355 - I crashed my 355 | Page 2 | FerrariChat

355 I crashed my 355

Discussion in '348/355' started by Buckets, Mar 6, 2020.

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  1. Buckets

    Buckets Karting

    Sep 9, 2019
    86
    Seattle, United States
    Full Name:
    Nick Papagiorgio
    Agreed. They wan to settle on a decent value, quick, instead of a struggle. It's fine. Additionally Geico doesn't want to bother to estimate a repair on a car with "potential frame damage."
     
  2. Buckets

    Buckets Karting

    Sep 9, 2019
    86
    Seattle, United States
    Full Name:
    Nick Papagiorgio
  3. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    You won't know for sure until it's on a frame machine, if it hasn't yet. That internal frame is all separate pieces spot welded together. I wish you luck. Keep the group informed. But it the insurance paid you ACV then, with all the other work you intend to do I, personally, would just take the cash and gone shopping. But I understand we get attached to these cars.
     
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  4. Buckets

    Buckets Karting

    Sep 9, 2019
    86
    Seattle, United States
    Full Name:
    Nick Papagiorgio
    Yeah, the cost is the gamble. I am and have friends who are competent with cars, so we are doing as much of the work ourselves as we can. The car looks like this now:


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  5. Buckets

    Buckets Karting

    Sep 9, 2019
    86
    Seattle, United States
    Full Name:
    Nick Papagiorgio
    Three?? Tell me more. Were they fixable?
     
  6. Buckets

    Buckets Karting

    Sep 9, 2019
    86
    Seattle, United States
    Full Name:
    Nick Papagiorgio
    Thank you. I considered taking the cash. Honestly my friend, I didn't know what to buy. I drove a couple very nice 911's. They didn't do it for me. I felt compelled to buy the F355 back and save it.
     
  7. carnutdallas

    carnutdallas Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 11, 2010
    1,685
    Dallas Burbs
    Full Name:
    Rob
    Looks like tub damage in that pic. Hard to tell for sure. Not complicated, but need to make a few pulls and a tram gauge. Technically need a “Bench” and “fixtures” with measuring system...BUT a come along and that lift with a tram gauge and you can get “close enough” for a salvage title car.

    These cars are not complicated and can be easily repaired with the parts.


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  8. Buckets

    Buckets Karting

    Sep 9, 2019
    86
    Seattle, United States
    Full Name:
    Nick Papagiorgio
    Thank you, that's encouraging. Tracking down the parts from Germany, the UK, Italy and US was quite interesting. Some parts are common and relatively cheap and some are astronomically expensive.

    I hope others keep breaking their 355's as well, so that the market for their parts keeps churning nicely! :)
     
  9. Buckets

    Buckets Karting

    Sep 9, 2019
    86
    Seattle, United States
    Full Name:
    Nick Papagiorgio
    Additionally - I think if it was hand built originally, then we should be able to hand-rebuild it if necessary....
     
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  10. 308 GTB

    308 GTB F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 7, 2002
    11,166
    New Jersey
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    Barry Wolinsky
    F355 Challenge cars took a lot of hits when they raced and my car was no exception. They were repaired and sent off so they could compete in the next Challenge Series race. My car was often repaired at Classic Coach in Elizabeth NJ which was a Factory-authorized coachwork repair facility at the time. In 1996, the car spun out coming out of The Downhill and onto the front straight at Lime Rock Park. It did a "soft roll" onto its roof in the infield grass. Quick repairs to the roof and driver's side were done including a new windshield as its next race was two weeks later. The shop had the car on their body frame machine to properly take care of the damage.

    A little over two years ago, the roof started cracking badly and it needed to be repaired. While the engine was out for its major service at Pocono Sportscar, the body was put on a dolly and sent to The Early Vette Shop a few miles away. They found Bondo up to one inch in thickness on the roof. They straightened out the metal and did a proper repair of the roof and painted it blending into the rear quarter panels.

    So today the car looks great though it's five or six different shades of yellow. :)

    When I bought the car in 2012, I refused to let the shop repaint the wheels. There's some rubbing and racing history on them...


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    Road Atlanta 1995



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    Watkins Glen 2017
     
  11. 308 GTB

    308 GTB F1 World Champ
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    Feb 7, 2002
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    Barry Wolinsky
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  12. 308 GTB

    308 GTB F1 World Champ
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    Feb 7, 2002
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    It looks like it'll be just fine.
     
