Car Craft Garage fire - for vehicle owners

On Wednesday evening February 9th, after almost 50 years in business, Car Craft suffered a catastrophic fire in our service department.

While the Riverside Fire Department arrived quickly and kept it from spreading to our other building, the service bays contained 13 classic cars, multiple engine and transmission builds and all of our equipment and tooling. The building was a complete and total loss.

In the last 2 weeks I have had the terrible experience of making dozens of difficult phone calls informing customers of the fire and the tragedy of their loss. I have also been fortunate to have had dozens of customers call and stop by - bringing us everything from hugs, homemade cookies, sandwiches and much love. All of which has helped distract from the pain this has caused to so many people.

Trying to move forward we have begun the process of dealing with our insurance carrier. In reading through the 79 pages of policy details we are facing the harsh reality that the portion of our policy that covers the vehicles may not have been large enough due to the rapidly rising values of some of these vehicles over the last few years.

While some of the vehicles and projects destroyed here did have full comprehensive coverage, many did not.

It is with great humility and humbleness we are finding ourselves starting this Go Fund Me campaign for the strict purpose of making owners of these vehicles and projects whole again.

We know with the coverage that did exist and whatever help we are fortunate enough to receive that this will help with the financial loss to these owners. We also know it cannot replace the years of hard work, memories, dreams, and sentimental attachment that everyone of these vehicles and projects had.

We truly appreciate all of our customers and the ENTIRE VW community WORLDWIDE for your thoughts, kind words and support through this difficult time.

We also want to recognize and thank the Riverside Fire Department for being able to keep this from destroying our other building and what would have been our entire business.

THANK YOU EVERYONE.

Sincerely,

The entire Car Craft family

Riverside CA