[Spridgets] midget accident update

[Robert Duquette]

Wind in your sails perhaps, but you may have been financially ahead if you 
had let them total it ( What were they offering to pay out initially? ); 
bought back the car; ( I think it's 10% of settlement ) and fixed it 
yourself and gotten it re-appraised and safetied.

I would guess that they were going to give you $6000, and you would be able 
to keep the car for $600, leaving you $5400 ( less deductible ).  I would 
guess that you could get the car back in order and on the road for $3000?  
You might have been $2400 ahead ... this way, I'm guessing that you're out 
the deductable??

Anyway that's the way I think ... I'm sure that you have your reasons for 
not wanting it 'totalled'.

Robert D.


-----Original Message-----
From: David Riker

Almost from the start, State Farm wanted to total my Midget for two
crunched
front fenders, a bashed grill, poked front valence panel, and the small
bits
associated with what to me seems a very minor fender bender.  Talk about
a
racket.  Anyway, I've been insisting over the course of three weeks that
I
would not accept any settlement that meant that my car was totalled.
Finally,
they decided to hire an independent firm to appraise my car.  The first
appraiser didn't seem to have a clue, he was more of a muscle car guy,
but
after about 15 minutes it dawned on me that I had pre-accident pictures
posted
on the web, so I emailed him the link.  Once he saw the pictures, he
started
to get it. The next day, his boss called me who was very well qualified
on
british cars, and asked me very specific questions about my car that
only
someone who had owned an MG would know.  Well, today I got a call from
State
Farm, and the car will NOT be totalled, and on top of that, the
appraisal
came
in at $14,500!
So here is my plan as of now.
1.  remove dented parts and assess if they can be repaired.
2.  get the car to the body shop to have the frame rails straightend and
the
front end aligned.
 >From there,  I am fairly sure I am going to need a driver's side fender
for
a
70-74.  I noticed that Victoria British Fenders do not have the holes
drilled
for the side marker lights.  That would save me the labor for welding
and
filling those holes back up.  The fenders from Moss seem to have the
holes
drilled.  I could go with a good used fender too, if I can find one in
good
shape.  I would consider replacing the fenders with fiberglass ones, but
all
the ones I've found are flared.
The front valence I will have to assess.  If I can get by with just
replacing
the front panel, I'd like to use one from a 1500 midget that has the
extra
cutouts.  If I have to replace the whole assembly, I can't go that way
because
the heater air duct is on the wrong side.

Anyway, there is some wind back in my sails, so to speak.
David Riker