Disaster Struck. I think my baby is gone. :(

20k sounds around right to me for the detail and accents you are looking for. As the saying goes, " there are mechanics , THEN there are MECHANICS..."
30k would be the very outer limits IMHO.
I have 2 questions:
Which car would this work be allocated? Your other 95 or your GTS?
Are you looking to have a 100 point car to keep? ( Not a bad idea)

 

My other 95 restoration. My GTS is near perfect.

I had no intention (originally) to paint the car but I know I need to do bumpers and a rocker panel + a fender as someone did it prior with base / clear. Given I'm fully rebuilding the motor, painting the subframe, had a bunch of new leather done (all new dash and seats), it just seems kind of foolish to not go all the way.

I have no plans to sell the car as I want to have one F1 and one gated 95 B so I'm going for a full restoration. I hope to make the decision to paint or not and the shop soon so I can get the rest of the car disassembled (lots to go) and get it over to the shop sometime in fall as this will take all winter easily to get done.

 

Since you are a 355 nut bar like many of us here, that is a solid plan. One of the earliest and one of the latest. I have the same thing but I won't be bare metal ing them anytime soon. Looking forward to watching your progress and the finished product.

 

Eric, this is the first I've seen this thread. Really sorry for you, we have an Fchat guy up here in Pittsburgh named "Singletrack", I was supposed to meet him for coffee and the same thing happened. Hope you get it worked out.

 

I hope it works out Eric. It was a hell of a car.

 

If it was me I'd get rid of the car. Now that it has been out of your care for so long. plus who knows what the interior looks like now. Leather and moisture do not do well together. Time to move on buddy, just try and now minimise your loss.

 

been out of power for several days due to storms, so I don't know things are at in terms of keeping or selling but unless one comes out with basically a free car that they only want for themselves long term it doesn't make much sense to keep it IMO. I personally would buy and own a salvage titled car or car with a story. But the vast majority buyers will run for the hills on a car with a story unless the sale price is vastly discounted in relation to similar non story cars. Potential resale down the road no matter how perfectly repaired will be an issue.

 

I have owned 9 salvage titled 355's that sold in less than a week and 1 clear title 355 that I could not give away and ended up selling it through a "salvage" auction.

Its a matter of what you are looking for, how $$ plays in your head and what are the plans with the vehicle.

Every seat has an "a**" for it. If its not you or me, its someone oversees or on another planet They always sell.

 

^^^^^ This, 100%

 

If I could get it under 20k I'd probably do it and make it a track car. Cosmetics don't matter much and it wouldn't take a lot to make sure it's straight and fully functional. If the panels were mostly straightened and/or replaced with decent used parts with a quick paint, it would be perfectly fine for that use and wouldn't cost more than a couple of grand to get into shape for it. You might be able to even pay for it selling good interior parts and other stuff you wouldn't need.

 

So sorry to read this Eric...glad that you're OK.

 

Eric,
This sure looks like your car, similar damage, but yours is a berlinetta:
https://www.iaai.com/Vehicles/VehicleDetails.aspx?itemID=22351505&RowNumber=7
Alden

 

In recent years the ones I have watched going through salvage auctions fetch a fair bit more than that sum.

 

Current pre-bid on the GTB on IAAI is at $29k with 8 days to go until live auction.

 

That's a lot.

 

Hopefully, not to his Scud...

 

Eric. You deserve to have a perfect car and something tells me you won't be happy unless you know you do. It's time to let this one go. You didn't like the purple carpets anyway . It's time to hop on the 95 B train and there are a few nice examples for sale with color combos very hard to come by. I hope you get what you asked for in your settlement.

 

Say goodbye and move on. The former damage will always haunt you...

 

Yes, do this. Sucks but there are plenty of F355 fish in the pond. Glad you didn't get a deer antler lobotomy.

 

Did they even entertain a $$ for buy back? May be interested if you want premium on it

QUOTE=Eric C;144825867]Surprise Surprise. The transport no showed / no called today.[/QUOTE]

 

I would only buy this back if I could get a smoking deal on it and had a reliable place to do a restoration on it. I might convert the car into a street/track machine because you will never be able to get it back to perfect stock condition without spending unreasonable dollars. But just think of the machine you could end up with. Dedicated to street performance, light as can be with all the best possible handling and braking parts you can economically stuff into it. Custom, but modest interior inspired by, say a 360CS or 430 Scuderia. What an opportunity. But all depends on the buy out. For 15K, I might go for it. At $20K, I'd have a think on it. For $25K, I'd probably pass. Just some thoughts. Good luck on your outcome.

 

As I predicted (no paranoia my friend John )

This is a real bummer, Eric. People will say "It's just a car" but most of us know we put our hearts and souls into them and they mean much more to us...