Ouch!

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

How do you go about fixing banged-in aluminum like that? Do you cut it out? Heat it up and whack it somehow?

While I'm not one of the experts at Kirkham, I think that's about right. I'm aware of a Kirkham, which had some minor accident damage, that I believe was cut out, new piece or pieces welded back in and then smoothed into shape. You couldn't tell anything had happened, unless of course, you looked underneath where it may have shown some seams. Assuming, I recall the info correctly.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

You couldn't tell anything had happened, unless of course, you looked underneath where it may have shown some seams.

Does California recognize diminution of value claims?

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Does California recognize diminution of value claims?

Wouldn't that also happen with fiberglass, when viewed from underneath? I remember people at Corvette shows constantly checking for seams under my Corvette.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Wouldn't that also happen with fiberglass, when viewed from underneath? I remember people at Corvette shows constantly checking for seams under my Corvette.

On my car I can't tell that there's been any repair (and I know where to look too). In fact, if I were told to find the ding in the fiberglass on my car by looking underneath, I would guess that it's somewhere other than where it really is. If, after the repair is performed, you can tell that a repair has been performed, then the OP is entitled to a diminution of value payment (in my book, at least), because the car is not the same, and never will be.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by patrickt

If, after the repair is performed, you can tell that a repair has been performed, then the OP is entitled to a diminution of value payment (in my book, at least), because the car is not the same, and never will be.

Some interesting case law reading on this subject for all 50 states here:

http://www.mwl-law.com/CM/Resources/...imuinution.pdf

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

On my car I can't tell that there's been any repair (and I know where to look too). In fact, if I were told to find the ding in the fiberglass on my car by looking underneath, I would guess that it's somewhere other than where it really is. If, after the repair is performed, you can tell that a repair has been performed, then the OP is entitled to a diminution of value payment (in my book, at least), because the car is not the same, and never will be.

I don't disagree with you about the diminution of value, and I'm not an alloy expert, but isn't seaming aluminum the manner in which a Kirkham is built when it's built in Poland?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

I don't disagree with you about the diminution of value, and I'm not an alloy expert, but isn't seaming aluminum the manner in which a Kirkham is built when it's built in Poland?

Believe it or not, you have stumbled in to an area that I know absolutely nothing about. But if this was my car, I would give the Kirkham bros. the exact same instructions that I gave Connecticut Custom -- "make the car look exactly like it did when it was first built." I'm sure the Kirkham bros. can do it, it'll just cost a good bit. But in my book, the owner of the BMW should pay for all of those repairs.

[thudmaster]

Rodknock, they did a number of free repairs at the WSCB. I sat on a stool and watched the magic. Not on mine cause it was spf.