Duster totalled coming back from Fall Fling

69bronzeT5 · October 19, 2009, 01:28:45 PM

No, not my Duster. Saw this on For A Bodies Only. This guy and his kid were coming back from the Fall Fling show in L.A. His son was sleeping in the back seat. He slowed down at an intersection and a drunk driver in a company truck rear ended him. Apperentley the guy in the truck didn't even slow down. The impact pushed the Duster into a Range Rover and almost across the intersection. So far the dad and kid seem fine but the Duster isn't.

Neal_J · October 19, 2009, 01:29:37 PM

What a shame. Hope the dad & kid are OK. It was a nice car too.

Can I use that picture on my site?

b5blue · October 19, 2009, 01:33:12 PM

And the kid sleeping in the back didn't get hurt!

69bronzeT5 · October 19, 2009, 01:55:18 PM

Quote from: Neal_J on October 19, 2009, 01:29:37 PM
Can I use that picture on my site?

Ponch ® · October 19, 2009, 01:59:51 PM

Quote from: b5blue on October 19, 2009, 01:33:12 PM
And the kid sleeping in the back didn't get hurt!

thankfully no.

That sucks. I was parked near that car at the show (there was a truck in between). Here's what's probably one of the last pics taken of the car before its untimely end:

hemi68charger · October 19, 2009, 02:10:35 PM

Hope the kid and Dad are doing well... More than likely, as the cases usually are, the freakin' drunk driver's probably fine. Hope the owner of the Duster has some resolution with this and ends up with a Daytona, Superbird or whatever his dream car is.........

Troy

bull · October 19, 2009, 02:16:20 PM

Nah, we don't need no stinking drug testing policy.

If I were that Duster owner I think I'd be contacting an attorney to explore the possibility of United Riggers footing the bill for the Duster's restoration.

Tilar · October 19, 2009, 02:20:03 PM

Man that sucks. He didn't have any wiper arms on. I wonder if he was just finishing this car up?

69bronzeT5 · October 19, 2009, 02:25:12 PM

Quote from: Tilar on October 19, 2009, 02:20:03 PM
Man that sucks. He didn't have any wiper arms on. I wonder if he was just finishing this car up?

I think the owner said he painted it himself 15-20 years ago and the paint still held up beautifully so I don't think it was in the finish stages of resto.

Rolling_Thunder · October 19, 2009, 04:46:41 PM

Quote from: Tilar on October 19, 2009, 02:20:03 PM
Man that sucks. He didn't have any wiper arms on. I wonder if he was just finishing this car up?

No way - I have seen that car for at least 7 years at the Spring / Fall Flings...

Company vehicle... well he won't be having a problem getting enough $$$ for another muscle car... still a shame to see -

John_Kunkel · October 19, 2009, 05:01:28 PM

Quote from: Tilar on October 19, 2009, 02:20:03 PM
Man that sucks. He didn't have any wiper arms on. I wonder if he was just finishing this car up?

A lot of people remove the wiper arms 'cause it "looks better without them", some even push decorative caps over the exposed shafts.

The70RT · October 19, 2009, 05:22:19 PM

That sucks. hope no kids were hurt. I bet he comes out with more cash than he had in it since it was restored so long ago.

mauve66 · October 19, 2009, 07:20:10 PM

maybe the kid wil get some college money out of the deal

ChgrSteve67 · October 19, 2009, 07:31:28 PM

He will get something for the car but not enought to replace the money, time spent, hard work and the care that went into it.

I know if mine got totaled there is no way I would get back what went into it.
Probably only enought to start another project.

And the sadder part is the drunk will probably just get a slap on the hand and maybe loose his job.
Personally I think any drunk that gets into a car accidet should be prosecuted for attempted murder.

I glad to hear the dad and son are alive, unfortuanately they will probably both feel the affects of the accident for years.

