertising. Beavis there could have done the right thing, and settled up for a little bit. Now he has thousands of us (times X dollars each job) with a "do not hire this contractor" sign on him.