My truck is "totaled"...now what?

[dutchmanz]

I was sitting in my truck in a parking lot last week. Some woman jumps the curb, cuts down a light pole and flips her car. Luckily... my truck stopped her forward motion. I was punted out of the parking lot into the grass lot beside the store, over a curb, side swiping a metal sign. The adjuster says its totaled. I understand how it all works, but it sucks for me. Do I fix the truck or use it to fix another truck with a clean title? Would you buy a truck with a salvage title? I probably wouldn't if I was planning to fix it. To me, it kills the value. They value the truck at $5127.50 but cant tell me yet what my payout or buy back price yet. I know I can fix the truck with used parts for less than they will give me but in the end I may have $10K or more in a truck with a salvage title. It really depends on how nice of a truck I decide to make.

The frame doesn't appear to be bent but the bed it shot. It buckled the floor and twisted it up about 3" on the left side. I can skin the door (I think). The cab is also bent where the bed hit it. The truck was a perfect running and driving 71 Custom Deluxe that I bought from the original owner. Some usual rust but an original truck.