Projects Power pole + falcon = BAD day

When I saw the thread title I thought it might be one of those telephone poles that jump out in front of people as they are driving.

 

Finally met with the appraiser. Sounds like they're probably going to total it. Have to decide now if i'll buy it back and fix it oe cut bait and go shopping.



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sad to hear about a hard to find classic being totaled out -

 

Buy it back, fix it and drive like you were planning on. I mean in the grand scheme of things, the damage really isnt that bad. Besides it sounds like you have a line on most of the parts. I get the whole bought it to drive, not to work on thing. I'm in the middle of that with an OT POS. But I say fix it and drive it.
It could've been worse, the pole could've laid down on the center of the car. Then you'd get to buy a new utility pole too!

 

Richmond VA.

https://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/d/1963-ford-falcon/6692402859.html

 

I've driven quite a few automatic transmission Fords in my lifetime and one thing they all had in common was a shaky 'Park'. I don't know why but Ford-o-matic, C4, C6, they all slipped out of Park at least once so I learned not to trust and always have a good working e-brake and always use it.
I'm glad no one was hurt. That's a nice little car, definitely worth saving.

 

I'm on the fence right now. They haven't officially said it's totaled, but the appraiser said he thought they probably would given the agreed value. You're right it isn't THAT bad and it's totally fixable it just a matter of will, time and money. It's probably cheaper to buy a donor car than individual parts. I'm weighing the options combine with the decreased value of the salvage title post repairs. If it gets fixed I'm not doing it. I'll pay a shop to do it, I've just got too many irons in the fire right now.

I have also located a really nice 63 convertible I'm eyeing as a replacement and a 35 5 window.

If anyone's in the Wilmington, NC area and willing to go look over the convertible for me I'd be most appreciative of a set of eyes on the car for an assessment before I drive 5 hours.

 

Try to make a deal with the insurance company and them not total it out on the title. Even if it costs you a few hundred it will be better in the long run to have a clear title.

 

The buy back will usally be less than it’s worth, I would buy it back and if you decide you don’t want it you can sell it for a little more than the buy, unless they want stupid money,

I’m not really sure a salvage title would bother a classic car buyer much , especially with photos of before and during fix to show the damage wasn’t bad and you fixed it correctly

 

When my '51 Ford was totalled by a tree (Mother Nature can be a bitch sometimes) Hagerty let me buy it back. IIRC I paid like $400 for it. They paid me the remainder of the agreed value. I bought my '50, swapped frames, running gear, etc and have a nice car!

 

I'd look at it for you, but I'm probably 3 1/2 - 4 hours away myself. If you look at it, make sure it wasn't under water last month. Florence slammed parts of Wilmington. Good luck!

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I lost a Ford wagon on the alignment rack years back, this was a well-documented problem with late '60s and early '70s cars. I had it in park, running, got out to lift the levers to raise the ramps... CLUNK... it popped into reverse and I hit the dirt as the driver's door was open. The garage door jamb stopped it. Nobody wanted to believe me until it happened to another guy and shortly after the service bulletins came out about it.

 

I think you really want the 1963 Falcon convertible. My advice:
1) Buy it back.
2) Fix it. Be sure to photo-document the damage + repair.
3) Sell it.
4) Buy a 1963 Falcon convertible.

 

@BigDogSS I do like the vert, but I'm on the fence. also looking at a 35 ford coupe and weighing the fixing this one. it's really probably going to come down to what hagarty wants to sell it back to me for. No guarantees the vert will still be available post repairs and I don't have the cash to buy it and make the repairs. It's an either or.

 

Thought I'd update everyone. I ended up selling the falcon. The new owner shared this and a video of it driving out of the garage.

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So, did you buy something else? 35 coupe or the Falcon rag top?