'59 Pacer damaged in transport -- need help!

[Ganglin]

When he made his MCS Filing he would have had to had insurance in place or DOT would have pulled his permit. There's coverage out there - unless he cancelled it just before this trip and DOT hasn't caught up with him yet. They get pretty nasty about it...

[CaddyGrn]

This is simply awful! A Pacer is soooooo wonderful! This guy hurt us all!

I would simply cut all the red tape and go directly to my attorney. A strong letter from a aggressive attorney will usually get action. Most attorney's will give you a 1/2 hour free to discuss your case... or only charge you a partial fee of maybe $100 or so... List what you want, I bet he will respond quickly.

I have found in the past with stupid financial hassles where I believe someone is trying to pull the wool over my eyes, a letter from my attorney usually brings quick action and conversation. If not, time for lawsuit. Besides you deserve extra $ for your pain and suffering. Actually, he should pay us all for our pain.... :P

Good luck!
Mrs. NorCal Bambi traveling in S Tardis ~ from the Great State of Jefferson

[72 tradewind]

I would hound him until the end of time.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

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) How ever... your auto insurance has a vested interest in that Pacer and I think you need to bring them into the picture. They will know exactly how to get the funds from the carriers insurance. A lawyer that advertises on the television will also help lubricate the situation. I would think that a tv lawyer would be money well spent. You need to find out how much it will cost to have this fixed so that you are fairly compensated. Get Inland Andy to give you an estimate, along with GSM Vehicles, Trailer Crazy, Trailer Works, and anyone else you can think of. You might get your Pacer professionally done due to this guy being in a hurry to get your job done. I am really surprised that anyone would strap a trailer down like that in the first place. Sorry you have to go through all this, but it will work out in the end.

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by Corraleno

Hmmmm. His current ID on Uship is Reavis Express, so I guess he just opened a new account in a new name. But the old account (hotshotexpress) had 100% positive feedback. If everytone else was so happy, why did he have to destroy MY shipment???

Hi Corraleno:

I'm very sorry to see the damage to your trailer, which to me looks to be intentionally caused by tightening the straps far too much. Anyway, I'll simply note that your shipper's 100% positive feedback on Uship was only for a 3 month period beginning on 9/20/07. I would not be surprised to learn he has had a sting of "new account" names stretching back in time that lasted for only a few months each. As disgruntled customers posted negative reviews, he might have have closed that account and opened a new one under a different name. Such a tactic might allow him to maintain, over short periods, the appearance of a 100% positive feedback rating.

[azflycaster]

Sorry to read about the damage to your trailer. The uship process is a buyer beware situation.

BTW, another name for the shipper I found was RayReavis - member since 1-31-07. I am sure there are more...

[AYRSTRM2]

One word: Sue.

[Goin camping]

According to Andy the damage can be fixed. That was the main worry. So in the end it's just another step in a complete restoration. It could be worse.

As a retired Superior Court Clerk I have unfortunately seen many people in your position. My FWIW advice to you is to spend your days restoring your trailer and your nights running this schmuck to ground. You may or may not be made whole but if you approach it with an attitude of a person enjoying a new hobby. You'll increase your chance of success and you'll keep the negativity out of your life and the trailer restoration.

I have seen way too many people let a situation like this embitter them and change their lives for the worse.

Good luck and you're going to have a truly beautifull trailer when your done.

[Silverhobby]

So sorry to see this damage done, and before you even get to enjoy the unit. My prayers for a great outcome to this maddening situation.

[Corraleno]

I spoke to the shipper again this morning and he claimed he'd talked to his insurance co, they wouldn't cover it because it's "wind damage," blah blah blah....so I told him that if they wouldn't cover it then I would have to go after him personally, and I knew that he had multiple accounts on Uship, and that according to the DOT he had no MC number, and according to the FMCSA it's illegal to do interstate transport without an MC number, etc. And waddya know, half an hour later I get a call back saying his insurance company will be contacting me shortly and sending out an adjuster. Oh, and he wants me to get some estimates for repair that are at least $1000 higher than what I want, so it will cover his deductible. Sorry, not gonna play that game. Anyway, I'm glad that he seems to take it seriously now and realize that I'm not going to just go away!

