Viper got smoked (literally) Need help!

[YLW DRM2]

Last Friday I had a furnace accident in my house and 50% of my house is gone while other 50% is unlivable due to the smoke and water damage. My Viper was in the garage with its top down when this fire happened and I of course was not home, so while car didn't burn it too however got a lot of smoke. Smoke settled in all porous materials including rag top. Adjuster from the auto insurance came in today and he was absolutely clueless what to do with the car. The whole car smells like BBQ and this is after having it outside for last 4 days with its windows totally down.
Anybody knows what to do or what not to do in this kind of situation?
Thanks.

 

[BlknBlu]

The top and carpet can be shampoo'd and the seats can be cleaned. It will still take time for the smoke smell to leave the car. You could try a detailer or ask them for advice.

Good Luck

Bruce

 

[aries]

Throw a match to it and finish the job? lol

 

[RTTTTed]

I Would ask fabric experts and any GOOD upholstery shops. An upholstery shop is usually considered an expert on upholstery issues and whatever they tell the Ins adjust is probably what will be done.

Ted

 

[ledfoot]

My House just burned down !!...I'm worried about the carpet in my Viper !!....Dude I love you

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

Sell it to the insurance company for a big number.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Very sorry to hear about your house...very happy that no one was injured(or worse).

Agree with Bruce and Ted...try a high end shop. However, I would suggest that you "help" your insurance adjustor understand that this action may not work to your satisfaction...at which time Sellshomesdrivesviper's advice may come into play.

Remember that JonB at PartsRack is a great resource for more than just parts...consider giving him a call for advice.

Good luck, Man !!

 

[mbccenter]

I would think you will have to take the car down to the frame and clean every part. Or you could just sell it to me

 

[SFViper]

Damn! sorry to hear about the fire. What a coincidence, since you live just blocks from the San Bruno fire. Glad to hear your family wasn't hurt.

To remove the smell of smoke, try saturating the interior with Febreeze, let dry and apply again. It worked for me.

 

[Phun70]

My House just burned down !!...I'm worried about the carpet in my Viper !!....Dude I love you

ROFLMFAO I think it's time for a custom interior and a new top!!

 

[Bird325]

Get it professionally cleaned (insurance pays the bill). Since you have been airing it out, some of the smell is coming from paticulate matter that has settled into the car and fabrics. We deal with a lot of skunks down here and taking one out or being directly behind the person that does has taught me a little about getting rid of the smells.

Get some Ozium (pick a flavor you like as you'll be living with it for a while). Every time you park the car, give it a two or three second shot into the interior air space. Don't spray it directly on anything! Close doors and windows and let it sit. Works best on really hot, sunny days. This has solved every stinky situation I've come across as long as you clean first and remove the paticulates that are causing it.

I actually use this method to get rid of the shampoo smell after having my truck deep cleaned. Works great for me.

 

[JonB]

Professional Smoke and Fire damage folks can park it in an OZONE COCOON to eliminate the smoke smell.......

"""""My House just burned down !!...I'm worried about the carpet in my Viper !!....Dude I love you """"

Dittos Led

 

[slysnake]

Yeah, proz use the ozone machines to remove the smell. Ozone will melt all rubber too though, so they have to know what their doing. Also, needs to be completely cleaned to remove the soot. It's impossible to completely remove the soot without a total tear down and rebuild of the car. It gets everywhere! I'll bet the insurance company would total it.

Sorry to hear about your house

 

[wikkid]

Really sorry to hear about your house, glad everyone's ok. And your priorities on the Viper make me smile. Guess all us car nuts would be asking the same. Hope you get it straightened out quickly

 

[YLW DRM2]

I talked to those professional cleaner guys, and some of them saying that yes car need to be stripped down and washed to the bones to eliminate all the smell to make sure that it does not come back in three or 6 or 12 months. However, if that is the case I need to prove it to the adjuster by some professional estimate. What kind of professional shop can do that?

Also, I was told that ozone is not so good on a large leather surface and really hardens leather which will lead to cracking leather seats in the future. I really don't know what to do now, however, I told by those cleaning companies that regular wash and clean will not completely eliminate smoke smell by simply detailing car and washing it with Fabreese.
I love my car, but don't want to end up with piece of charcoal. So bummed...