The70RT · October 19, 2009, 07:48:28 PM

If he has collector car insurance on it he should get agreed value on it. If the other insurance company haggles with him they will pay the difference go after them for the rest...........at least that's what Hagarty does. A friend of mine had his Chevelle totaled and the other person was at fault and tried to pay him 15K. He had it insured for 27.5. Hagarty told him to accept that and then Hagarty sent him the rest. He bought his car back for a grand and then fixed it for about 18K.

mauve66 · October 19, 2009, 11:16:11 PM

but then he has a salvage title and nobody will insure it again, right??

Todd Wilson · October 19, 2009, 11:41:31 PM

Thats why I dont drive mine as much as I used to. I dont care of its a /6 car or a Hemi car they are all priceless and cannot be replaced. Once they are gone they are gone.

Todd

The70RT · October 20, 2009, 12:20:09 AM

Quote from: mauve66 link= :scratchchin:c=62824.msg701516#msg701516 date=1256012171
but then he has a salvage title and nobody will insure it again, right??

I never discussed that with him. I will ask him when I see him. I have had some cars totaled and I never got a salvage title.........but I only had liability on them. Whose to say later on the car would not be a collectible and then someone restored it. No one would ever know then.

1969chargerrtse · October 20, 2009, 05:27:56 AM

Quote from: Ponch ® on October 19, 2009, 01:59:51 PM
Quote from: b5blue on October 19, 2009, 01:33:12 PM
And the kid sleeping in the back didn't get hurt!

thankfully no.

That sucks. I was parked near that car at the show (there was a truck in between). Here's what's probably one of the last pics taken of the car before its untimely end:

Wow, that's kinda cool. You should hunt him down and email it to him.

1969chargerrtse · October 20, 2009, 05:29:28 AM

Quote from: mauve66 on October 19, 2009, 11:16:11 PM
but then he has a salvage title and nobody will insure it again, right??

I used to buy salvage title cars for years at the auctions. All you have to do is get it re inspected and then you get a new title that says " rebuilt " on it here in CT.

Cooter · October 20, 2009, 06:55:02 AM

That sucks...That drunk driver deserves to have to pay for that Duster. I know how I'd feel if one of mine got hit like that. Man, that sucks.

Blown70 · October 20, 2009, 08:55:00 AM

In my area there plenty of Attorneys that actually would love a case like this. I HATE druck drivers, and the dammage they can and do casue.

Depends on the state of CA. but where I am from.... that kids college just got paid for......plus the duster, and some $$ for the father to buy a viper......

Tilar · October 20, 2009, 09:10:06 AM

No sense in them getting carried away with the lawsuit happy lawyers. Don't get me wrong, he should get any and all expenses out of the deal, but I highly doubt the kid got hurt enough to get his college paid for. If he's hurt that bad, he won't be able to work once he gets out of school anyway.

ZSmithersCharges · October 20, 2009, 09:17:49 AM

Quote from: Tilar on October 20, 2009, 09:10:06 AM
No sense in them getting carried away with the lawsuit happy lawyers. Don't get me wrong, he should get any and all expenses out of the deal, but I highly doubt the kid got hurt enough to get his college paid for. If he's hurt that bad, he won't be able to work once he gets out of school anyway.

Its not the fact that he got lucky this time and didn't hurt anyone its the fact that he could have and should have to pay for what he could have done. I'm not biased to this either my brother(who is a retard) has 2 DUI convictions, they took his license the first time for a couple months the second time for like 6 months. They let these people off too easy to go do it again.

Tilar · October 20, 2009, 09:25:01 AM

That is exactly what is wrong with all the insurance problems now... People are expected to pay for what "coulda" happened. And when the insurance companies have to pay for these "Coulda's", They pass the savings right on to you and me. Personally I think that all lawsuits should be limited to whatever insurance coverage you have. So in other words if I have a 20k life insurance policy and someone runs over me, 20k should be the max you get... Period.

Blown70 · October 20, 2009, 09:49:18 AM

Quote from: Tilar on October 20, 2009, 09:10:06 AM
No sense in them getting carried away with the lawsuit happy lawyers. Don't get me wrong, he should get any and all expenses out of the deal, but I highly doubt the kid got hurt enough to get his college paid for. If he's hurt that bad, he won't be able to work once he gets out of school anyway.

