<VV> Just got the 28, 000 mile Corsa dropped off - good news/bad news.

[chaz at properproper.com]

Paul,

Too bad about that decklid !  If the damage is only to replacable parts
it my not be worth fighting them, but if they damaged the car, they owe
you to fix it.
You just have to prove that they damaged it.

Where was the car stored for all that time ?  Did you (or anyone)
inspect the car BEFORE it was shipped ?

At first it sounded like someone did not understand how to open a
Corvair deck lid and tried to pry it open ? (I once watched a RCMP
destroy a new Lincoln prying the door open rather than pop the door
button, which I did, and the door  opened easily.  One angry Mounty !)

Another explanation could be that they (either the storage or shipping
people) dropped the car or jammed the rear of the car when "packing" it,
and the lid edge caught on something on its way down, ripping the lid
latch out ?

Do you have any everidence that it was NOT damaged when they got it
(it's a knee-jerk reaction for mechanics and such to automatically
respond, "It was that way when I got it" knowing that most times the
owner can't prove otherwise.
Can't you prove it was NOT "that way" when they got it ?

Is there any damage to the underside of the rear lip, especially paint
smears or something that might identify what did the damage ?

Match the paint or indentations to whatever could have caused the
damage.

You have to prove that they did the damage, so some evidence might help.

Good luck !
Charlie


> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: <VV> Just got the 28, 000 mile Corsa dropped off - good
> news/bad news.
> From: psergeant <paulsgt at earthlink.net>
> Date: Wed, April 20, 2011 8:29 pm
> To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
> 
> 
> Good evening.
> I first saw this car almost 3-years ago and haven't seen it since.  I finally bought it last summer and due to divorce, selling my home of nearly 20 years and moving my car stuff from Minnesota to Kansas, I was finally able to get the car.  So I had it shipped from way up in Northern MN, to Kansas.  It arrived today.  This is a beautiful, virgin, un-molested all original solid, straight and complete car.  The original paint still shines but needs some buffing. (It's a red 66 Corsa coupe 140/4 with black interior)
> 
> So first the bad news...
> Somehow, the deck lid was opened quite violently. So violently that it the pivot pin on the lid support at the lid end was ripped out of the hole and is gone.  The lid was pushed forward (open) so hard that the front edge of the deck lid dented the air grill and bent the hinge supports such that the lid doesn't close properly.  (it is now very tight up against the air grill).  I have had initial conversations with the shipping broker and he said "they cannot be responsible for mechanical failure of my car".  I am going to continue to pursue the shipper/broker.  Anyone have comments/thoughts on what the liability is to the shipper(?)
> 
> The good news... I was pretty sure the engine was stuck.  In fact, I used that to get a good price on the car.  However,  I hadn't put a wrench on it, I just tried turning the engine by hand with the belt.  Today, I put a wrench on the harmonic balancer bolt and was able to turn the engine easily.  My plan is now to take the plugs out, pour some oil in the cylinders and turn the engine over several times before I try to actually start it.  I will probably drain the fuel tank and put fresh gas in.  The brakes seem to be plenty hard but I should plan to rebuild the hydraulics before driving it extensively.   Any other thoughts on what else I should do before I start it?
> 
> Happy Vair-ing!
> 
> Paul Sergeant
> 65 Monza Convertible (110/PG)
> 61 Pontiac Tempest Safari Wagon
> 66 Corsa Coupe (140/4 - 28,860 orig. miles)
> 
> CORSA since 1975
> Member - Corvair Minnesota, CORSA, POCI, Little Indians
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