Tree fell on my car... Car battered and bruised... Roof not good at all.... What to do...?

Two parts to this question. i) I need a new roof - the frame is a mess, the (once lovely) mohair hood is salvageable. What’s the best way to go about replacing the whole thing. I’ve see many hoods for sale and a couple of frames… but not the two together…!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /><o:p></o:p>In the interim I’ve ‘gently’ eased the frame back into shape. So now I can drive around without a roof in my left ear…<o:p></o:p>http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/mikefromguildford/CarBranch#<o:p></o:p>
Second part of this post… My car’s a 1994 Mk1 Roadster 1.8i S, much loved. Insurance co will certainly write it off and I don’t want to lose the car… but what sort of money would they offer for a (formally) very tidy example, low miles. What are my likely options?
On inspection the tree did more damage than just crush the roof and I’m now not sure if this is a lost cause… [:(]<o:p></o:p>
Any advice gratefully received G’fordMike[B]

OUCH…What a bummer…Gladly nobody was sitting in it at the time.

I would get hold of a cheap replacement frame. A new mohair hood is £260 fitted at Jack Smiths Swansea.

Then work out what repairs to the car you can do yourself & get an estimate for those you cant from a friendly local repairer.

Once you have haggled the best price from your insurer you will then know if it`s worth keeping or not.

Best of luck [Y]

 Ouch! There’s one on eBay right now
 
Linky

 Whoops!! glad no one was hurt, DIY repairs I reckon. Local bodyshop etc—

[quote user="DavesBRG5"]

I would get hold of a cheap replacement frame. A new mohair hood is £260 fitted at Jack Smiths Swansea.

[/quote]
I’m looking at breakers and on ebay to try and source at least the frame, then I’ll let Jack Smiths do the rest… I don’t fancy trying to put a new hood on myself, leave that to the pros. But any idea how easy/difficult it is to get the frame on the car? Would JS be able to do that I wonder?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /><o:p></o:p>

200+ miles away and he won’t damn well post it to me…![::(]

 

 That e bay one is only 90 miles, just down the road really
 
ps, If I read the add right, he’ll fit it for £50?

How’d I miss that one… that might just be the answer…

 
Unbolt rain rail, unbolt frame at the bottom of the B-pillar and the roof just lifts off. Easy.

Sounds like the sort of DIY I can manage. Will keep an eye on the ebay hood+frame. Shame it’s not mohair but right now I just need a roof! Cheers for that!

 Depending if this is your only car; its not really possible to transport an extra frame in a MX5. I did once; luckily it was a dry day and I had a rollbar to szecure it to. Its really quite heavy, and has lots of pointy bits ready to scratch paintwork, scratch dashboards and rip seats.

Might just have the answer for you!

 Stilletto rebel has just killed the engine on his RED mk1 and is stripping it for parts. He has a newish roof etc on it and is only in Basingstoke!

Hes holding a De-tech day on 21st Feb so why not contact him and pop along and see how easy it is to remove and make him an offer for the roof or at least the frame?

 

See here…

http://www.planetmx5.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3742&highlight

Good luck sorting the roof out soon.Not exactly MX5 related more roof related, years ago my dad bought a Fiat 127 Sport of a woman believe it or not a horse had fallen on the roof !!!

That would be a site[H]

It’s either £30 postage or £30 petrol, given the recent weather maybe the home delivery option is best… Actually, given the recent weather maybe best I get it fitted there and then!

Currently at home nursing an old rib injury aggravated by some over-zealous DIY on the roof over the w/e…
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /><o:p></o:p>So the roof is now looking more roof like and you guys have given me options as to where and how to replace. Two more questions for you…
 
<o:p></o:p>i) Does anyone know of a good local firm that can sort out a dent like this… http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/mikefromguildford/CarBranch#5299391442631307730 and a dent like this… http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/mikefromguildford/CarBranch#5299391420909116370 and a series of smaller dents on the boot and maybe even a cracked bumper?
 
<o:p></o:p>ii) Apart from the collapsed roof and all the dents my other concern is the hefty impact my car took slap bang in the middle above the windscreen as illustrated here… http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/mikefromguildford/CarBranch#5299391420909116370 and here… http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/mikefromguildford/CarBranch#5300123577277933394. This knock took the rear view mirror clean off and I fear has actually bent the frame ever-so-slightly… Should I be worried? Is it terminal?
 
<o:p></o:p>I don’t want to go through my insurance co as it will be a write-off and I don’t really want people prodding and poking. I could buy the car back from them though…? Is this the best option given the above? I’m not experienced in the ‘tree fell on my car, but I want to keep my car’ department…!<o:p></o:p>

 G’day Mike
Can’t help with bodyshops near you, but the dint above the windscreen doesn’t look fatal. I reckon that if any real damage had been done to the top rail the windscreen would have popped. So maybe a job for chips away or whoever? 

I’ve now fixed the rear view mirror back in place and pieced together (what I could find of) the hood handle (!)

But I swear the top rail looks bent!

 

Anyone have a wind deflector going spare?![Y] Mine’s bent and broken. Damn you tree!

Cheers for sending my in stilletto_rebel's direction, he was good enough to drop the frame off for me, now the fun starts…[:P]