[BlpltGTV]

Well, the GTV got mugged by a Nissan Frontier this morning on my way to work. I ended up in a ditch, he ended up with some red paint on the front fender and a small ripple in it. All 4 corners of the car are bent, the tow truck driver didn't help any by trying to pull it out of the ditch using the front sway bar as an anchor point and pulling sideways. The whole rear clip is a mangled mess. The fuel tank is buckled, trunk lid is smashed, drivers side tail light is destroyed. Inner drivers side rear fender is making enough contact with the tire that it won't spin.

The good news is that I'm ok. I have a feeling this is not going to be a cheap or easy fix.

Since my pics won't link over here for some reason, here is the link to the full album. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2120045007268.2131692.1430090650&l=652aeda11a

Will

 

[jcslocum]

Man, that is just fugly and sucks on so many levels.....

 

[esc2064]

That will cost you a pretty penny to fix. You might be better off parting her unless you're sentimentally attached. Good luck that sucks but gladly you're okay.

 

[BlpltGTV]

I'm sentimentally attached. Its a 3 owner car, the 2nd owner looks after it on a regular basis (he had it from '72-06) and according to Jon Norman its one of if not the first fuel injected Alfa's in the Bay Area. He worked on it when it was new. Its 95% original, 98% rust free. I'm going to fight with the insurance company for it. That said the guys insurance just called me and asked if my airbag deployed... When I said it was built in 1969 there was just silence at the other end. I have a feeling this is going to be messy.

Will

 

[gigem75]

you are not ok as a matter of fact you have a very bad pain in your neck and the only way it will go away is a fat settlement with the insurance company. That is the only way you will get enough out of them to get it fixed right. Unless of course they are ethical and do the right thing.

 

[bellagt]

Glad to hear you weren't seriously injured... Yes, dealing with the insurance claim will be messy and I wish you well with the claim... if you do decide to repair the car, it looks like you'll need to graft on a whole rear end from the rear C pillar/wheel wells on back... if you know Steve Barber in the ARA, ask him about what it takes to do such a repair... he has first hand experience with saving his GTV from a rear ender that could have been a total write off.

 

[JoeCab]

That is truly sad to see!

Fortunately you are OK and there are specialists who can put that right. I would call Daron @ Vintage Customs and get him on the case to truly educate the insurance company on what it will take to correctly fix the car.

 

[Tapebaker]

ugh...so sad. i feel for you.

since it was a rear ender, i assume it was the other driver's fault...his fault, your classic car...seems like you should be able to force his insurance company to pay to put things right. don't back down!

hope it works out.

 

[bshorey]

Ouch. This won't be cheap.

Glad you were able to walk away.

bs

 

[Davo1954]

Will.. I don't know you but seeing the car hurt like that kills me. No words help except time and hopefully a semi smooth solution is worked out with insurance stuff. Sister in law is in Sonoma, we've been thru there a lot and always see at least a few Alfa's on the roads around there. Nothing quite like seeing a red GTV coming around a two lane past vineyards and into those great little towns. I hope it all gets straightened out soon.
Dave R

 

[VeloceGT]

Oh no!!!

That is why the only bastardization that I will do to my GTV is a high mounted brake light I had a 74 BMW 2002 that I did that to since they were also infamous for being rear ended. In todays world of inatentive, cell phone weilding young (and old) drivers the 3rd brake light may not be enough but it doesn't hurt!
Any one done the 3rd brake light modification to a GTV?? pics and source may help the rest of us. This is so so so sad and a bit enfurating
Good to see you are physically OK

 

[Stopwatch]

South end of town on Old Sonoma Road? Just past the little bridge?

If you're willing to travel to Santa Rosa I can recommend a very good body shop that does customs/classics as well as insurance work. I'm not connected, just a very happy customer (they helped out with my Bronco resto-mod a few years ago).

 

[S.Lang]

Let me know if you need anything from those of us who have purchased cars like yours (as in nice ones) recently. I'll attest to value for you in writing if you need it to fight the insurance company. Not sure if it would help, but I'm there to assist.

I have a feeling the cost to repair is definitely going to exceed their perceived value, so get ready for a fight.

Sorry to see it happened, but nice to see that even at 42 years old the car was able to sacrifice itself to help avoid you getting injured.

 

[r-mm]

Do you have agreed value insurance? Always wondered how that works...

Also, I have heard of insurance companies doing internet research on claims so I wouldn't speak too candidly here. Not to imply you are lying, but you don't want to say "i'm fine" and find a doctor tells you otherwise only to have it disputed etc.

