Last night on my way home my 89 Camaro caught fire and destroyed everything under the hood and dash. I did not have full coverage insurance and so will not get anything from the insurance company for it. Now I don't know what to do with it. The guy who towed it says he would buy it to part it out but I am not sure what would be a fair price for this. I hate to let it go for nothing but I also don't know that I want to take the time to tear it all down and part it out myself. Anybody have an idea?
Thanks.

 

post pics of the damage

 

Here are a few pictures of the damage. The guy that towed it to his yard said he would give me $300 and waive the $150 tow fee. I just don't know that I want to waste the time pulling off the parts that would be worth selling for a few hundred dollars.

 

Looks really bad to me. I hate to say it but I think I would let it go. Sorry.

 

Yeah, I think your car is toast.

 

gonna be totally up to you,

3-500 is what wrecked thirdgens sell for around here so i would think the offer to be fair

you may be able to squeeze him to $400 and drop the tow fee though

 

Damn, Do You Have Any Idea Of What Caused It.

 

Hate to see a convertible have a death like that. If it was just in the engine compartment you might rebuild but all the wiring under the dash make it not worth it.

 

I'd probably let him take it and start from scratch. If you take it home it may become just "yard art". Good luck!

 

Sorry for your loss.

Thats a great candidate for a complete 4th gen interior swap. harness and all.

Around here scrap cars go for $450

 

you could sell it to some one wanting to convert their own car to a vert.btw what condition is the top in?

 

Yeah looks like the from the doors back is descent. You could try to sell all the vert specific parts, part out what ever is left (not burnt). Then call take to the scrap yard. Round my area most cars bring about 250 dollars at salvage yard but its all based on weight. More you sell off of it the less it weighs.

 

Agree with Benc1. Although it's a little more work on your part, the doors ($100 a piece), tonneau cover ($150), trunk ($150) and convertible frame ($300) are worth keeping for selling on your own. Those prices are conservative. Check ebay, etc for what you think you could get for the parts, subtract the $150 and see if it makes sense. Also take into account your work and time, etc. Looks like a close call.

 

if the top is new and good condition,it alone is worth at least 500 if you figure it buying a new top and weatherstripping and having it installed.im assuming it will just bolt on to another car.

 

the vert parts are worth keeping it for me. I would find a place to store it and find you another car. so you will have a car for hard to find parts. they always want make them. just my 2 cents but I wouldnt try to fix it.

 

Man that really sucks. I think I would cry. Sorry this happened man.

I need a window weather strip for above the door on passenger side if you decide to keep it and part it, or just wanna pop it out before you sell it to the tow driver.

 

Bummer dude - Let it go, parting it out takes time and is a PITA, messy and forget it if you dont have time.

Sorry.

 

If it were mine I would find a parts car and get a dash and engine harness and some front end sheet metal. Vert harness and t-top-hard top harnesses are about the same. If you part it out you are doing the same job anyway except for putting it back together. If you found a complete parts car it would make the job much easier.

 

If you have the cash to go buy a DD then stick it in your driveway and hang on to it. A couple years down the road and you may have the money to find the right parts car. If you love the car and its your passion, then don't make the same mistake I did and let your car go.

 

Before you let it go off to the scrap yard answer me this, do you want another 3rd gen? If so, then keep the car and either rebuild it or use it as a donor. I lost my 85 Z28 a long time ago and regretted getting rid of it everyday for the next 10 years.

If you do decide to let it go I wouldn't settle for less than $500-$1000 since rust free 3rd gens are rare here in the Midwest.

 

I have been out for a while and just got back on here. I ended up selling it to the salvage yard for $450. Just didn't have the heart to spend any more time on it. It appeared that the fuel filter or fuel line broke and shot gas all over everything and that was the cause. My next one will have a fire extinguisher mounted somewhere. Going to be a while before I start another one though.

 

I would keep this car. going just by what I see in the 2 images, it can be fixed cheaply from junk yard parts. If I where you, I would get a fender here and there until you have all the parts needed (just looks like a new front end).

Start by pulling and junking that engine + wiring. I used this EZ harness in my build, it's cheaper and just as good as any other
http://www.ezwiring.com/wiring_harness.html

Pick-N-Pull Fenders = $13
Pick-N-Pull bumper cover = $23
Pick-N-Pull hood = $ 60
EZ wire 21 circuit harness = $200 (this is both a body and engine harness)
... or you can get a junkyard harness for $35

I'm sorry but $300 is not enough to get rid of it, if you do all of the work yourself it wouldn't cost too much more than that to make a nice shell. My Top alone cost more than $300.

If you part it out, you will still have to pay to get rid of the shell... so to me, that's no better than the $300 deal Mr Truck driver is giving you. If you fell that the difference between $300 and $900 is too much, get rid of it asap!

 

Sorry for your loss man. Do you the number to the junk yard you sold it to? I would like to buy the tonneau solenoids. Thanks

 

$150 Where did he tow it to California? I would PART IT OUT!!!! Not worth repairing. I know this will hurt but why did you not have Hagerty Ins.? I pay $380 for the year and a total loss value of $15000 on each of my Verts. 4 bolts and the top comes right out and could fetch about $500 plus all the other goodies. If you find another vert you may need those parts at some point.

 

$150 for "cop called tow" is cheap !
Heck here in the Syracuse NY area if you get popped for DWI,
accident, no insurance, bad plates or any other serious violation while in your car its gonna cost around $500 for "cop called tow" from the scumbag tow operator for the tow, daily impound and storage fees.

Heck...........If you break down on the NYS Thruway (rt 90) its $375 bucks to tow you to the nearest EXIT and drop your car !!!!!!!!
THEN you have to pay another tow thief to take your car from there!
PLUS you have to pay the thruway toll to boot!

Ain't that a kick in the ***** when your down!

Yea....My $90 bucks a year AAA membership is worth it!

BTW: It sucks to hear about your car!

 

You are right neighbor.

I was trying to be optimistic. LOL You got the Scumbag part right. They must learn from our **** Scumbag Governor.

 

LOL!

Whats funny is my bud who owns the local garage would charge
$50 cash for a local tow or winch out..............

 

as converts are getting rare to find I would fix it, but thats just me. I could find everything to fix that in a few junk yards IMO

 

Hanging my head and hearing "taps" playing in the background. So sorry this happened.

Unibody convertible car that has been heated to that point on the suspension area? I wouldn't try to fix it. Metal has been weakened. If you see what vert parts go for here you really shouldn't have sold it for that cheap without stripping some of the high demand parts first. You could have gotten much more than that and had the rest of the body to sell for scrap ($10 per 100 lb around here)