Joe Angelucci's house burnt down

[pettybird]

The cause is yet to be determined but the structure is just about gone.  Joe has a pair of wing cars and about 20 other E and B bodies.  the house was full of NOS parts and (obviously) personal belongings.  Worst of all he and his wife Jackie had a bunch of cats which were their family, and all of them died due to smoke inhalation. 

Joe vends at the nats and elsewhere and he's a very good friend of mine.  He and his wife are displaced now and living in a hotel room courtesy of the Red Cross.  They have lots of family and friends where they can bounce around and stay but it's obviously not the same. 

i'm not sure what to do to help, but I figure some of you may know him and would want to know.

thanks

Doug

[nascarxx29]

Sorry to hear that .Is he the restoration manger at show cars .I saw this in my space
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=332268210

[pettybird]

he worked here at best of show but does more on his own.  that is him, though.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Crap!  I was just emailing him recently asking him for some detail pics of his 69 RT/SE with the V21 & hood pins.
He sent me a few pics of his 99 99 Rally Green RR 'vert as well.

Glad to hear him & his family are OK though...sorry about the cats

[nascarxx29]

Couldnt find out any other details or updates
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/18235736/detail.html

[69bronzeT5]

Holy crap, that is beyond belief. I hope they are alright. I'm really sorry to hear about the cats. Did the cars go up too or did he have a seperate shop?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Looking at this pic that was in that article, looks like it started upstairs?

http://www.newsnet5.com/slideshow/news/18236521/detail.html

[69bronzeT5]

Looking at this pic that was in that article, looks like it started upstairs?

http://www.newsnet5.com/slideshow/news/18236521/detail.html

I'm with you on that.

[Ghoste]

That's awful beyond words, my prayers go out to them.

[WINGR]

I totally agree with Ghoste, and our prayers go out to them as well. I know it must be tough loosing their cats but at the same time, thank god they are okay.

WINGR

[Xtreme Machines]

Sorry to hear bout that, but you can replace cats, what bout the cars?

[superbirdtom]

yeah thats terrible !     I have all my cars paperwork in my safe deposit box.

[69bronzeT5]

Sorry to hear bout that, but you can replace cats, what bout the cars?

I think I'd have a harder time replacing my cats then my cars.

[pettybird]

Hi all and thanks--

the fire started in the basement.  the pics were taken more than 2 hours later.  fortunately the house stood alone so the fire didn't spread to any cars, but the house was packed full with parts for many of his cars as well as a lot of saleable stuff. 

it looks like one of those random electrical fires from holiday lights you hear about on TV...the cords had been used for years without incident so there was no indication that a problem would crop up.

We were moving the RR droptop between storage facilities an hour before the fire started.  he stopped off for dinner and a friend on the street called him to tell him about the fire.

Mom's going over with him today to see if anything can be salvaged.  of all the odd things in one corner of his house the build sheets to most of his cars survived without any damage whatsoever while in the opposite corner nearly every title to his cars survived in a dresser that didn't catch fire.  the rest of those two rooms is gone...

He and Jackie are having a really hard time with the loss of the cats.  they were family members to them. 

[69bronzeT5]

fortunately the house stood alone so the fire didn't spread to any cars

the build sheets to most of his cars survived without any damage whatsoever while in the opposite corner nearly every title to his cars survived in a dresser that didn't catch fire.

Well that's good. It still really sucks about the cats though.

[hemi68charger]

Man, that stinks.. Don't know the gent, but on anyone that's a very stressful and aweful thing to happen......... Glad to see he and his wife are ok... Sucks about the cats......   

[tan top]

good to see no body was hurt  !!   shame about the pussy cats    ... awwww   ...

[WingCharger]

Man that sucks.
I am a cadet on my local fire department and I have seen house fires. They are something you never get used to. He's in my prayers. The cats are the worst part.
Good thing about the cars and the build sheets!

Sorry to hear bout that, but you can replace cats, what bout the cars?

I think I'd have a harder time replacing my cats then my cars.

I Agree. Our barn cats are good friends...

[pettybird]

so the place is a disaster. 


I just got back from digging through the attic for stuff that could be saved and it's not much.  I can't begin to fathom how much stuff is missing.  Start with over 200 headrests, a half dozen 'cuda grilles, 8-10 E and 71-up B body dash pads, a dozen rallye gauge clusters, 7+ restored rim blow wheels, 15+ SETS of '70 Challenger taillights (all mint,) 3 full sets of E body convertible door panels, an NOS tuff wheel in the box, 2 956 radiators, a box of tick tock tachs, 6 NOS b body big block battery cables, a complete '69 Hemi intake and both carbs, a '71 Charger air grabber hood...  there are B body woodgrain steering wheels hanging from the rafters in the basement that look like they were made of wax they were so melted. 

that's on top of just about everything else he and his wife owned.  some parts of the house are OK, but the living room is in the basement.  it's sick.  they did find all twelve cats, though, so they were able to take them to be cremated at one time.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Sad....so sad.

How's Joe & his family holding up?

[pettybird]

bad. 

[gtx6970]

My thoughts go out to Joe and his wife. Gotta be tough , especially this time of year

[The70RT]

  That sucks. Hope it all works out for him somehow.

[Dave Kanofsky]

Sorry to hear about this.  Prayers for them sent.

[69bronzeT5]

some parts of the house are OK, but the living room is in the basement.  it's sick.  they did find all twelve cats, though, so they were able to take them to be cremated at one time.

Have they found out the cause yet?

[HKCharger]

ugh, were they insured? What is the car total loss?

[PocketThunder]

ugh, were they insured? What is the car total loss?

Hi all and thanks--

the fire started in the basement.  the pics were taken more than 2 hours later.  fortunately the house stood alone so the fire didn't spread to any cars, but the house was packed full with parts for many of his cars as well as a lot of saleable stuff. 

The cars are ok.

[pettybird]

ugh, were they insured? What is the car total loss?

FULL cars weren't hurt, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to know that a half million dollars' worth of parts went up.  he didn't have one of something--he had eight.  it's nuts. 

[TUFCAT]

There is so much sadness here I don't know where to begin.

The emotional loss must be overwhelming.

This is such a tragedy, and I feel extremely sorry for all of their losses (including the fortune in parts) .....but especially for the suffering of the poor cats who ran away from the fire, only to die from smoke.    RIP little angels.

[TUFCAT]

Anyone have an update on the cause of fire?

How about the losses....and how they're managing?

[70Sbird]

Sorry to hear about this.
My In-laws had a fire about 15 years ago, I don't think you ever really get over one.
R.I.P. Kitties, we are pretty attached to our 2
Scott

[70daytonaclone]

Sorry about the losses. jjSJomebody take these people a new Kitten!

[pettybird]

Sorry about the losses. jjSJomebody take these people a new Kitten!

the did get a new one...i haven't seen it yet.  it's a flame point siamese. 

the insurance company is still investigating.  the fire marshall ruled it accidental, but he doesn't have to pay the claim.  not much has been recovered due to this being one of the coldest spells we've tied together in a long time.  remember--if your house is going to burn down, make sure it happens in the spring or fall.