I can assure you that I have more knowledge of the human body than you do. Trust me that kid and father will not be the same from that auto-collision.... they may feel fine now... but, ever hear of future medical expense.....? Can assure you they would not have, but now will as a direct result of that trauma..

I can tell you and I wont agreee on this but, will telll you, they will not be physically the same after a hit like that.....I can state the Croft studies or you can actually look them up yourself....

Tom

Blown70 · October 20, 2009, 09:50:37 AM

Quote from: Tilar on October 20, 2009, 09:25:01 AM
So in other words if I have a 20k life insurance policy and someone runs over me, 20k should be the max you get... Period.

That is about senseless...so, if you dont carry life ins. Your life is worthless? What if someone carries a 5 million, suddenly they are really worth 5 million.... The stupidity of your argument is overwhelming...

ZSmithersCharges · October 20, 2009, 10:17:01 AM

Quote from: Tilar on October 20, 2009, 09:25:01 AM
That is exactly what is wrong with all the insurance problems now... People are expected to pay for what "coulda" happened. And when the insurance companies have to pay for these "Coulda's", They pass the savings right on to you and me. Personally I think that all lawsuits should be limited to whatever insurance coverage you have. So in other words if I have a 20k life insurance policy and someone runs over me, 20k should be the max you get... Period.

I'm not going to jump all over you here but if a lawsuit ensues it is not going to be his insurance company that pays for it. The insurance company will just argue they had no way of knowing what type of activities this person was involved with only what his record did or didn't show and will be off the hook except for stated coverages in the contract which isn't that much. Especially in a company truck. It will be he employer who knows the guy on a deeper level and gave him the truck to drive and it will be himself. We do not get effected by insurance incidents such as these. Average people pay for average insurance and they only pay for what is in their bracket. This guy will get bumped into what is called "High Risk" insurance and the other high riskers will pay more and more for other high riskers "accidents", like they should. Its not that hard to drive not like a moron and its not that hard to call a cab. Hell you don't even have to know a number its just 411 or 0. Got no money in your pocket? They'll be glad to run you to the bank, they take credit and checks. Oh and about this guy what the hell was he doing drinking and driving the company truck anyways? My older brother(not DUI boy) hit a deer with his company truck and his boss shit all over him and made him pay the deductible for insurance. He was even contemplating making him pay the difference in the higher insurance rate.
Which brings me to another point, you don't pay for other people you pay for yourself. Of course difference in age groups carry different rates based on proven statistics but it doesn't vary much from that. I don't see why your mad at the people who were victimized you would do all you could to get a full settlement as well in this situation. If I were you I would be mad at the drunk who made this even possible in the first place

Tilar · October 20, 2009, 10:40:47 AM

I didn't say he was not in the wrong, and yeah he should have to pay the consequenses<sp>... I'm just saying that people see situations like this as a get rich quick scheme which leads to stupid high lawsuits.

And I don't care how well anyone knows the human body, When something like this happens, people seem to think more about the money than a back ache.

ZSmithersCharges · October 20, 2009, 10:43:35 AM

Were just on a different page thats all

I think the boy should get a bit of money and I think the drunk should get a good spanking. Not a million dollars no, but a little something for what he went through, yes.

Blown70 · October 20, 2009, 10:49:17 AM

Quote from: Tilar on October 20, 2009, 10:40:47 AM
I didn't say he was not in the wrong, and yeah he should have to pay the consequenses<sp>... I'm just saying that people see situations like this as a get rich quick scheme which leads to stupid high lawsuits.

And I don't care how well anyone knows the human body, When something like this happens, people seem to think more about the money than a back ache.

Well, I deal with people every single day from accidents that now for no other reason have chronic pain.......Figuring cost of the pain and treatment over time from those accidents. can be in the 100,000's in an average lifetime....

Million, NO, and I agree some lawsuits get otta hand.....So I can agree with you to an extent. I just know what I deal with almost every day at work.

