Happy Birthday! NOT....

[Backdoc7]

man.. this *****.. ok.. went to dinner the other night (on my birthday). Came out after we were done and someone had backed into my car ( of course no infor mation was left). Damage.... front fascia hit pretty hard, small hood crack, headlight chips... The autobody guy says i need get the hood replaced because even a small crack in the hood will come back once repaired. That alone is 15k or so. total estimate is just over 20k.. the damage doesn't look that bad!! Questions...
1) Since it's a hit and run, my ins. is covering it.. they are going to fight not to replace the hood. What should i do to make them replace the hood.
2) What will this do to the value of my car. There is most likely NO structual damage to the vehicle.. but that small hood crack inflates the total bill
3) I remember reading a while back people were having trouble replacing the front fascia on the Gen 1's. Something about them sagging in the front. Any comments on this would be appreciated.
4) I also remember reading the hoods can be had for far less $$.. Please PM me if you have information on this.
5) Anything special i should do to document that the damage to the car wasn't that bad in the event i one day want to sell the car. I will take pictures before the work to it get's started.

Thanks for any information. It really ***** going through this.. Now i know what all the other before me feel like...
William :Flag:

 

[BADVENOM]

The thing you are going have to be careful about is if the estimate does require a new hood as you state and total repairs exceed 50% of the value of the car the ins. co could total..I know that sounds insane but stranger things have happened. Yes you can get used hood for less than half the cost of a new hood. Several guys in classified as well someone like partsrack of elite motorsports of tampa could help..

Good luck,
Adam

 

[joe117]

I think I saw a hood on ebay this week. I'm not sure that the cracks will always come back.
Make sure that they put the foam filler piece in the facia.

 

[Austin]

You could buy one of Elites new re-designed hoods for less the a new stocker. Plus, Scotts new hood looks better and offers a real solution to the heat issuse under the hood.




Austin

 

[Birvini]

Yeesh, happy birthday. I'm no expert, but I'd think that the crack would come back. Sorry to hear that!

 

[Vic]

Sorry to hear about that Bill.

Did you check hood prices on AutoForm?

 

[Mopar Steve]

If fixed correctly, The crack will not come back. I just finished the resto on a 62 corvette, this vette like many others are made up of many panels and use a bonding strip. these parts never separated over 40 years we ground and re-filled the seams before re-paint to get a smother finish after stripping. I know that people will say the hood is subject to unusual stresses with lifting and flexing but, properly done this should make no difference.

Fill it with "Bondo" and you better believe it's coming back. grind the crack and re glass the right way and the repair can be stronger than if it never happened. good luck, and sorry it had to happen on your B-day.

 

[ViperJohn]

Your story really *****. I am sorry to hear about that happening to you. Maybe its time for one of those custom hoods I have seen on this site?

Good Luck!

 

[Newport Viper]

Dude, sorry to hear that! That *****. I think you need to come to Hawaii to chill out, drink some tall drinks. Renee says Hi.
www.koolina.com
Let the intro play it will calm you down............

 

[Russ M]

man.. this *****.. ok.. went to dinner the other night (on my birthday). Came out after we were done and someone had backed into my car ( of course no infor mation was left). Damage.... front fascia hit pretty hard, small hood crack, headlight chips... The autobody guy says i need get the hood replaced because even a small crack in the hood will come back once repaired. That alone is 15k or so. total estimate is just over 20k.. the damage doesn't look that bad!! Questions...
1) Since it's a hit and run, my ins. is covering it.. they are going to fight not to replace the hood. What should i do to make them replace the hood.
2) What will this do to the value of my car. There is most likely NO structual damage to the vehicle.. but that small hood crack inflates the total bill
3) I remember reading a while back people were having trouble replacing the front fascia on the Gen 1's. Something about them sagging in the front. Any comments on this would be appreciated.
4) I also remember reading the hoods can be had for far less $$.. Please PM me if you have information on this.
5) Anything special i should do to document that the damage to the car wasn't that bad in the event i one day want to sell the car. I will take pictures before the work to it get's started.

