Sad Ending to My Dart Build

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Brian,
I've been where you're at on a busted Neon, never on anything so nice as your car. The cops (Independence, MO) caught the prick IN MY CAR (I have the dash camera footage) and I just want to warn you...as soon as the thief says "Some Mexican gave it to me", they can't charge him with theft.

That said, between Leroy's Frame Works in Independence and a good body shop, I'm betting you can get the body of the car back in line for less than you think. Hopefully your insurance will treat you right, and if you do a buyback under the newer Missouri laws, you won't even have a prior-salvage title. I have a couple mid-70's four door parts cars. If there's anything I can help with let me know. I'm just down the road from you near Harrisonville.
 
BrianT said:
As some of you know, I've had my Dart for almost 17 years now. I have been working on it slowly but surely and finally had it to a point where I was happy with it's looks and appearance. Here is a pic from a show last summer.

View attachment 1716061110

Well, shortly after midnight Tuesday morning, someone broke into my buddy's garage and stole my pride and joy and decided to take it for a joy ride. Of course it was during a torrential downpour and the drag radials wouldn't cooperate. This is the result.

View attachment 1716061114

I'm still in shock and can't believe that this happened. The thief bailed at the scene but prints were lifted and police found a cell phone inside. The car is fully insured with State Farm as an antique/classic and a claim has been filed. Now, I have to deal with the adjuster for an agreeable value. I have had the car appraised so hopefully that process won't be too bad.

I would like to buy it back and find a nice roller to put my drive train into. If anyone has a lead on one, send me a message.

Thanks for letting me vent. This hunk of chrome and paint has become a part of our family and my adult children actually cried when they saw the pictures. I guess it's time to start the next phase of my Mopar life.
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WoW So Sorry
 
My 1969 Dart was stolen from in front of my house in Atlanta in 1994. I had just installed a rebuilt slant-six and transmission so it had never run better. Only had a 1-car garage, and most houses in the neighborhood had no off-street parking (1930's homes). I vaguely recall seeing yellow lights flashing on the street around 2 am, but didn't get up since normal in-town stuff. I'm guessing a tow truck stole it since cops never question them, and tow companies are barely a step above mafia there. Police were worthless, I indeed I received a postcard from the City 7 years later stating that if I didn't respond in 30 days, they would "unfound" the crime and ASSume insurance fraud. I called asking "WTF" and the Police said an initiative by the Mayor's Office to improve crime statistics. How many owners would still even live at the same address? 8 years later, Marietta Police asked if I wanted my property back, which turned out to be just the license tags on a stolen Jetta. I read that about 1% of vehicles are stolen each year in the U.S., so if you own two vehicles for 20 years, almost a 50% chance that one will be stolen over that time.

They used to hang horse thieves, but owning a horse then was like a Corvette today. Most people walked. If your horse was stolen in the remote West, that could be almost a death sentence, so severe retribution made sense. Still, I have dreams seeing car-thieves hanging from street poles with warning banners stapled to them.
 
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BrianT said:
As some of you know, I've had my Dart for almost 17 years now. I have been working on it slowly but surely and finally had it to a point where I was happy with it's looks and appearance. Here is a pic from a show last summer.

View attachment 1716061110

Well, shortly after midnight Tuesday morning, someone broke into my buddy's garage and stole my pride and joy and decided to take it for a joy ride. Of course it was during a torrential downpour and the drag radials wouldn't cooperate. This is the result.

View attachment 1716061114

I'm still in shock and can't believe that this happened. The thief bailed at the scene but prints were lifted and police found a cell phone inside. The car is fully insured with State Farm as an antique/classic and a claim has been filed. Now, I have to deal with the adjuster for an agreeable value. I have had the car appraised so hopefully that process won't be too bad.

I would like to buy it back and find a nice roller to put my drive train into. If anyone has a lead on one, send me a message.

Thanks for letting me vent. This hunk of chrome and paint has become a part of our family and my adult children actually cried when they saw the pictures. I guess it's time to start the next phase of my Mopar life.
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You should have had a set value when you got insurance. Hagarty has a set value, there is no negotiating.
 
70duste said:
so sorry to hear this.
i had state farm for my ins, on my 68 gts,70 duster and went to put my kids warlock on and the agent came over took a few pics of truck and asked for my appraisal ,i gave it to him and he said the appraisal is only needed to set price for bill, they go off of market value to insure the car for loss
so if appraisal is 25000. and car was totaled and the market value is 18000, thats what state farm would pay. they would not give me the appraisal price of car.
so i told them i didnt need their insurance and went with hagerty
better check and see if your state farm agent is gonna screw you over on your car, i hope not
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Hagarty gives you the set agreed price. If you insure it for set agreed price $20,000, you get $20,000. Hagarty also has a hard to find part searcher included in price.
 
Sorry for your loss! Insurance may cover the monetary aspect, but what about the blood, sweat and tears you put into it. Your pride and joy were also demolished in that accident. I hope all things work out in your favor!
 
Man, that hurts me just to hear your story and then see the car. Dealing with insurance companies rarely goes great, but I am pulling for you. I am hoping your car can be repaired. Best of luck, my friend.
 