Tom

Tilar · October 20, 2009, 12:55:43 PM

You can ask any first responder if they've ever heard the phrase "I'm going to sue!" and every one of them will probably say yeah. I know I heard it a number of times when I was an EMT.

Oh I understand things can go for longer than a few days. And I think that if they lose pay because of the accident they should have all wages reimbursed besides the medical but to pocket 20k because you were "inconvienced" for a few weeks is getting carried away... and it happens all the time. I guess if someone was paralyzed for life or could prove they needed medical attention for an extended period of time, I'd feel a little different about it, I just hate the ones that start thinking retirement before the accident scene is even cleared.

Charger440RDN · October 20, 2009, 01:09:24 PM

Quote from: Todd Wilson on October 19, 2009, 11:41:31 PM
Thats why I dont drive mine as much as I used to. I dont care of its a /6 car or a Hemi car they are all priceless and cannot be replaced. Once they are gone they are gone.

Todd

I agree, it's sad when any old classic or muscle car is destroyed

MoparManJim · October 20, 2009, 01:17:21 PM

I don't like drunks, I have no respect for them either.

The worst thing the world made was dang beer!

as it's just like drugs.

Afew of the worst things they ever made was Car Phones, Beer, and Cell Phones.

Almost each time there is a wrack that happens, first thing you hear is "I was on my cell phone" and I didn't see the person. Geesh your driving a vehicle but yet your mind is on that cell phone

, if your driving the fricking vehicle put the cell down and watch what you are doing instead of that dang device. The other is Beer, a person is so dang wasted that when a vehicle is in front of him/her they doesn't even see it or think to even slow down to come to a stop

and that rams into that vehicle and then looks around like as in "what the heck happen" but yet they think they are good enough to drive. People like this needs there head look at real dang well.

The70RT · October 20, 2009, 01:33:38 PM

I know exactly what blown 70 is talking about. My wife has been rear ended twice while sitting still, 30 years ago and 15 years ago. One case we got a piddly ass settlement and the other nothing because we collected on the previous one. Now she is paying for it with TMJ & chronic joint and back pain. She also has a golf ball sized bump on the back of her neck. The retainer appliance for the TMJ only lasts a couple years or so and they cost a about 700 bucks each time, that's if something doesn't happen to it before then. (health insurance doesn't cover it) She had knee surgery on both knees since than. She has to have cortisone shots in her knees (still) shoulders and ankles....yeah shes a mess and we gotta pay for it for the rest of our lives. We have heath insurance but it doesn't cover anything completely. When we get older medicare will pat for it

I raised my medical part on my vehicle insurance way up there just to cover our butts from here on out. Both of us are magnets on the road and idiots seem to find us all the time. Unless you has been down this road before you haven't got a clue. It's the name of the game if your stupid or careless you should pay. Wait till an uninsured motorists hits you and you loose your ride to work! Been their done that too! Tilar you just been lucky.....so far.

Tilar · October 20, 2009, 01:53:39 PM

Quote from: The70RT on October 20, 2009, 01:33:38 PM
Wait till an uninsured motorists hits you and you loose your ride to work! Been their done that too! Tilar you just been lucky.....so far.

I've been lucky so far? I lost 30% of the lower lobe on my right lung due to a doctor misreading a cat scan thinking it was cancer, even after I told him that it was a scar from pneumonia... Granted this was after a run of cancer so I guess the doctor was just being over cautious. I've also lost 2 cars that I was selling on time to uninsured motorists. I think I've had my share of misfortunes.

Mike DC · October 21, 2009, 03:26:44 AM

How does an accident 15 or 30 years ago become causative to pain in the present?
(I mean how can you declare that to be the cause of the present pain with such certainty?)

I can understand if it's been hurting since the era of the original injury, but I don't get why the link extends to pain that first begins happening so far off in the future. There's lots of different times that most of us hurt or stress a given joint in our adult lives.

If my _______ started hurting tomorrow, I probably couldn't even begin to narrow down the cause of it.

