Russo Steel carnage pics

[speedfreak68]

I guess they put these cars under a tent and then the tent collapsed. I found this on lateral-g. some pretty sad stuff...
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/pictures?userid={3AEA5700-4E55-4D1C-B247-A413521421C2}&inv=0D32321D1D5460A&userid={3AEA5700-4E55-4D1C-B247-A413521421C2}&inv=0D32321D1D5460A

[bull]

Bad news. Did you see pics 90 and 91? Flattened the windshield frame on that Hemi Cuda covertible. Same with the Roadrunner in pics 110 and 111. Several other windshield frames got it too. That guy driving out while trying to see through the shattered windshield of his busted Mustang doesn't look at all happy. Looks like the Tucker convertible escaped unharmed though.

[resq302]

Wonder if Russo's insurance would cover those cars that got damaged?

[Aero426]

Wonder if Russo's insurance would cover those cars that got damaged?

Only if you could prove they were negligent.     Otherwise the insurance coverage lies with whomever owns the car at that time.   

[Todd Wilson]

Seen several cars full of bondo................



Todd

[kidsixpack]

I looked at every picture which I'm sure that most of you did.  Made me remember just how much I love all cars!  I have a question for you body guys.  Some of the cars with rather minor damage seem to have the paint flaked or shipped right off.  Why do some cars do that and some don't.  Is it something simple like properly prepairing prior to paint or is there  more to it?  If a new car gets a dent it doesn't flake off.
KID

[Aero426]

I looked at every picture which I'm sure that most of you did.  Made me remember just how much I love all cars!  I have a question for you body guys.  Some of the cars with rather minor damage seem to have the paint flaked or shipped right off.  Why do some cars do that and some don't.  Is it something simple like properly prepairing prior to paint or is there  more to it?  If a new car gets a dent it doesn't flake off.
KID

It's tough to match the adhesion of paint properly applied at the factory.    On a repaint, there is the prep factor, how thick it the top coats are, did they mix product systems, conditions when it was sprayed - any number of things. 

[A383Wing]

I heard from a guy who was there...they say $10M in insurance claims

[Todd Wilson]

While there were many many high end cars there damaged and it all is very sad to see   but at looking at those photos it looks like there were several hunks of crap all slicked up hoping for a high dollar auction sale.  I wonder how many quality cars were really there.


Todd

[mopar73]

That was painfull to look at

[71ChallengeHer]

Poor cars 

[tan top]

That was painfull to look at

sad sites !! there were some awesome cars there by the looks of it     

[DodgeByDave]

Of course it's a can of worms anytime you involve the lawyers, I ain't one and I have no idea what the statutes are in Arizona. I do know that civil courts are a much different animal than the criminal courts.

According to my sister (lawyer in Florida) that with the youtube videos and the deal of not letting anyone in until they had cleaned up the damage, R&S will get hammered in court......IF this was in Florida. She has fun with the aspect of "failure is proof of negligence". Lawyers.

Of course I wasn't there, But I have read several descriptions of damage done by the clean up, I believe that on one of the mopar boards it was described as "when removing the tent, the canvas snagged on the running board and tore off the running board and the fender".

If I was Russo and Steel, and I wanted to keep having auctions that people attended, I would make everyone happy very soon. Anyone that isn't happy, has a case.

[resq302]

That is why I said in my previous post questioning who would ultimately be responsible for the damage.  Since the tent caused the damage to a lot of the cars, I would say that Russo/Steele would have to pay since it was their function or facility.  If you are in a building and part of it collapses on you, the property owner is liable.  I can't see that the auction company would not have any kind of insurance  let alone liability insurance for something such as this that might have happened.

[Aero426]

According to my sister (lawyer in Florida) that with the youtube videos and the deal of not letting anyone in until they had cleaned up the damage, R&S will get hammered in court......IF this was in Florida. She has fun with the aspect of "failure is proof of negligence". Lawyers.

It is important to note that the FIRE MARSHALL was the authority who denied access to the facility until Saturday, not the auction company.  

[Aero426]

That is why I said in my previous post questioning who would ultimately be responsible for the damage.  Since the tent caused the damage to a lot of the cars, I would say that Russo/Steele would have to pay since it was their function or facility.  If you are in a building and part of it collapses on you, the property owner is liable.  I can't see that the auction company would not have any kind of insurance  let alone liability insurance for something such as this that might have happened.

Again, those who sue will have to prove that the auction company was negilgent.    Tents of that size   100' x 800' were signed off by the local authorities prior to the event.   As I see it, sueing the company over an Act of God may be not be easy to prevail.   They got the people out of the tents ahead of time, which shows they acted responsibly towards the situation.    

This is really, really unfortunate.  I feel for the owners.   But I don't know how it could have been much different.   A Barrett-Jackson exec posted on Moparts that the winds at the Russo site were 50 mph over and above what they experienced at Barrett-Jackson a short distance away.  

[Charger-Bodie]

That is why I said in my previous post questioning who would ultimately be responsible for the damage.  Since the tent caused the damage to a lot of the cars, I would say that Russo/Steele would have to pay since it was their function or facility.  If you are in a building and part of it collapses on you, the property owner is liable.  I can't see that the auction company would not have any kind of insurance  let alone liability insurance for something such as this that might have happened.

Again, those who sue will have to prove that the auction company was negilgent.    Tents of that size   100' x 800' were signed off by the local authorities prior to the event.   As I see it, sueing the company over an Act of God may be not be easy to prevail.   They got the people out of the tents ahead of time, which shows they acted responsibly towards the situation.    

This is really, really unfortunate.  I feel for the owners.   But I don't know how it could have been much different.   A Barrett-Jackson exec posted on Moparts that the winds at the Russo site were 50 mph over and above what they experienced at Barrett-Jackson a short distance away.  

This can be somewhat of a double edged sword.....They may have accepted responsibility by doing the right thing and ushering out the people for their safety.

[DodgeByDave]

Crazier lawsuits have prevailed, some with more merit have lost. Who knows?

One thing I figure is for sure, with an est. 10m large in damages there will be lawyers all over it. If not from the individuals then from the insurance companies.

[bull]

Video of a tent going down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqAnXEOSLHw&feature=related

How much of the Barrett Jackson auction takes place outdoors? I have to wonder about the wisdom of storing this much classic iron outside in January - even in AZ.

Here's video shot by a Porsche owner (parked next to a 70 GL) who looks to have dodged the bullet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzmFyCBxJP0&feature=related

Another by the same guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQzhZwSqfHk&feature=related

[Aero426]

How much of the Barrett Jackson auction takes place outdoors? I have to wonder about the wisdom of storing this much classic iron outside in January - even in AZ.

The majority of the cars at B-J are in tents outside.     Some smaller high end collector car auctions are held at hotels where cars can be inside the parking structure.   Russo Steele had this setup a few years ago.   But when you expand and get close to 1000 cars to sell, being inside is a problem. 

[MichaelRW]

I have to believe all consignors had to sign a release of liability form to get their cars entered.