Well what has it been? Had her on the road a month or 2 with only a couple weekend cruises to work out some kinks/bugs and a guy in a Mercedes backs up without looking and hits my 1/4 panel. Have an appt to drop it off on the 18th and see what insurance is going to do. I think they sell an aftermarket lower quarter patch panel for it so that is promising.
From here it looks like the dent could be worked out pretty nicely. Take the insurance $$ and try to gently push out the caved in areas from the inside. Some kinks and high spot will need some hammer and dolly work, but I would not replace the quarter panel if it was my car... just my 2 cents...
Don’t take that to a regular collision shop. That will easily straighten. Find a shop that specializes in old cars.
Well that COMPLETELY SUCKS!!! Although, it's not as bad looks. A good bodyman could pound that back into shape with ease, atleast that's how it looks from the pic's. On a good note, it looks like the bumper and side trim were undamaged. It still doesn't change the fact that you're pissed off that your ride got smashed by a Dumb Ass!!!
Sad to see that. A good bodyman who knows his stuff can probably iron that out in half a day. Keep saying "classic" when you talk to the insurance though. I hate the term when applied to regular old cars not on the Classic car registry but it seems to mean "more valuable" to people like insurance adjusters.
Your car looks solid. That is a workable dent. I doubt you will need a panel. Trim looks repairable. The worst part is that your car is not shiny paint. Insurance companies seem to under value cars in primer. That may result in them refusing to pay fully for the repair. Think of it this way you have an 80% car so they will want to only pay 80% of the repair. I am only using those numbers as an example, not a statement about your cars value
At least it didn't Crush the trim strip and Bust the taillight. That's an easy enough fix for a real metal man. Replacement panel, I don't think so. Standard Collision Shop, no way. Find a restoration shop, your car your call. He still pays. The only reason to replace is if there's rust that broke out and nothing to work with.
I'd find a GOOD Mercedes quality body shop, and have them save the original quarter. You own a desirable Merc, more than I can say for the one that hit you. Bob
@56MercMan , in general I agree with all the posts above.....BUT.....I have to ask about that lower area of the quarter panel that appears to be an addition to the original quarter. It appears to be some sort of seam sealer around that section. What is the history of that quarter panel. If that is some sort of patch panel from a prior repair, the job just got much more complicated....in so far as ‘just straightening’ is concerned. I have been a very long time fan of ‘56 Merc’s and offer my empathy for your situation. edit: just took another, closer, look at the pics. There is a body line in that area and maybe that is ‘touch up paint’ for a deep scratch from the accident. If so, ignore my commentary. Ray
I'm sure his ins co will pay. What ins do you have (Hagerty, Taylor, etc). If you have that king of coverage, contact them and see if they will recommend a shop near you that they have used. I would think even a Mercedes shop sublets their repair work. JMO Paul in CT
People who can't afford to buy one lease them,can't always judge a book by its cover.May have cheap insurance also,ask me how I know
Thanks Everyone. Just really bummed me out and wanted to vent a little. Like most mentioned I am happy the bumper, trim and light survived. I am taking it to the body shop I used to work at. I was the parts guy there and learned a little body work on my free time while working my way through college. They are a modern car place but each and everyone of the men that work there have had multiple restoration projects, customs and trophy winning show quality cars. I believe in their skills. The one that will do the repair is currently building a 50 shoebox (Just got painted) and just sold a 60's ford Econoline he built. The owner wrapped up his 56 Chevy truck build recently also. Small independent shop. A few points. 1) There is a body line there which is my main concern/worry 2) On the panel currently there has been no repairs/patches done but there is rust at the very bottom which was actually on my "To do" list for repairs. @Hnstray, you may be seeing where the panel and rust have split/folded easily. I appreciate the reassurance that it is a pretty simple fix and I understand the point you were making with the no shiny paint @oldolds. I will keep you all informed.
As far as insurance, stick to your guns. You know what the car is worth. Nearly 30 years ago my brother got hit in the rear destroying his 70 Chevelle. (technically my mother’s) That car only had shiny paint when it rained. The insurance was ready to settle for 800 bucks. My mother was firm and told the insurance man if you can find one in the same shape as that car was for 800 we’ll take the car. The insurance man said that was fair and he’d try to find one. Two days later he mailed the check for what she wanted and we kept the car. My point is they may try to low ball you. Stick to your guns.