Also good news (relatively speaking) is that once we got the door off (no easy feat since it was wedged in there pretty good) the roof looks a bit better. I guess when the strap crushed the top of the door frame, the right (hinge) side of door frame was pushed out and away from the floor, taking most of the side of the corner panel with it, so the door was essentially just hanging in space and the weight of it caused some of the deformation in the roof panels. Once the door was off, some of that popped right out. There is still a big dent, but it is a lot shallower, and it is basically in one place, instead of multiple stresses and indentations. The door frame will still need professional attention to make it right, the top is bent both inwards and downwards, and of course there will still be corner panels to replace, and access covers and drip caps to fabricate, but it doesn't seem quite as catastrophic as it did yesterday:




Yesterday I was feeling pretty devastated, but today I'm just trying to look at it in the sense that it may take a bit more time and money than I'd originally planned, but in the end I will still have fulfilled my dream of owning a vintage Airstream -- and a really awesome '59 Pacer at that!

[wkerfoot]

Corraleno,

Looks like things are looking up for you and the Pacer.

Bill

[Corraleno]

BTW, thank you so much for the link to the FCU Restoration Rally, Bill -- I will definitely be taking the Pacer, and several members have already offered help. This forum is awesome!

[Jim Clark]

I guess the 32 is an original marking. I would have to think hard and long about making all the information you have on the guy available to the appropriate agency after your claim is settled. I am sure he dose business like they all do but it may get one more scum bag off the road.

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by Corraleno

Oh, and he wants me to get some estimates for repair that are at least $1000 higher than what I want, so it will cover his deductible.

That says a lot about the character of the person you are dealing with. Watch your back...

[flyfshr]

So you get an estimate $1000 higher than is needed for repair. Just don't let him have any of it. That $ will go a long ways toward finishing your restoration.

Brad
FF

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Corraleno

Andy, do you have a rough ballpark figure of what this would cost to fix? I'm trying to get an idea of how much to go after the shipper for.

Descriptive photos are a must even when ball parking.

So far, from the photos posted, the repair costs will be at least $5000.00 to $6000.00, or more.

Andy

[Aerowood]

Could you post a picture of the street side, and the rest of the door frame viewed from the inside.

[Corraleno]

Here are photos of the top of the frame from the outside; the whole door frame from the inside (I had to stand at an angle to get the whole frame in); a detail of the area where the hinge side of the door frame pulled away from the floor; a crack in the rib; and the streetside (nice strap marks, huh?)







So the list of repairs needed as a result of damage by the shipper is:
replace both front corner panels
repair door frame
weld or reinforce the cracked rib
fabricate new drip cap for door and 2 new access panels
replace or repair dented panel above the door
replace or repair awning rail (this one is pretty minor)

There was only a partial belly pan (reaches halfway under the trailer from the streetside), and it may not have been attached very well by the PO (he removed the shell, repaired the frame, new springs, new floor, etc) so I'm not claiming against the shipper for the fact that it fell down.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Corraleno

Here are photos of the top of the frame from the outside; the whole door frame from the inside (I had to stand at an angle to get the whole frame in); a detail of the area where the hinge side of the door frame pulled away from the floor; a crack in the rib; and the streetside (nice strap marks, huh?)







So the list of repairs needed as a result of damage by the shipper is:
replace both front corner panels
repair door frame
weld or reinforce the cracked rib
fabricate new drip cap for door and 2 new access panels
replace or repair dented panel above the door
replace or repair awning rail (this one is pretty minor)

There was only a partial belly pan (reaches halfway under the trailer from the streetside), and it may not have been attached very well by the PO (he removed the shell, repaired the frame, new springs, new floor, etc) so I'm not claiming against the shipper for the fact that it fell down.

Your still looking at $5-6000.00, if done by some one that knows how.

It also appeared that the entrance door needs to be rebuilt.

We have the original extrusions for the main bows.

Andy

[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.