'My 1967 Cougar gets hit by monster GMC "lifted" pickup (pic's incl.) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jim B. · #1 12-04-2013, 02:07 PM

My totally original '67 Cougar got hit by a woman driving a big GMC pickup just moments after it was parked correctly in a shopping mall parking lot.

The driver apparently was trying to get out quick, and cut through the empty parking space next to my cougar but cut right (in the wrong direction! of the parking lane to get to the street exit.

She didn't quite make it.

She hit the Cougar, somehow managing to wedge its left front corner between the right rear tire and rear fender of her big pickup truck.

As seen here:

Some paint got scraped off here on the fender extension, even on the front of it,

The old Cougar's 46 y.o. sheetmetal held up pretty good, and its bumper may have got bent, but the GMC pickup's fender took a pretty devastating hit by comparison...

I managed to back the car up with no more damage;

Her driver's license was valid, but the insurance card she showed me was six years out of date and the vehicle registration was four years out of date, so that was kind of weird. Certainly if the Police stopped her she would have some tall explaining to do.

Since it was on private property and no injury, I did not call for the Police...

But she provided a current (she said) address and phone number, and said she would "talk to her book keeper" Tuesday. Date of loss was the weekend past) and so far I have not heard anything.

I told her, "No no, go talk to your insurance man and report the claim."

I would rather NOT have the fully licensed and insured car repaired via a direct insurance claim to my own company, pay the deductible, and have them try and subrogate to recover.

Just let heer insurance company or HER, take care of it.

I am hopeful the damage can be somehow repaired without repaining the front fender extension or fender, (the fender appears undamaged except for huge tire marks and the extension looked ok but for deep scratches and chips here and there that had appeared from this impact.

Don't these old cars have some kind of special environmentally unfriendly pain that would need to be mixed?

I'd like to try and keep things as totally original as possible. The factory painted pinstripes were thankfully untouched.

BAVBMW · #2 12-04-2013, 02:11 PM

Are you sure there are pics included?

MV

kerry · #3 12-04-2013, 02:15 PM

Are you suggesting you were seriously expecting this woman to contact you??

t walgamuth · #4 12-04-2013, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Are you suggesting you were seriously expecting this woman to contact you??

I was wondering this too. I suspect Jim has an idea though.

MTUpower · #5 12-04-2013, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Are you suggesting you were seriously expecting this woman to contact you??

X2

When a prized car from the 60's is damaged in a parking lot incident why on earth would you not call the police and get a report? Especially when the driver has no valid proof of insurance and outdated registration. Jim you messed up.

iwrock · #6 12-04-2013, 02:30 PM

FYI - that's a stock GMC. Nothing big or monster about it.

TheDon · #7 12-04-2013, 02:55 PM

Should have gotten. A police report.......

Jim B. · #8 12-04-2013, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTUpower

X2

When a prized car from the 60's is damaged in a parking lot incident why on earth would you not call the police and get a report? Especially when the driver has no valid proof of insurance and outdated registration. Jim you messed up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

Should have gotten. A police report.......

Very good point there, thanks, but:

The license plate of the truck, seen above, appears to be the"new issue" one within the last year or two, and the yellow tags on it looked to be from the 2015 model year, though I did not examine them carefully. THOUGH if they are from years ago, she could be in BIG trouble, she DMV or police might surmise she is trying to fool people by having them LOOK like the 2015 tags which have finally rotated to yellow. Yellow California tags prior to the 2015 year stickers haven't been issued for several years.

I didn't think that those plates would have been issed without vgalid proof of insurance.

But yeah, I could have made a mistake, although at the time I was thinking of what they do in San Francisco, the place I come from, viz, the SFPD NEVER will come to take a motor vehicle auto property damage only accident report, whether on private or public property.

She let slip that she owns a Mexican restaurant in Roseville, and mentioned its name. She was in a hurry to get back to it with the supplies she had just bought at the dollar store.

I'd rather the insurance company of hers handle this, I am not a vengeful sort, BUT Insurance company subrogation is a big pain, and going through small claims court for the deductible, and then post judgment collection is a royal pain, too.

I DO understand that, and If I don't hear from her soon, I will start the wheels rolling myself, and won't be feeling charitable.

I even have gotten the full information from an on-site witness who saw all of it happen.

This afternoon, I will drive the car to the Mustang restoration shop for his ideas, opinions and advice.

I am in no huge hurry here. I can store the car for a while, in the garage at home, under a car cover for it, as the winter is coming, snow predicted the end of the week, in fact.

benhogan · #9 12-04-2013, 03:06 PM

isn't Dirty Harry from your state? you might need him.

Jim B. · #10 12-04-2013, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwrock

FYI - that's a stock GMC. Nothing big or monster about it.

That, I think, is a matter of perspective.

(Mine and yours, Justin.)

elchivito · #11 12-04-2013, 03:11 PM

In AZ you alwaysget a police report if you hope to collect from insurance. Just like it never happened otherwise and yeah, that looks like a stock pickup to me.