The70RT · October 21, 2009, 04:16:04 AM

Because these are the same injury's she had back when the accident first happened and never completely went away. Once your neck or back gets injured it never goes away. Of course when you get old your gonna feel all your old injury's.

Blown70 · October 21, 2009, 09:44:29 AM

Quote from: Mike DC (formerly miked) on October 21, 2009, 03:26:44 AM

How does an accident 15 or 30 years ago become causative to pain in the present?
(I mean how can you declare that to be the cause of the present pain with such certainty?)

Part of having a medical degree, You have to look at prior medical records, history, and then look at the trauma that caused the suspected issue, you as a medical provider then need to decide with a reasonable degree of medical certainty the patients condition is related to the trauma that occurred.

If you look above I stated to look up Croft, please do read that if you have significant interest, or maybe your just making an attempt (without medical training) to dispute that a trauma 20 years ago can cause current symptoms....

Again, I work with this daily and study and have continued training....

FACT, you have a significant trauma soft tissues (other than bone) will be affected, often causing early arthritis, pain, loss of motion, and DJD, DDD.

TOM

b5blue · October 21, 2009, 09:58:40 AM

My cousin is a Chiropractor and has shown me how true this is, never release insurance company's liability until you are certain. We are not made to be slammed around at 10"G's". I would be concerned about the boys neck deeply, being shot forward then slammed to the side.

gasoline_24 · October 21, 2009, 10:22:34 AM

I think the real issue here is that people must be responsible for their actions. Everyone wants to say people were more responsible in the old days and this is why we have more lawsuits now. This is not true. The people that should be responsible for their actions are those that drove drunk or gave a company vehicle to someone that drove drunk. Wouldn't it be something if the drunk driver or the company went to the car owner and his child and said we are very sorry for this happening and we will pay for your damages. This won't happen and seldomly if ever happens. Instead the car owner and his son will be forced to hire an attorney and go after these individuals and their insurance companies to be made whole. However, there is no way to make someone completely whole that was injured and so we give them money in our justice system to offset their injuries.

On the issue of why insurance goes up...why is it that all of our insurance goes up every year? The insurance companies state that it is because of all of these lawsuits and people just being greedy. Isn't the greed on the part of those that won't pay for the results of their own negligence? You and I pay higher insurance premiums across the board and every year the insurance companies post record profits. How can you have record profits if you are losing all of this money to these lawsuits? Even if they are passing on the losses how do they have record profits, unless they are passing on more than the losses and justifying it with lies us?

I will now get off of my soap box.

ZSmithersCharges · October 21, 2009, 10:54:37 AM

Quote from: gasoline_24 on October 21, 2009, 10:22:34 AM
I think the real issue here is that people must be responsible for their actions. Everyone wants to say people were more responsible in the old days and this is why we have more lawsuits now. This is not true. The people that should be responsible for their actions are those that drove drunk or gave a company vehicle to someone that drove drunk. Wouldn't it be something if the drunk driver or the company went to the car owner and his child and said we are very sorry for this happening and we will pay for your damages. This won't happen and seldomly if ever happens. Instead the car owner and his son will be forced to hire an attorney and go after these individuals and their insurance companies to be made whole. However, there is no way to make someone completely whole that was injured and so we give them money in our justice system to offset their injuries.

On the issue of why insurance goes up...why is it that all of our insurance goes up every year? The insurance companies state that it is because of all of these lawsuits and people just being greedy. Isn't the greed on the part of those that won't pay for the results of their own negligence? You and I pay higher insurance premiums across the board and every year the insurance companies post record profits. How can you have record profits if you are losing all of this money to these lawsuits? Even if they are passing on the losses how do they have record profits, unless they are passing on more than the losses and justifying it with lies us?

I will now get off of my soap box.

Im going to weld you to that soap box and give you your own radio station

Mike DC · October 21, 2009, 04:46:46 PM

Somebody had a statistic that the medical insurance industry spends something like 1/4th of their entire expenditures in attempts to deny claims.

