Hello I’m a new member here and had to chime in on this terrible story. I agree with all the others on that this didn’t happen at an idle. My first question is why is a body shop pulling a car outside to warm up to temp before doing body/paint detail work? Second question to the shop manager would be do you honestly believe that this much damage could be caused at an idle and if so explain? What broke first and how and why did it escalate to that amount of damage? I wish you the best of luck on resolving this issue and hope you don’t let it stop you from continuing your project and getting to enjoy the car.
They have lots of space but also limited space. They pull all cars inside at night for protection. They pull all projects in limbo out in the daytime so they have room to work on active projects inside.
The places that needed attention were the top of the right front fender, passenger door and right rear quarter.
I should add that this is the 3rd time the car was brought back.
Paint and body work kept bleeding through and needed attention. They would repair it and the color would be off or the underlying body work would bleed through. When it was first done, it looked great no issues. Within a couple of months the bodywork bled through the paint and you could see it under the paint.
Took it back they buffed it and reshot a couple of areas but the color was off. Took it back again to correct the color and BOOM.
i would look for an attorney who specializes in automotive repair litigation. in a metro area like DAllas this can’t be the first time they’ve seen something like this.
Ask your insurance agent which attorneys they hate going up against.
wow! I agree High rev damage.
I tried to read though all the posts and never saw when this happened. time is your enemy.
tomorrow morning I would go to every gas station, bank and store in the area of shop and ask if you could see surveillance footage of that day.
One other option that also works quickly, is to call your local news station “call for action” to help investigate.
Get a lawyer (civil) that specializes in this type of RIP OFF. They blew it up. Doesn’t matter how it happened, it WAS IN THEIR POSSESSION when it happened. That makes them responsibile. Sue for replacement and legal fees, etc, etc, etc. If they test drove it and wrecked it, who pays? You? Don’t think so. That looks like a down shift,when it was suppose to be a up shift and maxed out the engine in a second and it destroyed itself.
When an engine over heats and seizes, or runs out of oil and seizes AT IDLE, you won’t have that type of destruction. Only high RPMs.
Have your lawyer, subpoena all shop/security video footage, and all employees. The employees will give up what happened for fear of being sued.
If footage is missing, that tampering with evidence. But it’ll also show that it ran enough to get it outside and then BOOM. Then the footage will show them going “OH SHIT” what do we do now. If anything they won’t be able to show it going BOOM while idling. What you have to prove is it ran fine before dropping it off, and this is what they wanted to give back to you. They took it to their machine shop to try and CYA. Subpoena the machinist also.
They owe you an engine !
The shops answer is BULL Sh…!!! Get a lawyer. Time is your enemy the longer you wait case 
works against you. Warming up my ARRSSS. Good luck they owe you an engine hands down.
The actual event happened a few months back. The engine was just removed.
I recently removed a 428 from a Mustang that had similar damage. His engine grenaded on the freeway at around 2900 RPM / 65 MPH in fourth gear. He said there was a slight tapping noise at first, then the engine gradually lost power and finally locked up when the camshaft broke in 5 pieces and stopped the crankshaft, which resulted in the block being broken.
In the case of the 428 I worked on it appeared that a lifter circlip fell out which allowed the lifter guts to eventually fall out - probably the tapping noise. One pushrod then fell into the lifter galley. The loose lifter parts got crunched up by the crankshaft eventually leading to bigger and bigger pieces of cast iron bouncing around inside. All of this probably took 15 seconds.
We had Charles Eller of Arlington build a new 428 for us. We used a stroker assembly from Barry Robotnic so the engine was 462 CI when done. A new (std bore but had to go .030" to clean up) block cost around $1200. The rest of the parts and labor came to almost $10K for the whole job.
Will probably need some help sourcing parts and people to help since you’re relatively close to me and know a lot more about this than I do if you’re willing. What are your thoughts on this particular carnage?
Always glad to help. I would suggest that you have someone like Charles Eller tear it down and make a report. No idea just looking at your pictures what started the catastrophe. I am going to be in Dallas next week.
Do you have an vehicle value appraisal from before they received it? If so, this will be a starting dollar amount to work toward along with ALL extra costs, IE lawyer, travel, etc. Sue for either replace with SAME engine, or buy the car + all the fees you put out.
If they go with fixing it, have it done somewhere else and you verify work at certain steps of the way to ensure what you’re getting back. ALL AT THEIR EXPENSE!
I personally would have been done at the first screw up on the paint job, though I guess I understand you giving them the chance to make things right. But then a second and a third time, and now a blown engine and a less than credible explanation.
There is no question what path I would be taking, and obviously many/to all who have commented feel the same.
I sure hope you get it worked out…don’t be bullied, and don’t be to forgiving in this case 
Royce would that 428 short block that KTL has (if they still have it) be worth looking at? Just curious…
Anyone have any recommendations for a lawyer? I know its been mentioned civil and someone that deals with these types of claims, but where is the best place to find someone reputable to do this? I don’t know anyone and haven’t had to ever deal with something like this.
Check with Hagerty, they might recommend someone in your area. BUt don’t ask or talk to them about anything anymore. Let your lawyer do that. Camera footage is probably gone. Most tape over every 7 days. That’s why you subpoena all employees. Especially ones that worked there and are now gone. Maybe fired because they blew up someone else’s car.
Past employees will be a wealth of knowledge about the goings on there.
With any luck they will have insurance and you won’t be suing them at all. Usually just the lawyer demand letter will do the job. They should have just referred this to the insurance carrier at the beginning. This is just like having an employee wreck your car on a test drive. It was in their care and control.
Good advice… Not that I condone this but one of my customers had a problem with a supplier in OK and faked his own lawyer letter with some well crafted Lawyer jargon and got the matter resolved instantly!
I’m still having trouble swallowing that they left it outside idling to warm it up. I would never leave a car of that caliber idling unattended in a parking lot… if for nothing else but the fear of someone stealing it. I agree that it was in the shops possession therefore it is their responsibility to a certain degree. If it wasn’t left unattended then the person who moved it out could have heard or seen (Gauges) something going south with the engine a shut it down before it Blew apart. That’s a good argument to use if you wanna believe they are telling the truth about it blowing up on its own. It should’ve never been left running unattended in the first place. Just my 2 cents.
Wow… the human plight… we are soooo sorry to hear of this mishap… it hits close to home when you love a car this much! I can’t imagine someone fucking up my kid’s car in such a way… wouldn’t be as calm as you all, that’s for sure! But, then again… anger and irrationality never solved anything! For what it’s worth, we’re sending you good vibes and hoping for the best for you and yours! Right is might, my Cougar loving friend!
The above truth seems to be getting lost in all the back-n-forth. Any reputable shop would make it right, not spin some BS story. Two possibilities come to mind (it could be both):
- Shop owner/employees are of questionable character
- The shop may not have proper insurance coverage.
Either way, my 1st move would be to get my car out of there. After that, I’d go to war to get my damages reimbursed.