1969 Z28 X33 fire damaged

[Kevin K]

Hi all, I am new to the forum but have been a long time lurker that has learned a lot from you guys.  I have a 1969 Z28 that I bought frame off restored to a number 1 car.  The car is an eastern washington car(dry climate no rust).  I have owned the car for four years and have been completing the date coding on the car.  The car is garnett red with the ivory interior which is rare color combo.  The car has been completely date coded including the YH wheels.  The engine has the correct winter's manifold along with the Holley dz780.  The distributor, alternator, starter have been restored by Jerry McNeish.
Anyway, now to the bad.  I was getting the car out of its winter storage place in my shop.  I pulled the car out and let it idle in front of the shop while I backed my truck into that bay, and proceeded to change the oil in my truck while the Z warmed up. I had the shop door closed because the car's exhaust is a tear jerker, and it was hot outside.  I heard a faint horn coming from outside so I went outside and found flames coming out the windows.  Long story short fire too big to put out and after 7 minutes fire dept. was there and put it out.  After 3 weeks the insurance company totaled the car.  I bought the car back and now it has a branded title.  I really don't think I can redo the car because it makes me just sick to look at it, and it was in the paper so everyone knows and everywhere I go people want to talk about it.  So, back in 2011 Walter Blair from Blair Collector car appraisals had the car valued at $100k.  He went all over the car verifying authenticity.  He did a very nice
thourough appraisal of the car along with pictures and documentation on all numbers of the date coded components. 

[Kevin K]

Continued,  So now after the fire the interior was completely gutted, looks like the fire maybe started in wiring on driver side.  The front and rear of car look good.  The trunk lid is fine.  The hood is warped, but people that have looked say engine should be fine.  Under car is still just as clean as before, and wheels and tires are fine.  I want the car to go to someone that can fix it, I don't want to part it.  Like I said previously all numbers matching drivetrain and correct date coded components.  The cowl tag on firewall melted also but the VIN is still there by dash.  The appraisal shows what the cowl tag said along with pictures.  All in all this is a heart breaker.  So could you guys please help me in deciding what it is worth.  The car is in Oregon.  Also can the metal be saved after it had fire?

[camaro jock]

We like pictures, and that would help a lot, sorry about your car it sounds like one of the good ones, Darrell

[Kevin K]

We like pictures, and that would help a lot, sorry about your car it sounds like one of the good ones, Darrell
[/quote 
Thanks Darrell.   I have been trying to post a picture and am having problems with it being to large?  I even tried posting from my phone.   Any clues as to what I'm doing wrong?

[z28z11]

Go on line and download Light Image Resizer - you can then re size to any that you need to transmit (600 X 480 works), and/or simply save the image as a .jpg file, which will downsize most image files (tif's, etc) to a much smaller format. I had the same problem with my iPhone pics, the resolution of the camera is tremendous, which causes a very large file content (usually greater than an MB).

Works for me -

[Kevin K]

Thanks a lot.

[ZLP955]

Kevin,
Sad story for sure, I can only imagine how you must feel to see that beautiful car go up in flames.....
Now there are a couple of things I'd suggest:
1) if you get the software recommended earlier, please post some pictures of the car, damaged and undamaged areas so we can comment on what looks rescuable (is that a proper word?) and what probably isn't.
2) as for current value, the truth is likely to be that the parts are worth more individually than as a complete car. But a good ballpark place to start may be the valuation that your insurance company put on the wreck i.e. what you bought it back for. If they paid out the appraised or agreed value as a total loss, then they know what it was worth and would have tried to recoup as much of that as they could.
3) people are probably only asking after the car because nobody wants to see a previously-beautiful classic in a sorry state.
4) you obviously enjoyed the car, and while it may be unpleasant to look at it as it sits today, as a number-matching car, it deserves to be returned to it's previous condition (as you said). Have you thought about getting it professionally restored, more costly that you doing it, but you won't have to put yourself through tearing it all down and doing it again.
Hope this helps, and look forward to pictures!

[ZLP955]

Meant to add in above post, can a "branded" title (don't know what that is, being overseas) become a full clear title if the vehicle is rebuilt and passes inspection, or does it always remain on that type of title regardless?

[BULLITT65]

It always remains. I believe it is equal to a salvage title.

An over seas purchase may be a good idea, they may not care about the change in title

[Kevin K]

I sold it locally to a guy that is going to fix it.  He restores cars and has most of the parts to fix it. I tried yesterday for hours to post pictures unsuccessfully.  I ended up doing well I think on car because I came out 10k ahead of what I bought the car back from insurance company.  There salvage price was really low.

[ZLP955]

You move fast Kevin - from "what's it worth?" to "sold" in a smidge over 24 hours!

[tom]

There are many free download tools to edit photos.  I usually start by cropping (trimming) off background if it's not important.  Then resize to about 800 pixels by whatever. I let the software choose the other side but always check the box to keep the original aspect ratio so the pic is not distorted.  That should get you to a size you can post. If that doesn't work, email the pics, and I will eventually get them posted.