Recovery 63: The story about my 300 coupe.

[1970FuryConv]

Kudos to your Dad! His actions were strong!

 

[commando1]

the guy was not very happy with the presence of the law and once it was a pretty well established fact that he was sitting on a stolen car, he had no choice but to hand it over.

 

[1978 NYB]

I love it when justice prevails and a car is returned to the rightful owner.

 

[Duncan]

I take it your Dad had the police with him then, when he confronted the seller?

 

[Knebel]

wait how is that here in the US? Whoever has the title is the owner? could you ..in theory... just get in and drive away with it if you have the title and keys?

 

[CanCritter]

KArma..........

 

[Carmine]

This is an awesome story, (and I appreciate the late model Durango in the background, rather than some import trash). Don't know how I missed it in July.

 

[Analog Kid]

wait how is that here in the US? Whoever has the title is the owner? could you ..in theory... just get in and drive away with it if you have the title and keys?

You would have to have your name on the title to be the owner. The seller would sign the title over to you and you would take it to the motor vehicle department and they would issue a new title in your name.

When I was in college I moved into an apartment where there was a derelict car in the parking space. Me and a buddy tried to find out who owned it so we methodically gained access inside. In the glove box was the title signed over by the last owner- but no signature for the buyer. If I wanted to I could have taken it to the DMV, signed my name as the buyer and have the title issued in my name - essentially becoming the owner of the vehicle.

Legal? Yes and no I guess. With the right lawyer I’m sure it could have been contested but in the end it was a crappy Ford Escort and I didn’t want it so I just had it towed away.

 

[Ripinator]

When I was 15, I thought my dad’s 63 Chrysler 300 coupe was pretty f’in cool. Red with factory white guts - a big ol’ Mopar barge. I remember putting swap meet bought Dodge Charger hubcaps on it. I even swiped some hideous flamed floor mats from the junkyard that I worked summers at and put them in it. (Did I mention that I was 15?)

When I was in college, I asked my dad if I could buy it off of him it since my Dart was still under construction. At the time he had it stored up at a guy’s shop who had done some work for him, and since he had other irons in the fire, he said we could work something out and i could have the car. Between me being busy up at school, my father switching careers, and the fact that the guy fell outta touch, it took us a while to actually make it out to the shop. When we did finally go up to grab the car on one of my breaks from school, we found that the dude had quite suddenly closed up shop, liquidated everything, car included, and skipped town. The car vanished. My old man had to write it off to bad business and I was severely bummed that I never got to cruise it.

A few weeks ago, I found myself hunting craigslist for deals as i often do. (I always look in NJ since that’s where my parents still live, and when I find anything interesting, I shoot the ad to my father and we gossip about how cool, or crappy the deals are.) Up comes an ad for a “1962 Chrysler coupe”, which I open to find a oddly familiar red 63 300.

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Upon some calls to a somewhat shady seller under the guise of a prospective buyer, I learn it’s got a white interior, but doesn’t have a title….Holy crap!

A few days later my father was over at the cars location, title in hand. (yes we've had it in a drawer for all this time). After some hemming and hawing and dancing around the issue, it came out that this dude was actually the one to by it off of the AWOL body man almost 20 years ago, and since had sold it and gotten it back. (Those of you on the east coast know what a pain in the butt it is to title something that you don't have paperwork for.) According to my dad, the guy was not very happy with the presence of the law and once it was a pretty well established fact that he was sitting on a stolen car, he had no choice but to hand it over.

A few days later, a car I haven't technically seen since leaving home in 2000 showed up on my doorstep. a bit crusty and rougher around the edges than it was 2 decades agao, but all there (including the flamed floor mats... lol)

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more to come!

This is such a terrific story! And I can't believe I missed it in July. I think someone could make a movie about it. Please keep us in the loop, as you bring the car back to life. And oh. We expect to see you and the car at Carlisle next July.

 

[Fratzog]

Getting to this thread late as usual. Great outcome to a nasty turn of events. Any update?