Brian, As pretty much everyone has said before I’m saddened to see and hear this happened to you. I followed your build and was impressed with your work. I hope you find another to build your way again and that you can enjoy as much or more as this one. Having something stolen is a sickening feeling. I hope they catch who did it and justice is served. I hope you can find peace in that. -LW
 
Man, this makes you want to hurt someone! All the blood, sweat, tears, money and time we put into our cars & some scumbag decides to take it. He should be made to pay you for "some" of what you lost. Tough to be made whole again after something like that. Dude I feel for you.
 
So sorry to see & hear Brian. I hope it all works out. I hope you are able to get it put back on the road.
 
Got to say that this sucks to read. Hope you get appropriate resolution.
 
jos51700 said:
Brian,
I've been where you're at on a busted Neon, never on anything so nice as your car. The cops (Independence, MO) caught the prick IN MY CAR (I have the dash camera footage) and I just want to warn you...as soon as the thief says "Some Mexican gave it to me", they can't charge him with theft.

That said, between Leroy's Frame Works in Independence and a good body shop, I'm betting you can get the body of the car back in line for less than you think. Hopefully your insurance will treat you right, and if you do a buyback under the newer Missouri laws, you won't even have a prior-salvage title. I have a couple mid-70's four door parts cars. If there's anything I can help with let me know. I'm just down the road from you near Harrisonville.
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The car can be fixed!! With today's technology and a mix of old school mechanics almost anything can be brought back to life.... But the flip side is maybe the OP is ready for a new chapter. Nice car and it sux to see it end up in the current state....

JW
 
A reminder I should up my Haggerty estimate. It's 4 years old. And we all have seen what prices have done.

I hope justice, Insurance business and rebuild efforts go well. Karma would suggest you are due for some better fortune. Like in many cases, once you dig in? The damage is not as bad as it looks. First look is the worse.
 
Who ever stole it was a moron, a couple jumpers under the hood and drive away, no need to cut wires.

I could understand if they took it to chop shop it but to trash it makes no sense.

My vote is some medieval justice. Drawn and quartered between 4 300 HP Darts!
 
Feel your pain my Mopar brother. The insurance game is brutal, its not designed to make you whole after a loss like that.

I insure my classics with Hemmings. You tell them what amount of insurance you want and that is what you will get paid if it's a total.

I have the dart insured for $20,000 so if its a total I get a check for $20,0000, no adjustments. You can insure for any value you want. The annual policy was about $250 or so and for another $70 you get tow coverage up to 125 miles. The tow coverage came in handy moving the car back and forth between shops.

I now have both my classics insured with them for $500 per year valued at $20,000 each.

Insurance is betting against your future which makes it unpopular for good reason. Your over a barrel with them because they are pros at what they do and we are mere mortals. Okay, ill shut up.
 
Thanks everyone for their comments. I have it insured for an agreed upon amount. My mistake was not upping the insurance amount every couple years. I think it's cost me on this one

I do have a local guy with access to a frame machine. He says he's fixed worse than mine before. We're gonna talk in the morning.
 
Dana67Dart said:
Who ever stole it was a moron, a couple jumpers under the hood and drive away, no need to cut wires.

I could understand if they took it to chop shop it but to trash it makes no sense.

My vote is some medieval justice. Drawn and quartered between 4 300 HP Darts!
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That's the stupidest thing I ever read.

Use stock slant 6's, maybe it'll take longer.
 
Brian the car can be fixed from what I see, but you may be better off starting over with another rust free body if you are able to find one for a decent price. Looks like you would be replacing more than half the panels of your car to fix it.

Also you mentioned an attorney if needed. First most attys don't want anything to do with property damage stuff. Second they don't know much about it anyway.

If the time comes we can use the appraisal clause in your policy to get you a fair settlement. No charge for me to do this for a fellow mopar brother. This is what I do for a living is help customers get settlements for total losses and diminished value on insurance claims.

If you would like, you can forward me SF written settlement offer. PM sent took down email and website per forum rules.
 
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mgoblue9798 said:
Brian the car can be fixed from what I see, but you may be better off starting over with another rust free body if you are able to find one for a decent price. Looks like you would be replacing more than half the panels of your car to fix it.

Also you mentioned an attorney if needed. First most attys don't want anything to do with property damage stuff. Second they don't know much about it anyway.

If the time comes we can use the appraisal clause in your policy to get you a fair settlement. No charge for me to do this for a fellow mopar brother. This is what I do for a living is help customers get settlements for total losses and diminished value on insurance claims.

.
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For your internet security, you should edit your email and website out of your post and send it to him through a personal message.
 
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toolmanmike said:
For your internet security, you should edit your email and website out of your post and send it to him through a personal message
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But now that you quoted it, even if he deletes it from his post it will still be there!

Mike you ok? A day or so ago you were shoveling your driveway by putting snow from the grass onto the driveway! :poke::poke:

:rofl:
 
Dana67Dart said:
But now that you quoted it, even if he deletes it from his post it will still be there!

Mike you ok? A day or so ago you were shoveling your driveway by putting snow from the grass onto the driveway! :poke::poke:

:rofl:
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:rofl: It will be there but just for the staff to see and not some nutcase scammer on the site. Damn snow. Every day or two.
 
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