Got the news from the insurance co (State Farm) they are considering the claim to be a total loss.  Not surprising, really.

They are offering the NADA "good condition" value for the van, which is $3,125.  I actually think that's pretty fair for a GL vanagon with over 200K miles.

I can buy it back for the salvage value of $325 and try to repair it.  The question I now have is am I better off shopping for another solid van, maybe one with a blown engine or drivetrain, and transplant parts, or trying to hammer out/weld and or bondo the damage on my current van.

Thoughts?  Anyone have any leads on a potential candidate for the "replace/transplant" plan?  I am located in Indiana, would consider picking up/towing from anywhere in the midwest or mid-south.

Allan
--
1991 Vanagon GL

On Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:55 -0400, "Allan Streib" <streib@cs.indiana.edu> wrote:
> Wife hit another car from behind in my '91 GL.  No injuries, thankfully.
> The impact was largely just above the bumper on the driver's side.  It
> doesn't look TOO bad, but the steering is binding pretty badly.  I'm
> guessing the steering box up front was damaged, or there's some crushed
> sheet metal interfering with it.  Also the driver's door has been bumped
> a bit out of place though it will still open and close.  The door itself
> is undamaged; the damage appears to be confined to the front nose sheet
> metal.
>
> The van is a high-miler (over 200K) but no rust and in pretty good shape.
>  I've put in a new steering rack, ball joints, radius rod bushings,
> shifter linkage kits, fuel hoses, gas tank vents, and misc. other work
> over the past year.
>
> Wondering how much work it would be to cut off the front nose (or maybe
> just the left half of it) and replace it?  I have a welder and though I'm
> not very experienced at it am willing to give it a try.
>
> Is there likely to be any other structural distortion?  I know the front
> ends of these vans are pretty strong, so hoping it's repairable.
>
> I can post photos later today.
>
> Allan
> --
> 1991 Vanagon GL