Crunch

[Rattie]

Now we get to see how damage gets fixed on a Caterham. Came back to GRR after about 10 mins in PC World to find a CLC-class had backed into the rear of the car, shunting it about a metre forward and pushing the fog light into the panel. At least the CLC driver left her card in the driver's seat. PC World had shut with us in it a couple of mins after we arrived, so she couldn't find us.

 

Not quite the right shape

 

At least the cats didn't have to see it, they were drying from a ride in the washing machine.

 

The panel is creased and has impressions of the frame work "ironed" into it, and the bttom rail is curved up gently due to the panel pulling it upwards. I'm assuming we'll have to take it up to see Bruce at some point and have the frame bent back and a new panel fitted. Then we'll need to get it repainted.

 

Is that about right?

 

Martyn

^_R300GRR

[spiderlane]

Ouch, sorry to hear that Martyn. Hope you manage to get it sorted without too much drama. What a shame though after only a few weeks on the road :(

[jeffi]

Gutting you must be mad

 

The other driver probably didn't see it as the colour blends into the surroundings!

[Rattie]

Yeah it's a bugger, though I'm mostly not looking forward to all the shunting about, and rebuild work that I imagine we'll have to do.

 

Mark, we've been on the road since April, so it's not that bad. Hopefully it won't mess up our blat calendar too badly. And I thought fitting in a diff replacement was going to be a juggle.

 

edit: worth noting that I will never park behind a high backed car like a CLC again if I can possibly avoid it.

 

Martyn

^_R300GRR

 

Edited by - Rattie on 3 Aug 2010 22:35:35

[rj]

Well,

 

 

At least the driver of the CLC was decent enough to leave her card

 

Always a bugger to have to fix someone elses "work" on your own car though. Good luck.

[Golf Juliet Tango]

Bad news.

Sorry to hear it.

 

_{Democratic dissent is not disloyalty, it is a positive civic duty.}

[MartinH]

Oh bu&&er

 

Sorry to hear that Martyn.

 

Did the tank avoid getting bent?

 

Duratec R300 SV Build Pics

[Rattie]

yes, the tank is fine. Fine that is apart from the slight dishing that you had in extremis. I noticed the rear face was slightly sucked in while I was checking it over.

 

I'm going down to see Dave K at Taylor's Foundry tomorrow morning to get a proper estimate and the assessor from her insurers will be having his look on friday. So things are progressing far quicker than I expected.

 

Martyn

^_R300GRR

[Windy Corner]

Martyn,

 

I am assuming you will be going through their insurance ??

 

My rear end was sorted out by CCM, they stripped it, the chassis went to Steel Fabs, reskinned & Painted locally. CCM then reassembled.

 

The 3rd party insurer admitted liability, sent their engineer round who agreed that it was a "specialist" reapir & CCM invoiced their insurance direct

 

Shouldn't need to go through your own insurer, if they have admitted liability.

 

Rik

 

Roadsport SV 1.6 Sigma 150

in Viper Blue here

[Andy Lef]

☹️

I was subject to a similar incident last year. Dented, creased and torn rear skin.. took it to 7 workshop after agreeing with the insuance company of the guy who reversed into me that it was a specialist job and I wanted the car returned to standard. They were quick to realise that there were not too many '7' experts around and allowed me to choose my own garage. 7 Wksp were excellent and used Arch and TSk for all the repairs having prep'd the car for each of them. Clearly money was not an issue as the other party had accepted liability. Only the best was good enough.

 

My advice make their insuance company pay for the best option available and that's got to be whoever caterham themselves use, don't let them squirm out of giving you service a specialist car requires.

 

if you need more assist drop me a BM.

 

Andy

 

Edited by - Andy Lef on 4 Aug 2010 19:32:09

[Garth]

Martyn

Really sorry to see this ☹️. No doubt you will get it sorted, just a pain!

Have sent you mail about those bigheads!

Garth

 

atlast

[manningpaul]

 

Martyn,

 

Sorry that you have to endure this but as most of the other people say let Caterham or some other specialist company do all the leg work.

 

My father (Caterham S3 Lotus Twin Cam) shunted into the back of mine coming back from the Kit Car Show a couple of years ago, his had to be recovered, but I was able to drive mine to Millwood who trailered it up to Arch. When it came back they used a local spray shop to repaint the new rear skin, which didn't mask it up properly, otherwise fine.

 

The only shock was when I saw the invoice they sent to my Fathers insurers .

 

Hope you manage to get it sorted.

 

Regards Paul.

 

[Rattie]

GRR is somewhere in the process of being mended. Took the car down to TF Motorsport on Monday morning. They're hoping to have it finished by the weekend.

 

This is the last view we had of GRR

 

 

 

Martyn

^_R300GRR