Good luck with it.

 

[bellagt]

If you're willing to travel to Santa Rosa I can recommend a very good body shop that does customs/classics as well as insurance work. .

I'm told Arnold Zucchi does great work... and he's in Napa...

 

[ad8n]

Will, what an awful way to start the day. I'm glad you're okay, but I can only imagine how you're feeling. I'm very sorry.
I second JoeCab's suggestion: call Daron (you might be surprised). I know I was, and it's certainly worth having an expert with plenty of experience do the job properly.
My only other comment is judging by what looks like filler above the rear wheel arches (below the C-pillar) it looks like the car has had a rear-end accident repaired before. The crumple zone design on these cars feed the loads into this area.
Do keep us posted. It's a beautiful car, and I'm sure she'll be back on the road soon.

 

[Bill]

Like some have said Will, you are not ok.
You are having suppressed mental and emotional stress and possible latent back/neck/arm/chest pain-problems that will surely manifest themselves when the insurance company balks and plays bad.
Hold your cards close, stick to your guns and keep 'em loaded...

 

[BlpltGTV]

I'd really like to send the car up to Daron, but getting the insurance company to go for that is highly unlikely. The car was involved in a previous rear end collision circa 1970 (first owner). I know there was bondo on the back end, but a magnet stuck everywhere I tried. I didn't expect it to be that thick. The repair was done well. I'll give the bodyshop Daron's # so they can talk to him for reference. I could also give them Conrad Stevenson's # since he is semi-local as well. I've been told that Arnold Zucchi is a paint only guy, his son does the body work but he is in Livermore. I've also heard that they won't deal with insurance work.

The guys I took the car to do work on older cars. They put my Datsun roadster back together and the work was done right. Mind you it was all bolt on stuff (fenders and suspension, not really that hard.) I was thinking of taking my Sprint to them to get the front end finished, if the GTV comes out well, I'll likely do it assuming I have the $ to do so.

Stopwatch, you got it. I was making a left turn off of Old Sonoma Highway onto Old Sonoma rd, 500 yards from work (The Carneros Inn). It was 7:18 in the morning.

I might need some written affidavits judging price. I know a friend of mine just sold his '69 a couple weeks ago (the green one on Bring a Trailer.) I'll have to send him an email. Its going to be semi-tough to get an accurate value on my car since '69s don't trade hands that often. I do have the info I got from Alfa Storico that states there were only 640 built for the US market in '69, as well as all the other info on the car. That might count for something.

I guess a good way to look at it is that if (I hope not) they total the car, my '59 Sprint will be back on the road a whole lot faster. This is not the way the car should go, it deserves another lease on life.

Will

 

[motoital]

Sorry to see that. Luckily everybody involved walked away. From reading your post it seems you are going to fix it. My GTV has had both the front and rear replaced so it can be done. The only advice I can give is if the you haven't had the adjuster look at it clean it as much as possible. They will most likely will take pictures and you want it to look as good as it can. You can have all the past pictures you want but it they will have theirs. Bring print outs of Alfaholics body panels. I brought Re-Originals catalogue and the adjustor was amazed at some of the prices for the little parts. Keep in mind that they probably haven't seen a GTV in awhile if at all. So having the most up to date and priciest catalogs and website print outs will only help. Also not to be greedy but have yourself checked out before you sign or say you are OK. Good Luck

 

[PSk]

That will cost you a pretty penny to fix. You might be better off parting her unless you're sentimentally attached. Good luck that sucks but gladly you're okay.

*** ... that's not the attitude mate.

Take her to a very good panel beater who is a whiz with a chassis straightener machine. Do not disassemble, take her just like she is and watch them work their magic. Might even be able to save the rear clip, but the boot lid is likely gone.

I crashed my Alfa Sud race car once, a big crash involving one of those tractor tyres they have protecting flag marshells, and it looked very sad with obviously alignment issues. They dragged it onto a chassis machine and hooked up the chains and 15 minutes later it was straighter than it ever had been before. Even the bonnet, which one of the lads jumped on to straighten it while it was off and on the floor, amazingly came out pretty straight.

Since that experience I'm a firm believer if you crash like you have you need to go straight to one of these machines and get them to play first before even thinking of any other option.

And yes please fix her up. Your car is a beauty and deserves the effort ... these cars are not throw away items "esc2064".
Pete
ps: And yes Will glad you are okay .