Major accident...is this even fixable?

[zerfetzen]

Hi all,
In the last 6 months I've spent probably about $20,000 fixing up my initially-rust-bucket 73 Cuda to a daily driver.  I was almost finished, when yesterday I got rear-ended on a highway at high speed. Here's what happened:

I was driving to work in the morning, and only get on the highway for a short trip each day, probably 1 mile or so.  I was in the right-hand slow lane, doing about 65.  I felt something in the right rear of the car, thinking it was a flat tire, took my foot off the gas, put on my 4-ways, looked in my rearview and there was no one for a mile or so, even the lane next to me was empty.

I paid attention to the car, and didn't have far to go until this lane leaves the highway, back on streets where I prefer.  I had probably slowed to 30 or 40, I'm not sure.  I looked in my rearview and saw a little white Geo metro barreling down on me, and didn't even have half a second to react.  All I could do was brace against the steering wheel.  Man what a horrible feeling.  The pics show what happened to my rear end, after in the last few weeks I put on a new Sherman's left quarter skin, new Espo leaf springs, etc., etc.

I couldn't open the door to get out, so I rolled down the window and Dukes of Hazzarded my way out of the car.  I felt totally fine, though today I'm going to the hospital for my neck and back.  The black guy in the Geo left on a stretcher, I think with a serious head injury and a broken leg.  His car was utterly demolished, while mine is destroyed from the rear seat back.  The cops said he was driving on a revoked license and he is uninsured.

I only had liability on it, thinking I would fix it up, give it a paint job, and then fully insure it for what it's worth.  I don't know what to do.  I'm not the sue-happy kind of guy, and usually hate that about our country, but I will try to talk to a lawyer about suing him for medical and most importantly, the money I put in it, if possible.  Maybe with a settlement it could be fixed by pros?

My wife took the pictures because I didn't have the heart.  Is this even fixable?

[zerfetzen]

Here's a pic when I bought the car 6 months ago for $4,500.

[zerfetzen]

Here's what the engine bay looked like a few months ago after a rebuild and detailing up front.

[4Cruizn]

I'm bracing myself for the horror I'm anticipating.            

[zerfetzen]

And here are a couple after-wreck photos from some joker hitting me at about 70-80mph!

[Oldschool]

WOW!   I certainly hope no one was injured badly in that one! As for being fixable, just about anything can be repaired.  Needs to go to a collision repair center and get everything straightened out, then rehang the panels.  I hope you can collect the funds needed for this repair.  Sorry about this misfortune, but the good thing is that you weren't injured.  Please keep us updated............    Oldschool

[AprilsPink72Cuda]

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!  I can't even find any words that may be of comfort to you.  I am so so so sorry this happened to you.  When you said Geo I never imagined there would be that much damage.  I feel sick to my stomach.  I wish you had some sort of classic insurance, especially because the driver that hit you is uninsured.  Chances are, in NY anyway, is that you might not get much of anything out of the driver that hit you if you sue him because he is uninsured.  He will probably go to jail for a little while, but that doesn't help you fix your car.  A friend of mine had his car totaled by an unlicensed, uninsured driver and didn't get a thing.  I sure hope thats not the case here.  I would contact a good attorney as soon as you can.  Please keep us posted, and once again, words cant describe how bad I feel for you.  Hang in there, it will all work out in the long run.

[EVIL72]

  OMG that's hard to even look at!!!  I feel sick to my stomach after seeing this. I freak out every time someone driving to close to my rear bumper in traffic.
 Anything is fixable, but at what cost?  
 Man this sucks!!! Sorry to hear this, glad your ok though.
 

[hemi71]

Sure am glad you are OK. Unfortunately, I think that hit is terminal to your car. Anything can be fixed, but with that amount of damage, the cost of fixing it is going to be way more than the car is worth. It would be cheaper to just get another cuda. Have a memorial service for the cuda, and part her out. 

 

This guy who hit you sounds like a real loser, you can sue him for your pain, and loss of your car. If you are lucky, he'll be able to pay, but more than likely he does not have a dime to his name, and you'll never get anything out of him.

Good luck, and again sorry for your troubles.

[Hemi Challenger]

Glad you are Ok, after you talk to a lawyer maybe you can garish his wages to fix it    Sorry about the Car

[4Cruizn]

Just glad you're safe!  Sad sight indeed.          

[AprilsPink72Cuda]

When I first saw the pictures of your Cuda I was very overwhelmed.  I forgot to say I am glad you are OK.  It could have been so much worse if you were injured badly.  Take it easy as I am sure you are going to be sore.  Best of luck to you.

[RusTy/SE]

     Hope your check up goes well zerf...

[TKat13]

If you are from Dallas, a couple years ago there was a rear section of a 'cuda at a salvage yard just off of highway 121 in Lewisville texas, it was to a  '73 red cuda. There are only 2 salvage yards in that location, it is between The Colony and Lewisville. Easiest way to fix that is either find a new shell or that back half that I know did exist.

Sorry for you loss, I just don't know how you can even look at the car, especially that rear quarter you just repaired, I can not even stand to look at it, it may as well have a pool of blood around it. Oh the horror!

[TKat13]

 lastly, make sure you salvage everything off that car if you decide to trash it. I have seen shells go for 2k or so.