69 Convertible

Went to a car show with a group of friends with mixed muscle cars. After the show, we start to leave. While waiting for the cars to move, one of the guy in our group ( young kid ) slams me from behind. I'm thinking, WTF just happened. I get out and he says that his brakes didn't holded and the mustang he was driving has a tendency to lurch forward. If it would have be someone I didn't know, I've would have been mad, but there was a crowd there and I know he was feeling really bad so I told him I'd talk to him when we left the park.
My question is: his uncle knows this guy that works as a body man at UPS. and he does work on the side. Another friend in the group seen his work and says that he good. Do I consider that route for repair or go to a shop that specializes in working on corvettes? Is working on fiberglass on vettes different that just knowing how to work on fiberglass? How much do you thing this will cost? What would be the proper procedure in repairing the damage and how far back would the right way to paint the damaged part? Back to the door jam? The whole top deck? Just trying to make sure its done the right way. Fading in and matching to the existing paint is out of the question? Your advice would be very helpful in me making the right decision, thanks, Tony

vettebuyer6369

I wouldn't dream of letting anyone who wasn't fully experienced (and good) at Corvette repair touch the car. End of story.

Hopefully the kid is buying?

As the fellow owner of a triple black '69 which is just completing its paint job... I feel for you.

Douglas Mariani

If you want it done the right way go to a shop that specializes in working on corvettes.They would know were to look for damage.

I hope he's paying...

CCrane65

Ok, Mustang boy needs to work on his car and get it fixed before attending any more car shows instead of thinking he can handle it.

I agree with others above. You need someone who's not going to slap bondo on it and call it a day. You have a right to have your car put back to at least as good as it was before he hit you. It's not up to you to save him any money at your expense.

I'd contact my insurance company. They should take care of you and get it back from his company.

cc

jimo

Hi Tony, sorry to hear what happened, i was only just showing some mates the pics you gave me of your vette, everyone loves it.

hopefully it will be as good as new very soon.

Jim

Gordonm

with the above. The UPS guy is a slap together make it look like a truck again. I would not trust that. Take it to a good shop that specializes in Vettes. They will know how to repair it right, the way it was before the bump. Not just slap on some filler and try to match it. Sorry to hear about this.

Glassbowtie77

100%

3JsVette

with what everyone else is telling you.
I also get the idea from what you wrote you feel for the person that hit you (I feel for both of you too). If you think you want to give him the benefit of the doubt ask him to show you examples of the UPS body man's work and specifically a Corvette repair. I doubt he'll be able to do that. At that point he should realize that your car will need a Corvette professional. Then as stated before let your insurance company handle it. I hope this story has a happy ending for both of you and I'm sure it will if the "right guy" repairs your car.

fugawi

highschool67

That's a bummer.......
I always worry about that when I take my 66 to shows.
Your damage is in a tough spot to repair because there are no bonding seams on the back upper portion of the back deck to cut in a new piece. Someone with experience is going to have to make some bonding strips from you old rear deck. The "spoiler" area is real tough to glass in as it sits. You would have to pull the gas tank to try to reinforce that area without a new rear clip portion grafted on.
I have done a lot of professional repairs with fiberglass and my peers that do metal bodywork professionally, say they would not touch a fiberglass repair. Hammer and dolly and welding a piece of sheet metal is a lot different than fitting, gluing, reinforcing and finishing fiberglass. I'm with the rest of the group. Find a shop that have done corvettes before.

schmegeggie

I agree with the above.
If that happened to me, I don't have patience for pure ignorance. I'd have been hauled off to jail after the ambulance left with him in it.

Easy Mike

That's an odd place for a break. Have you checked for additional damage underneath?

Jeffery73

I have to agree with everyone else on this one. I wouldn't think of letting the UPS guy touch that car. Turn it in to the kids insurance and get it fixed right.

69Vett

Do not let the other party determine where or who works on your car !
You choose who, not the guy responsible foer the accident, you will not be happy with the results, they will turn that around just as fast as they can and cheapest.

Z28ImpalaSS

While it's very commendable that you are trying to cut the kid a break, I have to agree with all of the previous posters. Your Vette needs the best Corvette (fiberglass) body repair man you can find.
Good Luck.

flyinfree

I would have to say explore all options. This guy may have been the leading corvette body man in the region prior to taking a job at UPS. UPS is a company that does not accept 1/2 *** work form it's employees. Pretty much everything UPS does is first class by comparison to it's competitors. I would talk to the guy see what his experience has been and make an informed decision. Of course, if you find his only fiberglass experience is with UPS trucks by all means run.

riggs 74

Well I would say that you should expect your friend/relation ship will or
has come to an end with this kid and his parent. By this I mean they are
going to expect you to corporate with them to use some one they know
to keep the cost down. I would not settle for anything less than what
it was before it was rear ended. The glass repair would have to be done by
a reputable body guy or shop, and the paint would have to be done in a way
that you could not see any differences from old to new, EVEN IF THE WHOLE
CAR HAS TO BE SPRAYED. DO NOT SETTLE FOR ANY THING LESS THAN DONE
RIGHT.

Hopefully they will under stand that if the table was turned this is what they
would expect of you. Besides that mustang should have not been on the
road if the brakes were not in good working order.

Sorry just my to cents,
Riggs.

Jeff_Keryk

If I were you, I would be out getting estimates from qualified Corvette body shops. You have a valuable car; a true piece of Americana. 20 to 50 years from now, these cars will be revered as a part of American car history. Chevy never sold these cars with trailers; they were meant to be driven. Stuff happens. Fix it right the 1st time. The Mustang driver has responsibilities (like we all do). If he knew his car had problems he should have been prepared. (He should be happy it he hit a car rather than a person.) Letting him off the hook teaches him nothing. I have made TONS of mistakes, and I learned when I faced reality not when I slid. OK, I'm off my soap box. Good luck with your beautiful car! I'm sure you will get it straigntened out.

7T1vette

Did the kid not have any insurance? Isn't that why folks buy insurance...so they don't have to pay out-of-pocket when they cause an accident? You didn't do yourself any favors by not reporting it. If the kid and his Uncle [et al] are not honorable people, you just left yourself open to "eat" the damage. If they really are willing to pay for the repairs, go to the repair shop of YOUR choice, get a quote, then have them write a check in that amount to your repair shop. Include them in the discussions with your shop if you want. Tell them that you trusted them to make it right; they should now trust you to not "screw" them on the deal.

noonie

BTW, lot of the ups trucks do have large fiberglass body parts.

He may well be one of the best glass guys around.