My biggest fear with driving older vintage stuff is actually taking them out on the road and going from point A to point B in them...so many stupid in a rush folks who could care less about these older vehicles...hope you can get your car back up and running in short order... MikeC
Yep, one Sturday afternoon I took my 63 Belair 2 door post car out for a short cruise. Somehow I knew it was the wrong thing to do. While stopped at a red light a women in Volvo tapped my rear bumper. Fortunately the front of the Volvo was almost flat plastic and didn't do any damage. I asked her what the Hell are you doing? She replied "my father had a car like yours". What a dumbass.
If you weren't sitting in the car when that happened, thank your lucky stars they didn't just drive off. We had that happen to an OT car of ours.
yeah, I have done the same twice. Adjuster tried to screw me on my ex's daily. Quoted me low on a car outta Georgia several thousand miles away. I said fine, I will take THAT ONE then. And being involved in shipping I knew it would cost him 1500 just to ship it here (Ben D had just hauled a car I sold). Its amazing how fast he cut a check for the amount I WANTED
If you take it to a collision shop you should check in when they are doing their thing. I backed out of my shop with my custom award winning Riviera, into my rear bumper on my 77 Silverado PU rear bumper putting a crease in the right lower rear quarter panel one time. I took it to the body shop who had painted the amazing custom paint job. He fixed it like it never happened. How ever even though it was accessible from inside the trunk and easy to iron out, I found out years later that instead of ironing it out they got an entire quarter panel out of a junk yard, welded it on, buttered the seams and painted it. Not at all what I expected.
If you worked at a body shop, then you know the game that all adjusters play. Since these guys at this shop know you, they’ll look out for you, that’s the best move. We drive these things on public roads. Shit happens to everyone. Inevitable. Keep a good attitude or you’ll get bitter. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I would also let them know you want the repair left in primer.as a finish coat even though it is in primer now will leave the adjuster scratching their heads.good luck
While I agree one has to be aware when dealing with insurance adjusters, and I have a few stories of my own I could relate, the fact is they have stories to tell too. It’s the old double standard, people often, if not always, want more than to be ‘made whole’. I am sure at the Annual Adjusters Seminar, the stories told around the bar later would curl your hair.....or provide some self recognition. Always at least two sides to every story. Ray
Ray, It comes down to honesty, honesty on both sides. In a perfect world both sides would be happy or more correctly, satisfied with making it whole or restoring it to what is was. A beater is dented or scraped, the owner should not expect a concourse paint job and all the door dings from 1951 fixed on the opposite side of the car. The owner is expecting something for nothing. On the other hand an insurance company should not consider unrealistic scrap value offers. Because of fundamental dishonesty, we have the “Game”. It seems it’s only the honest that suffer because they don’t like the game. They like straight up. Some things can never be fixed. There was a lady who was hit smashing the front of her 1972 F100. This is what she told the paramedic... “ Look at that truck, just look at it. It’s ruined. My husband and I bought that truck new. It has never been outside over night. I don’t care what they do. It will never be the same.” She’s right. That can’t be fixed. Alas, the insurance companies are not in that business. Their business is making damaged items whole again and making a profit to stay in business. The profit is a good thing. It has to be that way. It’s a shame though that honesty is not more of a virtue.
@F-ONE ......very well stated....and I wholly agree. 're the Lady and her 1972 F100....no, the sentiment can never be recaptured....and I understand and empathize with that. However, the truck's intended function can be restored and in an imperfect world, sometimes that's a good as it gets. Ray
Okay all. I need help. I am in the Temecula CA area and need a recomendation on a shop to do insurance work on the 56 mercury. The repair turned out great but there was an accident while in their shop and it now needs a higher level of repair. Their insurance is supposed to be covering it. Will post pics when I get them.
Your post is odd.."in the shop" "accident" "who can repair it" Two things come to mind, the shop you have it at should be able to fix it, 2. That shop should tell you where to go if they can not and they are responsible.
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