Losses and Lessons: Safe Storage?
VEHICLE COVERED: 1966 Ford Mustang and 1961 Cadillac Deville
WHAT WENT WRONG: When you own a piece of automotive history that’s near and dear to your heart, it goes without saying that you want to keep it as safe as possible. Sadly, your car isn’t out of danger just because it’s parked inside a locked building.
For example, a 1966 Ford Mustang was all snug in its garage when a nearby shelf gave way and several cans of house paint tumbled to the floor. Two of the cans literally blew their tops when they hit the floor, spraying paint all over the sides and rear of the cherry-red vehicle.
And you’ve heard of a car hitting a deer. How ’bout a deer hitting a car… indoors? A 1961 Cadillac Deville was hibernating quietly inside its owner’s garage when a mounted trophy buck fell off the wall and crashed down on the Deville.
DAMAGE/LOSS: The Mustang was lucky in that the heavy paint cans didn’t actually hit the car. Even so, the paint splattered so far and wide that a complete repaint became necessary. Hagerty paid the client $4,553 to get the work done at the shop of their choice.
The Cadillac fared better, as the deer’s horns left scratches and dents in the passenger door that caused only $1,014 of damage, which Hagerty paid.
LESSON: Danger may be lurking inside your own locked garage – on storage shelves, in the rafters, even leaning against the wall. It’s important to think about any object that could get bumped, tipped or fall and cause damage to your collector vehicle, and move those objects a safe distance away. For extra protection, cover your car while it’s in storage.
