Fire Damage?

[teknomad-SKO]

I'm looking at a fairly decent bus, that was burnt out due to a fire inside.

The windows are destroyed, but i would be removing/replacing those anyway. There will obviously be paint issues, etc. The fire seems to have only destroyed the inside, and not the whole bus. I would be gutting the whole interior anyway.

Is there any reason not to buy a fire damaged bus?

Will the chassis/frame be unsafe?

Health issues?

Are there legal issues with being able to safety/certify a fire damaged bus?

Insurance problems?

 

[cadillackid]

well I just lost a nice long reply because the *&^%&^$ forum advertisements refreshed my page..


anyway my short answer would me run run run

 

[musigenesis]

The chassis is probably fine, although you might have had heat damage to things like the air lines, airbag suspension, ABS module, wiring etc. For the body, you will pay more to fix the fire-caused issues than a bus that was never on fire in the first place would cost you to buy in total. Skoolie-building is hard enough without adding giant additional hurdles like this.

It's the same logic as avoiding a rusty bus, which makes sense since rust is basically just a slow fire.

 

[cadillackid]

The chassis is probably fine, although you might have had heat damage to things like the air lines, airbag suspension, ABS module, wiring etc. For the body, you will pay more to fix the fire-caused issues than a bus that was never on fire in the first place would cost you to buy in total. Skoolie-building is hard enough without adding giant additional hurdles like this.

It's the same logic as avoiding a rusty bus, which makes sense since rust is basically just a slow fire.

not to mention accelerated rust that forms after as fire, warpage of body panels that were 700 degrees then sprayed with 40 degree water...

 

[Booyah45828]

Unless it was a small fire, or the bus is free, I'd avoid it.

You can consider all the wiring and insulation shot. Meaning a total gut to the bare frame is required. That's not entirely bad, because many people on here do that as standard procedure anyways. But if any of the forward controls were touched, or if the fire was close to the engine or fuel system, I wouldn't take it even if it were free.

If you take this on, plan on everything being garbage and needing replaced, and be pleasantly surprised when a few things aren't.

 

[Rivetboy]

The effort plus time labor and cash to convert an unburned bus is monumental, The idea of all of that plus the remedial work from the fire? Not even if it was given to me.

 

[BeNimble]

The effort plus time labor and cash to convert an unburned bus is monumental, The idea of all of that plus the remedial work from the fire? Not even if it was given to me.

That makes it the PERFECT Skoolie project. Poor decision on top of Poor decision == Skoolie perfection, but only if its a 40ft and 2004+

 

[ewo1]

I'm looking at a fairly decent bus, that was burnt out due to a fire inside.

The windows are destroyed, but i would be removing/replacing those anyway. There will obviously be paint issues, etc. The fire seems to have only destroyed the inside, and not the whole bus. I would be gutting the whole interior anyway.

Is there any reason not to buy a fire damaged bus?

Will the chassis/frame be unsafe?

Health issues?

Are there legal issues with being able to safety/certify a fire damaged bus?

Insurance problems?

Man...What a wide open question you ask.
To be fair to all, it is best you post pictures of the damages.
without looking at the pictures, analyzing damages and trying to determine remediation... the conversation can go here from one to infinity...and beyond!

Is there any reason not to buy a fire damaged bus? Depends on how bad the fire damage is and what your intentions are, minor fixes, major renovation of cut it up for parts! Got any pics??

Will the chassis/frame be unsafe? Possibly, if it was heated up enough and warped /twisted.

Health issues? All busses have some degree of health issues, mold being on the top of the list.

Are there legal issues with being able to safety/certify a fire damaged bus?
Who hear who builds a skoolie or buys one goes out of their way to have it certified ???

Insurance problems? This is a good solid question. depending on your state, I'll speak only for Florida, if the vehicle has been issued a certificate of destruction you CANNOT rebuild it !!! By law it must be cut up and recycled so to answer your question, yes, there could be a serious issue with not only insurance but titling as well.

Good luck!

 

[cadillackid]

Man...What a wide open question you ask.
To be fair to all, it is best you post pictures of the damages.
without looking at the pictures, analyzing damages and trying to determine remediation... the conversation can go here from one to infinity...and beyond!

Is there any reason not to buy a fire damaged bus? Depends on how bad the fire damage is and what your intentions are, minor fixes, major renovation of cut it up for parts! Got any pics??

Will the chassis/frame be unsafe? Possibly, if it was heated up enough and warped /twisted.

Health issues? All busses have some degree of health issues, mold being on the top of the list.

Are there legal issues with being able to safety/certify a fire damaged bus?
Who hear who builds a skoolie or buys one goes out of their way to have it certified ???

Insurance problems? This is a good solid question. depending on your state, I'll speak only for Florida, if the vehicle has been issued a certificate of destruction you CANNOT rebuild it !!! By law it must be cut up and recycled so to answer your question, yes, there could be a serious issue with not only insurance but titling as well.

Good luck!

you cant rebuild salvage vehicles in florida? wow.. thats one I never knew.

 

[ewo1]

you cant rebuild salvage vehicles in florida? wow.. thats one I never knew.