 

[plumcrazy]

find a way to get it totaled, you will never get the smell out completely and if yu do, the rubber and leather will show signs...

 

[paul fettig]

Several years ago I had a fire inside my car. No serious damage from the fire as the fire department put out the fire right quickly but their was heavy smoke damage.At the time, I lived in Milwaukee. I took the window frames to the basement and hung them on the wall next to a coal bin. The basement soon smelled of smoke. The next morning, there was no hint of smoke at all. I figured the coal absorbed the odor so I took a basket, filled it with coal and placed it in the car and closed the windows. Next morning, no odor in the car at all.

Something to think about.

 

[SkyBob]

Several years ago I had a fire inside my car. No serious damage from the fire as the fire department put out the fire right quickly but their was heavy smoke damage.At the time, I lived in Milwaukee. I took the window frames to the basement and hung them on the wall next to a coal bin. The basement soon smelled of smoke. The next morning, there was no hint of smoke at all. I figured the coal absorbed the odor so I took a basket, filled it with coal and placed it in the car and closed the windows. Next morning, no odor in the car at all.

Something to think about.

Where do you go to buy coal?

 

[rudedawg]

Ask your insurance company if they would go for replacing the Rugs and Seats. That should take care of most of the interior smell.

 

[v10enomous]

My House just burned down !!...I'm worried about the carpet in my Viper !!....Dude I love you

It's all about priorities...

 

[Flexx91]

find a way to get it totaled, you will never get the smell out completely and if yu do, the rubber and leather will show signs...

Yeah right... If you know of an insurance company that will total a Viper with no actual physical damage, let me know because I want to sign up!

 

[YLW DRM2]

Yeah right... If you know of an insurance company that will total a Viper with no actual physical damage, let me know because I want to sign up!

Yep, don't think insurance will go for a total unless I back it up with some hard proof from the specialists that the cost of removing smoke will be substantial.

What do you guys think, what kind of specialists do I need to look for to get real independent appraisal on this thing ? I don't think body shop is the correct way to go if not them than who?

 

[plumcrazy]

i bet you might be able to prove its worth less with the smell still left over if they cant rid the car of it

 

[Ricketts]

Man I'm so sorry to hear about your house and Viper. Best of luck.

 

[dipapa]

Oh man. Sorry to hear about the house burn. Hope everythings works out & soon.

I would really pitch this to insurance.

Smoke smell is tough... It really saturated beyond the outside or cover layer of any fabric. from something this serious It's embedded deep in the bottom layers of fabrics and in the seat foam and padding.

Tell insurance you tried to get smoke smell out nothing works.

be real firm. Get a write up from cleaner company or shop saying interior seat skins and padding need replacement. Have insurance pay you for those new items.

 

[gb66gth]

My House just burned down !!...I'm worried about the carpet in my Viper !!....Dude I love you

Yeah, I've got to give you props. You definitley have your priorities straight.
Besides, a house is just a place to sleep when your not out driving your cool cars!

 

[dipapa]

I don't think any thorough multiple cleaning gonna work and it can get costly or time consuming.

Your probably gonna have to pull the seats

Not to mention you got several fabric areas

interior floor carpet
behind the seat carpet
trunk carpet
inside conertible top
seat covers
under seat covers padding
if any more padding under the carpets as well

 

[Phun70]

Where do you go to buy coal?

You might try charcoal, or activated charcoal from a fish store.

 

[YLW DRM2]

Yeah, I've got to give you props. You definitley have your priorities straight.
Besides, a house is just a place to sleep when your not out driving your cool cars!

Yeah, I realize that it sounds funny now but, when my neighbor called me screaming that my house is on fire the first question I asked if garage is intact or not. I must be crazy but I love this car and I think it looks and performs like nothing else on earth.

 

[YLW DRM2]

I don't think any thorough multiple cleaning gonna work and it can get costly or time consuming.

Your probably gonna have to pull the seats

Not to mention you got several fabric areas

interior floor carpet
behind the seat carpet
trunk carpet
inside conertible top
seat covers
under seat covers padding
if any more padding under the carpets as well

Yes, and on top of the fabric I started thinking about all the gaps in the dashboard, vents, etc?
Dam, I really need to find a really good specialist here in the SF Bay Area to guide me through this process.