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  13. schnazzy

    schnazzy Formula Junior

    Mar 31, 2008
    494
    Seattle
    Seems completely fixable. It's interesting that it would have a rebuilt title. How it gets one is if the current insurance company totals (total writeoff) it. They would likely only do that depending on the fix but sometimes you can just get the difference/negotiate with no title change (but carfax will at least show the accident, which is honestly a good thing). So I don't know what you think it was worth before the accident. I think there is a 1998 black/tan 6speed gtb on ebay and they have been asking $58k. Take a little off because it likely won't sell for that, cost to fix and a deduction for a non-clear title. So is it financially worth it, probably not but it sounds like a fun project and these are getting harder to find. From what I have seen in used parts prices, with no major damage (frame/suspension) you are looking at in excess of $8k in parts and likley a bit more, if you can find them. Some of the parts will need to be fixed/referbed as they are used and may have dends or fiberglass cracks. Then labor and paint. I'd keep it but if you don't want to, let me know I may be interested (I also have a black/tan 1995 6speed).
     
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  14. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 9, 2010
    21,611
    WI
    Good luck with the repair. It'll work out in the end. Glad no one was hurt.

    Source for used parts: https://www.ferrparts.com/
     
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  15. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
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    Apr 13, 2004
    7,113
    Michigan


    Ok I'm curious do you washwax and generally take car of the paint on your daily?
     
  16. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
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    Ian Riddell
    Not really. I used to take it to the local car wash until the machine ripped off my mirrors. Waxing only once a year. My first repaint was done at a reputable repair shop which went on to become an exclusive BMW repairer so I was surprised to see the paint mismatch so quickly. The newer paint became duller than the old paint. I did a proper polish and wax and it looked almost identical, but then in a few months the mismatch was highly visible again.

    My insurance company said that they cover this kind of thing, but you still have to pay the excess and go without your car for a week or longer.
     
  17. tres55

    tres55 F1 Rookie
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    Sep 18, 2012
    3,480
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    Twin turbo it. :D
     
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  18. GTUnit

    GTUnit Karting

    May 25, 2014
    143
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    Jack
    Send in to Bradan (F355 forum sponsor). Check out their repair threads. They do this all the time and super pro with all the correct equipment.
     
  19. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
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    Apr 13, 2004
    7,113
    Michigan
    Here's the real deal.

    Today You can not find all the parts that are damaged they are simply not available around the world as I have searched and searched.

    Specifically Ferrari part # 70000611 that connects the wing supports and the nose.



    I bought one of the last NOS ones a couple years ago and ever since they have vanished.

    Getting a used one is about worthless as a few of the spot welds are hidden and the guys removing them get to a point the man handle them out. If all the spot welds are drilled out it shouldn't bend the crap out of the crumple zones.
    This photo is from an eBay auction, sorry but $1500 for that abortion? The parts just are not there to fix these cars and getting used ones is not easy as they would have to destroy metal around the part you need.

    Better to try and get a sectioned front end and take exactly what you want out of it.



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  20. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
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    Apr 13, 2004
    7,113
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    Where that part is torn there are two spot welds and you can't drill them out.
     
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  21. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
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    Apr 13, 2004
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  22. LVP488

    LVP488 F1 Rookie

    Jan 21, 2017
    4,839
    France
    Eurospares lets you order it but mentions it's "subject to availability" - various other web sites say it's "currently on manufacturer back order", which is indeed not really encouraging.
    I wonder whether some Ferrari dealers could have some, because after all it's common to 348 and 355.
     
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  23. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 13, 2004
    7,113
    Michigan
    Yeah superperformamce shows not available.
    Every other website says available to order.


    Slim to none and now a used part that was ripped off its car is 3 times the original price of the new part that's nla.
     
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  24. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
    Full Name:
    Brian Crall
    At the dealer level we really didn't stock body parts. Too much money in inventory that turns at a glacial pace. No matter how much you stock you'll never have the whole order so why stock it. Just as easy to order 50 parts as one.
    My biggest fear with our cars is getting hit. My expectation is nearly any wreck is the end of the car because of parts availability. I'd get loss of use and as soon as the insurance Co figures out it will be a year or two to fix we'll be negotiating on a settlement.
     
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  25. Buckets

    Buckets Karting

    Sep 9, 2019
    86
    Seattle, United States
    Full Name:
    Nick Papagiorgio
    You are the second to suggest Bradan. I hadn't heard of them, so I appreciate the heads up!
     

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