'57 Buick totaled in Hamilton, Ohio

[supersix]

I don't know anything about this other than what's in the article.

 

https://www.journal-news.com/news/iconic-hamilton-fountain-classic-car-both-destroyed-crash/V0G2On2O02Wwzz0I7HEuwM/?fbclid=IwAR0wMuWlrcu2pUgr-McUZVFj8s_9XcWVeqWkAsad0aaLViIcvo1qXu1GnkA

[Frank DuVal]

The car is repairable. Total is thrown around all the time by people who DO NOT know car values. Never believe it.....  I love those, who looking for an estimate, say "but the policeman wrote $700 damage on the accident report".... I always responded with "when did the policeman go to estimating school?"?

 

I hope the driver is repairable. That hole in the windshield looks bad, although upon another look, maybe part of the fountain made it, not the driver. No glass on the hood.

[intimeold]

Never good to see a restored car; crashed because of a mechanical failure.

 

Hope everyone is OK

[5219]

Very unlikely that mechanical failure would cause a car to hit head on a stationary object that does not appear to be in the actual road.

[61polara]

Looking at the other pictures, it appears the car received a side hit as well.  That damage was not caused by the collision with the statue.

[John_S_in_Penna]

9 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

I hope the driver is repairable. 

 

The article says minor injuries.

And the fountain can be repaired or re-cast.

Let's hope the owner, car, and fountain

are promptly returned to perfect operating condition! 

[R Walling]

At about a $40,000 value for the car, give it to me and I will fix it and have a real steal.

[39BuickEight]

looks like the brakes (likely) or steering (less likely) failed, long straight line off the roadway until object struck, that or medical emergency (seizure/heart attack/etc) likely caused the accident

 

sideswiped something else first

 

of course anything can be repaired, but any insurance company estimate would total it, anything can also be bought back by the owner

[R Walling]

4 hours ago, 39BuickEight said:

but any insurance company estimate would total it, anything can also be bought back by the owner

 Not exactly true. Your  insurance company has the right to take it for salvage, or to deduct it's salvage value from the payout on a total if you wish to retain it. (their choice)

 In Ma., they must get three salvage bids in writing to set the salvage value.

Edited October 18, 2018 by Roger Walling (see edit history)

[Graham Man]

I think it is 70% of the vehicles value to total.  My guess is that is the number they don't want to risk the body shop coming back with additional costs. 

 

Interesting comment about "you might not have a choice to keep the car"  that is true.  I mentioned it to Hagerty when I was getting insurance from them, one of my cars has been in the family since 1935, I told them you will not get the car if it is totaled (took me and friends 6 years to find a rear bumper) not valuable, just rare. Anyway for $3 extra per year you can keep the car, no questions, Great option.

[auburnseeker]

I believe in NY state (one of the few legislative bonuses). is you get first right to buy the vehicle back as long as you are willing to pay or have clipped off your settlement the top bid on the car.   Seems any insurance company should offer that without charge.  I imagine it's a higher percentage that don't want their car back anyways.  Think of alot of the guys that know little about their cars.  Are they going to buy a totaled car and fix it themselves?  I doubt it. 

[Hudsy Wudsy]

7 hours ago, 39BuickEight said:

looks like the brakes (likely) or steering (less likely) failed, long straight line off the roadway until object struck, that or medical emergency (seizure/heart attack/etc) likely caused the accident

 

sideswiped something else first

 

of course anything can be repaired, but any insurance company estimate would total it, anything can also be bought back by the owner

Perhaps someone sideswiped the Buick first and drove it off course towards an unsuspecting fountain. I hope that the fountain didn't have any passengers/bathers at the time.

[60FlatTop]

A "Restored" motor mount on a Buick like that can be one nicely painted, but oil soaked or dried, and on the verge of delaminating. A little extra torque on those will lift the engine and pull the throttle linkage to the floor. That is a lot of power to hold back and when it takes off it won't stop until the torque is released. I'd put a pry bar between the right exhaust manifold and control arm. I bet the engine lifts right up.

AND if you get a novice restorer who puts on a set of 50 year old NOS brake shoes you really have your hands full.

 

I have been lucky all the times one tried to get away from me. Adrenalin, what a rush.

Bernie

[39BuickEight]

6 hours ago, Roger Walling said:

 Not exactly true. Your  insurance company has the right to take it for salvage, or to deduct it's salvage value from the payout on a total if you wish to retain it. (their choice)

 In Ma., they must get three salvage bids in writing to set the salvage value.

 

Well, except MA then lol.  In every other state I have handled claims in, the owner always gets first dibs (less salvage value of course)

 

I can’t imagine any insurance company that wouldn’t sell it back to the owner if they paid a fair salvage value.

Edited October 18, 2018 by 39BuickEight (see edit history)

[39BuickEight]

3 hours ago, Hudsy Wudsy said:

Perhaps someone sideswiped the Buick first and drove it off course towards an unsuspecting fountain. I hope that the fountain didn't have any passengers/bathers at the time.

 

I dont think that happened because it is evident no effort was made to avoid anything, based on the tracks.  They are straight and uninterrupted.  When someone is sideswiped, it is usually evident afterwards if they attempted to regain control.  I don’t see that in these photos.  (Of course we aren’t getting the whole story).

 

I investigate auto accidents daily, so this is fun to me, figuring it out, with whatever evidence we might have.

 

Edited October 19, 2018 by 39BuickEight (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

I've used NOS 50 year old brake shoes.  Well actually linings I relined my shoes with.  What's the problem with them once riveted back on just like the originals the car came with?  They are better than having some of the modern linings guys I know have had done,  that first of all were to thick to even get on the car and secondly absorbed moisture and locked up under damp conditions.   Mine worked great.  

[SC38dls]

My farther in laws late 60’s Electra 225 had that same motor mount problem. He asked me to take it for a ride as he thought something was acting up. I started it, put it in gear and it took off. Luckily I knew to put it in neutral and it released the torque and the engine fell back in place. My FIL was very upset with me for racing his beloved 225 until I showed him the broken motor mount. Buick had that problem with that linkage design for a number of years. So Bernie I think you may be right about the cause. It would be interesting to see that mount. 

Dave S 

Edited October 19, 2018 by SC38DLS (see edit history)

[Zimm63]

Had a 69 Impala with failed motor mounts.  Left first, then right.  Like Bernie said, it was a rush.  

 

Huge recall of GM cars over that problem.