Mark's Off Road Warehouse Fire Thread (5 Viewers)

[65swb45]

If you're local and interested in a band saw, portable sandblaster, floor jack, car ramps, let me know.
View attachment 1295011 Oh yeah trans jack too

Band saw is gone: donated to a friend who helped me sort through the debris a clean up company would have just chucked. Damn good thing too, as my one and only four-on-the-tree adapter plate was in that pile of rubble. This is another one of those things that kills me about having a clean up company. I'd have to babysit the entire operation to make sure nothing important got chucked, so why not just do the effen job myself?

All drywall in the room has now been dropped and removed from the room. Unfortunately, the room was an add-on, so two of the walls have exterior stucco. I have an e-mail in to the insurance co about dropping one of the walls to avoid more mold.

BTW, check out the cannonball safe in the middle of the pic. It was my grandfathers. It came with the jewelery store he purchased when he came to America in 1949. The handle was also buried in the pile of rubble, waiting to be chucked by a mindless cleanup crew.

 

[PabloCruise]

Wow Mark, I am very sorry to hear about this!

Awful...

 

[Fast Eddy]

A TR manifold, getting more rare by the hour. Sorry to hear this Mark. That's what I get for not being in chat daily.

 

[65swb45]

Good eye there Ed. The TR was not affected by the fire. It looked like that before. Could use some help selling it tho.

 

[Fast Eddy]

You really have to want to do an original resto to buy one of those. The worst smog requirements in the world no longer require it. I have one on my '78 that's still kicking.

 

[65swb45]

Disc brake boosters, fj60 air cleaners, fj60 smog, heater cores, v8 bellhousings all scrap metal now.

@FJ60Seth you still want that skidplate you asked me for? It wasn't in the building, so it's still fine.

 

[65swb45]

No, both days are work days... Saturday?

Might take you up on the offer just to get a few of my things over to the casa . Gonna wait until next week on the scrap metal. Bigger fish to fry at the moment.

 

[MicahMan]

Much Love Mark this is crazy! Thanks for always helping us out I hope the community has been supportive!

 

[BlackPanzer]

You are in our thoughts.

 

[ucantcme]

Every Mud member has lost do to this carelessness and recklessness of some one !

 

[DSB345]

Just catching up on these posts. Holy Cow Mark!! That is much worse than I thought. I wish I could get some time off work to help you with my truck and labor. So sad to see all that. Not sure what to say other than I'm so sorry for what's happened. Life sure throws us some curve balls at times.
Best
Dave

 

[BGarcia88FJ62]

Very sorry to hear about all this Mark, seems your on your way to getting things cleaned up and secured.
The other unfortunate thing you may end up having to deal with is the local Fire Marshal. All depends but it seems
every municipality wants to squeeze every penny out of it's tax payers and they may require you to install Fire Sprinklers
in the building. If it comes down to this I've been in the business for almost 30 years and would be more than happy
to help in any way I could, Just let me know i'm at your service. Be well.

 

[65swb45]

Thanks for the offer Ben. It's hard to say how things are going to turn out. We are at two weeks today, and the insurance company has not sent out it's consultant to begin the process of evaluating what it will take to repair the building, much less what it will cost.

As I see it, at least a thousand sq feet of roof will have to be removed to access the rafters the fire department compromised. If building codes for load bearing spans have changed, an architect may have to be hired to engineer a solution. A contractor will have to bid on the engineered plans. The stucco wall on the east side of the room that caught fire was heavily damaged, and it covers a load bearing wall between two rooms that both have clear spans.

Then there is the matter of dropping the drywall in 11 rooms, totalling 3500 sq/ft, to replace heavy smoke damage to the building, never mind the contents. Then there are four metal security gates that have to be replaced, 5 access door, and the entire front wall of the unit that caught fire.

Because the building has strong symbolic value (it was my father's man cave, and the common ground under which the tumult of our relationship was laid to rest) it has taken me two weeks to realize that the sum total of repairs (which in all probability WOULD include sprinklers, now that you mention it) may exceed market value of the property. A bitter pill to swallow.

My mother is 80 years old and not in good health. She has her own emotional issues to deal with, but I know it is in her best interests to steer her towards closure.

 

[65swb45]

Not to mention, the world is still turning. I am still committed to land use advocacy and, faced with an August 5th protest deadline, I had to commit to a teleconference yesterday with 3 BLM managers to try and resolve a protest I filed against their current program for evaluating cultural resources in the Western Mojave desert. It was one hour of gentle browbeating, already predicted by me beforehand in an e-mail to the Bureau. Not much was resolved, but the adminsitrative record was made complete, so I have preserved my right to appeal. Right now it would be SO EASY to walk away under my circumstances, but like the CSN song "Almost Cut My Hair" I feel like I owe it to someone.

 

[BGarcia88FJ62]

Can't imagine the Sea of red tape and Bureaucracy your going to have to deal with.
Just remember You've got hundreds if not thousands of Cruiser Folk in your corner. Be well.

 

[93TucsonCruiser]

Mark, if you are far enough along with the demo it is not to early to start requesting estimates from contractors, electricians, plumbers etc. They should not charge to give you an estimate. This will arm you with information once the adjuster shows up and insults you with his estimate. Insurance should pay for an engineer if needed (sounds like it is) and depending on your policy, code upgrades. Normal practice is to clean and seal all the framing with an oil based sealer i.e. Kilz. Generally all insulation should be removed as it will hold the smoke odor.

 

[fjl40]

Wow Mark, just reading about your misfortune. First it's good no one was hurt. I'm off next week so if you need any help, please let me know. Hang in there!

 

[65swb45]

After two very tedious weeks, our last paying tenants have moved out of the one unit we had rented. Now the short-term demo can be completed. @calico kid is gonna come by and help me in the morning.

 

[65swb45]

Whether I move out short-term or long term, the bottom line is I need to move. I am 'regrouping' as @woody put it. Making arrangements to bring a second storage container onto my lot at home. Also trying to make room in the garage.

This little beauty is now up for grabs: For Sale: - Vintage Utility Camping Trailer in So Cal

 

[thorslc1977]

"Trial by fire" is a saying I would hope no else would have to endure. Lost my father to a fire when I was 15. Later in life I came home from an Archery tournament to find everything I own was gone to another fire (Thank goodness I took the 40 to the tournament) I hope you recover better than I have.