Got some heartbreaking news today...

[Roger Stephenson]

Just my 2 cents worth but if totaled I'd try to buy it back and look for a donor truck. If you can find one that needs an engine or transmission you may be able to come out ahead on the deal. We lost a Range Rover many years ago that I had rebuilt due to a rear side collision. I don't know to this day why I didn't pick up another one or a Land Rover and swap my motor and other bits over. We were living in England at that time. I did end up later with an old Series IIa Land Rover but man that 3.5 liter aluminum V8 would have been so happy in that.

 

[justme1121]

That my brother is a total sorry, but you will be given an option to buy it back from the Ins. Company and that is what I would do.


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[deadbeat]

Yea, I hate to say it too, but a cab swap is the only way its going to be 100% again. Even if your body shop guy TRIES to make everything right again it wont be as good as a factory cab swapped onto your frame. And yea, might aswell upgrade to a 3rd door while your at it.

Hopefully your mechanic friend sticks to his word and isn't just saying things to make you feel better and backs out later when he sees how much time and money its going to take. Not to be a downer but I would get something in writing with that cop as a witness, that your mechanic will see the project through to the end. If he is against that idea, then he wasn't planning on ever fixing it in the first place.

I gotta disagree here, I have seen my dad fix thousands, yes thousands, of totaled vehicles and a lot had a lot more damage than this and I don't understand why you don't think you can't replace metal and make it "right again"? Could you elaborate on what would not be right? If everything is pulled out before you go cutting on that cab I see no reason why it couldn't be repaired to as good as new, the bed I would change simply because it is an easy, but I would just put a cab side/corner on this cab and a door and be back on the road. Not trying to start a fight, just curious on your thoughts.

 

[Biggershaft96]

Hate to say it but i dont think your dad could pull enough strings to not total it. Although its definatly fixable

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My truck is a 96, it didnt have a speck of rust and this totalled it. I got 3700 out of insurance, but i bought it back for 500.

 

[Supercharged111]

Right, so you settle for less than the total out value and the mechanic eats the rest. Fix the truck and be good to go.

 

[RichLo]

I gotta disagree here, I have seen my dad fix thousands, yes thousands, of totaled vehicles and a lot had a lot more damage than this and I don't understand why you don't think you can't replace metal and make it "right again"? Could you elaborate on what would not be right? If everything is pulled out before you go cutting on that cab I see no reason why it couldn't be repaired to as good as new, the bed I would change simply because it is an easy, but I would just put a cab side/corner on this cab and a door and be back on the road. Not trying to start a fight, just curious on your thoughts.

From my experience, even just cutting out and replacing rusty cab corners is generally considered a 'temporary' fix that looks good for a few years then starts rusting at the welds. For the work that truck would need you would have to buy a donor cab anyway by the time you cut out enough material to get to straight metal. It would probably be easier and cheaper to just replace the cab and then you dont have a quarter of the cab with hidden welds under body filler that might start rusting a few years down the road like the cab corners generally do.

 

[deadbeat]

What you said is true of most body shops, but if you drill out the spot welds and put it back like the factory it will last about as long as the factory, factory cab corners go about ~10 years. I have a flexible hose on a paint gun that fits in little cracks and holes and I try to seal everything up good on the inside and have had really good luck with it. Those questions at a shop might tell you their quality of work.

 

[CoolDude1975]

I'll be short and frank. My '93 has been at our mechanic's shop getting a new torque converter, and was going to be done this week. I get home from work and my dad sets me down in the den and says "Son, ____ had a wreck in your truck today." You can imagine the preverbal glass shattering sound run through my head. He was taking it on a test drive and got distracted and ran a red light and was T-boned by a police Tahoe. No one was hurt, but the truck took it on the chin. The Tahoe is totaled. By the grace of God Almighty though, its all cosmetic. The bed, panel, and door are shot, but the frame and mounts aren't even phased. Insurance and our mechanic are going to take care of it, new parts and new paint. Seeing as there's no structural or motor damaged, I think the chances of it being total are slim to none, I hope. I'm still absolutely sick to death, but bad things will happen, and its all about how you face the adversary. Could've been 1000x times worse. It hit so perfect. An inch to the left and it would've popped my axle out from under me.

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Well if it has to be junked then give me a good deal on those wheels

 

[1500z71]

Hate to say it but i dont think your dad could pull enough strings to not total it. Although its definatly fixable

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My truck is a 96, it didnt have a speck of rust and this totalled it. I got 3700 out of insurance, but i bought it back for 500.

Sorry to hear that man and yeah as the days go buy reality starts to hit, it'll be totaled I'm almost sure now. Be this week or next when I know. Dad and co. drove it to the agreed upon body shop guy today and he's sure it will be. I think this guy will do good work, I've seen some of his stuff and he does work on antique cars, all hands on. If Dad and our mechanic friend believe it will be in as good if not better condition that's good enough for me.

 

[honkon]

Does it still drive straight? I'd reckon that axle took a hell of a hit.