Salvage titles are different...or come in different flavors ....
Yes there is Salvage rebuildable titles. You rebuild it then go get it inspected for final titling....

Then there is the "Certificate of Destruction" title.
this one is a death certificate, cannot be reversed!!!
This one require dismantling, destruction of the unit.
You would cry if you could see how many classic cars I have seen go thru copart with a cert. of destruction when they can be easily rebuilt!

info:
Certificate of Destruction vs. Salvage Title — WE ARE YOUR TITLE EXPERTS!

https://www.southerntitleliens.com/certificate-of-destruction/

 

[musigenesis]

Why can't they issue a certificate of Sit In My Back Yard For A Few Decades instead?

 

[cadillackid]

So what triggers a destruction title ? Only reason I’ve ever seen that here was for government program vehicles Ie epa or sometimes manufacturers order brand new pre production units destroyed

All accident or insurance claim vehicles in Ohio can be rebuilt and inspected. Lots of stuff goes through copart up here that is bought and rebuilt

 

[cadillackid]

There were quite a few classic cars that went through cash for clunkers up here. Many now are now illegally Vermont registered or had their vin tags reset with rust buckets from abandoned fields

Cash for clunkers triggered a lot of illegal title and vin activity up here

 

[Booyah45828]

You can buy those vehicles that have a certificate of destruction title, rebuild the car, and then get a registration for a self assembled vehicle, so long as you have paperwork showing where you purchased the components that were used in building the car.

But to buy one, I believe you have to be a dismantler or scrapper though, and have a business license to reflect that. Sometimes insurers go through this route because they want 0 liability if the car were ever to be put on the road again. I've seen this happen too if the vehicle is a salvage title and were wrecked again.

We're in the process of doing that to a 70 corvette at the moment. In this case, the vehicle was stolen/chopped, issued a salvage title because of it, rebuilt, stolen/chopped again, and the insurer then changed it to a junked title.

The original vin will be gone, and the car will be issued a new one, and will be essentially worth little. But it's a convertible with a big block and 4 speed, so it will be a fun little car to cruise around in, and the public will be none the wiser.

 

[cadillackid]

So you essentially fall under the same rules as a self built car? I thought those rules meant you had to have current 2021 standards. Airbags abs etc unless it was classed as a low speed vehicle (glorified golf cart)

 

[Rivetboy]

That makes it the PERFECT Skoolie project. Poor decision on top of Poor decision == Skoolie perfection, but only if its a 40ft and 2004+

To make it the perfect Trifecta you need to take possession and be driving it without insurance, (or windows as the case may be) and all of a sudden realize that you have not thought about where you are going to park it and your city or town or HOA or whatever that does not allow parking on the street. No problem, burned out and no windows you will blend right in.

 

[ewo1]

So what triggers a destruction title ? Only reason I’ve ever seen that here was for government program vehicles Ie epa or sometimes manufacturers order brand new pre production units destroyed

All accident or insurance claim vehicles in Ohio can be rebuilt and inspected. Lots of stuff goes through copart up here that is bought and rebuilt

The two most common triggers are, insurance company submits "CD" form to dmv, total loss - un-rebuildable and towing companies. like me, who end up keeping peoples junk. I would file for a cd for a junker, a car that I could not remarket for various reasons.

Getting a "CD" is much cheaper than getting a title.

Most people would never apply for a cd, it is mostly a company or insurance company who would.

Florida "CD"'s CANNOT be rebuilt and it almost takes an act of god to get it reversed once you file for it.

 

[ewo1]

You can buy those vehicles that have a certificate of destruction title, rebuild the car, and then get a registration for a self assembled vehicle, so long as you have paperwork showing where you purchased the components that were used in building the car.

But to buy one, I believe you have to be a dismantler or scrapper though, and have a business license to reflect that. Sometimes insurers go through this route because they want 0 liability if the car were ever to be put on the road again. I've seen this happen too if the vehicle is a salvage title and were wrecked again.

We're in the process of doing that to a 70 corvette at the moment. In this case, the vehicle was stolen/chopped, issued a salvage title because of it, rebuilt, stolen/chopped again, and the insurer then changed it to a junked title.

The original vin will be gone, and the car will be issued a new one, and will be essentially worth little. But it's a convertible with a big block and 4 speed, so it will be a fun little car to cruise around in, and the public will be none the wiser.

What you describe is accurate for a "Salvage" title, yes.
But a florida Certificate of destruction is NOT a salvage title.

see attached FL cert. of destruction.

A Florida salvage title, once repairs are made and it passes inspection will get a new title branded as "Rebuilt".

Insurance companies will most likely not give you full coverage insurance on a rebuilt and if they do, it will be very expensive!

 

[ewo1]

Why can't they issue a certificate of Sit In My Back Yard For A Few Decades instead?

Believe it or not I found the application form for the certificate of Sit In My Back Yard !!!

It involves no reading, just gotta go thru all the different bottles to complete the application...

and that's just the first page !!

LOL...

 

[cadillackid]

can you at least part out a CD car or is it just destroy every part in it?