Thanks for any information. It really ***** going through this.. Now i know what all the other before me feel like...
William :Flag:

You have mail.

 

[Backdoc7]

Thanks for the reply's.. Man. the more i think about it.. the more i can't believe it.. The crack in the hood is just a under an inch.. just at the tip of the hood by where it sits over the headlight. The body guy says it's not repairable because the hood is "double sided" right there and there is not way to get to the back of the problem area. If a new hood would total the car, i could not see going that route.. but.. i will wait to see what the adjuster has to say about that. I didn't even see the crack in the hood when i first evaluated the damage. it's that small.. there is also a small crack on the opposite side of the hood that wasnt there before.. looks like the hood "flexed" a bit.. It basically looks like the paint is cracked.. but.. the bodyshop guy says it's the fiberglass and it will just crack the paint over time. Seems to me an aftermarket hood would decrease the value of the car.. evein if they look really cool.. a used stock hood seems like it would too.. Any thoughts on this??? thanks again guys. Bill

Maui Dave.. tell Renee i said hello..

 

[dansauto]

Body shop is wrong. trust me on this..The crack can be repaired. Your hood is not fiberglass but SMC. Simular but uses differant stuff to repair. It sounds like they don't have the knowledge to fix the hood. Try another shop that has done newer corvettes or boats. I have pieced togather Jet skis and if the cracks came back they would have sank!

 

[Backdoc7]

Thanks for the advice Dan..

 

[MannyC]

I agree with Dan. My RT/10 was rear ended and they are patching up one of the quarter panels. The other one is busted up enough that they had to replace it.

 

[ACELLR8]

Dan you are the MANNN!! But the question is can the Jet Ski's keep from sinking with the woman you date?

Sorry for the Hijack. Dan really does know his stuff when it comes to body work though.

 

[snowmann]

I would just replace the hood, I believe the cracks will come back to haunt you and it would be nice not to have that worry in the back of your mind.

 

[RockStar]

My 94 was hit hard and Chris's Collision repaired the hood. Drove the car for 4 years and could never tell it was repaired. Get a proper body man to do the work, and it'll be fine. BTW, a friend of mine backed into the ACR the other night. Not as bad as yours, but I feel your pain! Good luck with whatever route you take.

 

[Backdoc7]

thanks for the reply's.. Just got back from a body shop on the west side (L.A.). The guy has "Extensive" experience with vipers. He has been and is used by several people/mechanics on this board. I feel comfortable with what he is telling me which is the hood can and should be fixed.. not replaced. I'm worried if they replace the hood. it will be a total loss just because the hood is 15k alone. It's pretty funny.. i mean.. if a kid on a scooter hit's your parked Gen 1 viper and damages your hood and front bumper.. you could be looking at a total lose on that alone. Weird! The damages don't even look all that bad.. Thanks for your reply's. Bill

 

[150shot]

Good Luck in fixing this Backdoc, I hope the car isn't totaled at all, you have my favorite RT! let me know if you need any help, and when youre back on the road.

 

[Backdoc7]

thanks 150shot. i appreciate it. she'll be as good as new.. in a few weeks. Bill

 

[REMIX]

Man that sounds like something one of those soccer moms would do with her SUV - back up into a Viper and then leave the scene. I hate soccer moms and their annoying broods. Betcha that's who did it, though.

REMIX

 

[BeaumontSD]

The body shop is wrong about the hood.Who gets the old hood if it's replaced? hmmm... If you get it I'll fix it, then we'll sell it on ebay and split the loot.Or is that what the body shop guy is thinking and leaving you out of the deal.

 

[Backdoc7]

I'm going to have the hood fixed.. if you saw the "crack" you would think the same thing. i was thinking the same thing you were.. but.. getting a new hood puts the damage into the low-mid twenty thousands.. for a gen 1 that's pretty close to 50 percent (if not more) of its value. i don't want to have the car considered a "total loss". like i said, there really isn't much damage noticable.

 

[dansauto]

heck, if you can get a new hood out of it and not total the car, go for it! Some gen 1 hoods would get stress cracks, if yours never did, I would say pay to get it fixed and sell the new one you get!