1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

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Total votes: 11

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VWNate1
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Re: 1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

Post by VWNate1 »

Wow ~

So glad you're O.K. ~ be aware that muscle / joint damages often take a few days + to show up .

That's really a shame about the car but the main thing is : YOU are O.K. .

Best begin now documenting how rate it is and every receipt you've spent on it for when they try to gass you on it's value .

I have a really good , tenacious Lawyer if you need to go that route .
-Nate
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whitebuffalo
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Re: 1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

Post by whitebuffalo »

VWNate1 wrote:
I have a really good , tenacious Lawyer if you need to go that route .

I might have to to get a good settlement from the at fault party's insurance. I know I have an agreed value with my insurance, however, the other driver was at fault and should have to pay for the whole thing as well as medical and paint and suffering.
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Steve Simmons
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Re: 1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

Post by Steve Simmons »

I have some experience here. My MGA was hit a couple years ago, while parked in a structure. The damage was about $7K. I fought with the other guy's insurance company for several weeks and they absolutely refused to pay more than about $2,300. Finally I called my insurance company (Grundy) and they said I should have called them from the start, that they would pay me immediately and go after the other guy's company themselves for reimbursement. I think you can safely call that car a total loss as far as repair cost goes, so your company should pay you the full value amount, and then offer to sell it back to you at a substantial discount. Be sure to tell both companies to NOT issue a total loss claim. Once they issue a salvage title, that VIN number can never return to the road. They aren't allowed to total the car without your consent but they will do it anyway, and then it will be too late. Make it very, very clear that you don't want it totaled.
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whitebuffalo
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Re: 1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

Post by whitebuffalo »

Thanks Steve,

Good to know. I am sure the car is totaled, not economically feasible to try to fix it. The parts would be nice to retain in case I ever find another Innocenti Mini. The structure is toast for sure. Would be HUGE surgery to try and fix it and probably wouldn't ever be the same. I already contacted my insurer, Hagerty, and they are doing their process. Will see in the convening weeks how it unfolds.
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Ural Solo Motos , old Honda 90 CC Tiddlers
Location: Sunny So. Cal. , land of fruits , nuts & flakes

Re: 1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

Post by VWNate1 »

A minor correction here :

Salvage title in no way precludes putting any vehicle back on the road again .

It will usually preclude getting full coverage insurance but the DMV won't care and will issue tags again as soon as it passes brake, light and if applicable smog tests .

No if's and nor but's here ~ Salvage Reconstruct was my bread and butter for decades .

I hope you work this out in your favor , maybe get another shell and rebuild it using your Innocenti parts ? .

I don't know if the shells were different or what .
-Nate
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Steve Simmons
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Re: 1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

Post by Steve Simmons »

You're right, they can be returned to the road with enough effort but they will never have a clean title again. They will instead be issued a salvage title, which scares away most buyers and insurance agents. Best to take all measures to not allow them to send the claim to the total loss department. They did that with my '67 BGT and thankfully I called the total loss representative before he had filed the paperwork with the DMV.
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Re: 1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

Post by Larry Kluss »

Wow. Very glad you were not seriously hurt. Obviously, that could have been much worse. So sorry about your prized mini. I would be heart-broken, too. :(
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whitebuffalo
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Re: 1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

Post by whitebuffalo »

VWNate1 wrote:

I hope you work this out in your favor , maybe get another shell and rebuild it using your Innocenti parts ? .

I don't know if the shells were different or what .

The Innocenti Minis had similar shells to their British counterparts, however much of the stuff bolted to it was different, so I could find a 1970's shell and transfer the stuff off the Inno to the other shell. The Inno shells were stronger due to more welds per inch and really good sound deadening. I do have a 1960 Mini shell that I could build, but it has different doors to the Innocenti. Still , could build a bitchin early Mini with the awesome motor from the Inno.

Larry Kluss wrote:Wow. Very glad you were not seriously hurt. Obviously, that could have been much worse. So sorry about your prized mini. I would be heart-broken, too. :(

I am heart broken, this car made me feel so happy when I drove it. Great power, sophisticated Italian styling and great original car.


As for the car, definitely no way the original car could be fixed economically. The shell is twisted and major surgery would need to resurrect it and there is no guarantee that it would ever be the same.
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whitebuffalo
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Location: Lancaster, Ca
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Re: 1972 Innocenti Mini Cooper 1300

Post by whitebuffalo »

Just a little update, ascertained that the fire was caused by the clutch reservoir bursting and the fluid being sprayed over the exhaust which caught fire. Also, buy back is a mere $100 so very good for that! No contact from the other guy's insurance, even though I have called twice! Will hopefully see what the other insurance will offer to compensate, if not enough then I can fall back on my insurance and then go after the other for due compensation.
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