It's like they owe us a $100 payout, but they spend another $80 trying to deny us the money for a while before paying. And then they raise our rates to cover the extra $80 above projected expenses that our case has cost them.

b5blue · October 21, 2009, 07:30:52 PM

And another 20.00 goes to stock holders and big wigs out of that. We pay an additional 4.50 every 6 months here in Florida for a "hurricane tax" WTF? So 9.00 X every driver in FL. even if there has been no hurricanes for years.....where does it go?

RD · October 21, 2009, 08:23:26 PM

I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THIS, CONSIDERING THE INSURANCE STUFF AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED HAVE ALL BEEN ADDRESSED....

that duster's cabin area handled the stress of the impact better than i have seen other cars on todays safety standards. So much for old muscle not being able to take a hit eh?

b5blue · October 21, 2009, 09:27:58 PM

Right you are!!!

aussiemuscle · October 22, 2009, 01:39:44 AM

if the driver is drunk, then it shouldn't be considered an 'accident'.

My brother had a falcon wagon many years ago that got rear ended. he'd been waiting at the red light for four minutes, when he saw a car coming up behind him and firmed both feet on the brake ready. BANG straight into the back of it. she said he 'stopped suddenly'.

gasoline_24 · October 22, 2009, 02:55:35 AM

Was his sudden stop before or after she rammed into the back of him?

69bronzeT5 · October 22, 2009, 06:10:57 PM

69bronzeT5 · October 22, 2009, 06:13:38 PM

69bronzeT5 · October 22, 2009, 06:17:23 PM

bordin34 · October 22, 2009, 06:18:19 PM

Such a shame, hope they throw the book at the drunk. Nice car though, I dont even see a spec of rust or bondo.

69bronzeT5 · October 22, 2009, 06:19:10 PM

69bronzeT5 · October 22, 2009, 06:21:38 PM

Last few. Guys, just a note...please keep the insurance/hate for the drunk posts down to a low. The owner said on FABO that the insurance company is investigating now so he dosen't want anyone to say the wrong thing. Apperentley somebody emailed some pictures to the company the guy works for before the owner of the car/insurance company could even get ahold of them.

ZSmithersCharges · October 22, 2009, 07:23:27 PM

Damn that guy was traveling

Crunched the whole back end like a frickin stick pretzel in a Rumke compactor and did the same to the front just from the force of hitting the back! Not only was he not paying attention he was speeding like a bat out of hell. What is there for the insurance to investigate? How many beers it must take to get so sh*t faced that driving a car seems like a good decision???

I done now, unless someone else stirs the pot as well, cause I could get p'd off about this all day. That was a lovely frickin car.

Steve P. · October 22, 2009, 11:19:20 PM

It's ALL a shame. I have to completely agree with Tom. I know pain and I know what never again being able to work means. I don't like all the lawsuits, but what happens to peoples lives after wrecks like that is awful. The drunk will go on to have another drink tomorrow while the father and son, (not being drunk), will more than likely have a lifetime of pain they did not cause.

PS. Tom, I need my neck cracked...

Mike DC · October 23, 2009, 12:44:47 AM

The car really did provide a mondern-like "crumple zone" fold up. Contrasts with that 1959 Chevy in the crash test clip (that looks rigged).

Tilar · October 23, 2009, 04:04:58 AM

Quote from: Mike DC (formerly miked) on October 23, 2009, 12:44:47 AM
Contrasts with that 1959 Chevy in the crash test clip (that looks rigged).

tan top · October 23, 2009, 06:09:19 AM

awwww man , thats a big wreck , glad every ones ok , real nice looking duster , what a way to end a great day out at a show

rt green · October 23, 2009, 06:19:15 AM

makes me sick just looking at the pics

Jon Smith · October 23, 2009, 07:23:21 AM

the passenger compartment held up pretty well....but i'd be interested to know if it was stock or had frame connectors fitted

The70RT · October 23, 2009, 08:06:18 AM

Good point

BB1 · October 23, 2009, 09:44:05 AM

Salvage what he can and find a rust free body. Looks like there are some good parts there.

News:

Duster totalled coming back from Fall Fling