CCTV has captured the moment Texas floods caused an estimated $1.5 million in damage to a supercar auto shop – ruining eight Ferraris, a Jaguar, and a Porsche.
The Liberty Hill business, NG Supercars, was filled with up to three feet of water around 4 am on July 5, despite not being in a floodplain.
Texas floodwater caused up to $2 million in damage at a Texas supercar shop[/caption]
The Liberty Hill business, NG Supercars, was swamped by three feet of water[/caption]
It wrecked Ferraris, a Jaguar, and a Porsche[/caption]
Owner Daniel Hurlbert, 45, of Georgetown, has since surveyed the damage after the water finally receded.
The shop’s front roll-up door had been blown out by the force of the water, and a two-inch layer of mud coated the entire floor.
10 of the 12 supercars being worked on inside suffered water damage – likely totaling them – due to mechanical and electrical issues.
The damaged vehicles included three Ferrari 458s, two Ferrari F430s, two Ferrari 360s, one Ferrari 355, a Jaguar XJ6, and a Porsche Speedster – the latter alone estimated to be worth $250,000.
Experts say the value of the damaged cars could total as much as $2 million.
Hurlbert, who runs the Normal Guy Supercar YouTube channel, is now navigating insurance uncertainties while seeking aid from FEMA and the SBA.
Supporters quickly rallied, with volunteers helping to clean up, and a GoFundMe campaign launched to support recovery efforts.
“We weren’t expecting this,” he said.
“There was no real substantial warning, and we’re not in a floodplain.”
“This was not supposed to happen to our shop. We had done due diligence to make sure that water wasn’t going to be an issue like this.”
Hurlbert first learned about the disaster around 7:30 am, when his business partner called and urged him to check their security cameras.
“When I came down the street, the runoff stream on the other side of our property had completely flowed over the road and was eroding tons of earth around the area,” Hurlbert recalled.
“It was pretty horrifying to see.”
He even discovered a live armadillo had been swept into the shop during the flooding.
Donald Trump’s statement on Texas floods
“The Trump Administration is working with State and Local Officials on the ground in Texas in response to the tragic flooding that took place yesterday.
“Our Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly.
“Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy.
“Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!”
Facing significant financial uncertainty, Hurlbert is working through insurance claims and looking into FEMA assistance and SBA loans.
“We’re not sure yet how insurance is going to handle this – or if they’re not,” Hurlbert said.
“That’s a huge unknown at this point that could be pretty financially devastating if they aren’t willing to help us.”
After sharing the disaster on his YouTube channel, supporters quickly mobilized.
The owner even discovered a live armadillo had been swept into the shop during the flooding[/caption]
The damaged vehicles included three Ferrari 458s, two Ferrari F430s, two Ferrari 360s, one Ferrari 355, a Jaguar XJ6, and a Porsche Speedster[/caption]
By Sunday morning, about 15 volunteers had shown up to help clean out mud, disassemble damaged vehicles, and salvage what they could.
“People’s generosity is just amazing,” Hurlbert said.
“It’s just restorative of faith in humanity that people are willing to do this.
“And a lot of these people are people we’ve never met. They’ve been watching our YouTube channel for years, and they just wanted to help.”
The shop has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with recovery costs.
As cleanup efforts continue, Hurlbert remains focused on preventing further damage from mold and mildew while figuring out next steps for the business, which specializes in sales, service, and parts for high-end cars.
Despite working with luxury vehicles, Hurlbert says he and his business partner are far from wealthy.
“We get a lot of flak because we’re catering to supercars,” Hurlbert said.
“I don’t think people understand that we’re not rich people. We’re just hardworking guys that are trying to build a dream.”
As of July 9, Texas’ deadly floods have claimed the lives of over 119 people, and 161 are still missing at the time of writing.
Ten of the 12 supercars being worked on inside suffered water damage[/caption]
The owner Daniel Hurlbert is now facing insurance uncertainty[/caption]
The shop has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with recovery costs[/caption]
