This thread about getting the car perfect and losing it hits very close
to home. The same happened to my TR6. It was totalled. It really
doesn't sink in until you see them haul it away on a tow truck. I
made the same choice you did: I decided to start over on it. At this
point, I can see that it was a mistake. The estimate from the body shop
was about $3K to fix it. They had it for 6 months and ended up charging
me $4500. They knew my breaking point-- anything over $3K and I would
have hauled the engine and transmission out of it and started over with
another body. (I had *just* finished rebuilding the engine and tranny
myself a few months before.)
My lessons learned:
1. *DO NOT* carry comprehensive insurance on an old Triumph (probably applies
to other British cars as well.) I fought and screamed and only got
$2000 for my pride and joy. I was at the time an unmarried mail under
25 and paying $1000 a year to insure the beast. I paid in over $3000
but only receive $2000 in return. (I estimate the car was worth about
$5000 before the accident.) You would do better to put the money
you are paying for collision into a coffee can and let it sit until
you need it.
2. A roll bar may not be as necessary as you think. I slid sideways
down the interstate at about 65mph (my left rear half-shaft broke
and the wheel came off). There surely was enough friction to flip
me if I was going to flip.
3. Those TR6's are tough little buggers. I hit a guardrail at 60-65 on
the driver's side and I walked away without a scratch. There was
major damage, but it was reparable. I hate to see what most of
today's cars would do in the same situation.
-mark
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