Larry wrote:
"Lay off Dave, he's no crook. You don't know Miami. I
myself used to
leave my
junkers across the street from the JY's on S. River
Drive and in Medley
(small burg mainly JYs) because the JY's were closed
and they don't
give you anything for them anyway. On any given day
the road to the yards
have many "gifts". It's SOP in Miami."
Man, oh, man. I thought you'd all be interested in
what I knew was a junked car, but...
Fishy story? Get real!
I said the car was junk. It was found exactly where
Victor Laury said. I found it a little bit down from
Bob's U-Pick on South River Drive. It was on a Sunday
and the exact junkyard it was dumped in front of
wasn't Bob's. It was just 50 yards from Bob's. It was
likely towed there because someone was cleaning out
their backyard that day and didn't want to pay
somebody to take it.
Like I told somebody else on the list, in Florida, a
junkyard isn't legally allowed to take your car unless
you can provide a title to them. Or, maybe, since the
car was so trashed, they thought it would cost them
$$$ not only to have it towed there but also for the
junkyard to even take it since it didn't have much
value, or so they thought it didn't have much value.
Also, I didn't mention this before. There was another
DAtsun next to it. I think it was like a 280Z - also a
junker.
Now, more about my find.
It was the rustiest hulk I had ever seen. It had what
remained of a top on it. IT had obviously sat in a
backyard for many years. The top was only about 25%
there. Also, from above, I could see through the
floors. Ther trunk was still locked, but someone had
partially opened it, although it was still locked,
because the trunk lid was so rusted. Inside the hood,
the cylinders were solidly rusted to the walls. The
head was missing and the radiator was just lying
there.
And while I did grab the grill, it needs to be
rechromed although I admit that it is undented.
About the tires, 1 held air; the others flat and
dry-rotted.
My point is this. This car was abandoned. I've lived
here long enough and go to these junkyards weekly.
I've seen cars junked along the canal before. SO, to
one of you, the car was not in the junkyard's yard,
behind it, beside it, etc. It was across the street on
a little piece of land in front of the canal. I knew
it was free game until Monday when one of the yards
there would grab it as their own.
On Monday, I went back there at 9 am. Guess what? It
was gone. I first went to Bobs'. He said he didn't
have it. I went to the JY in front of where it was
parked. I walked in and asked, "Hey, did you guys get
the yellow Datsun convertible that was across the
road?"
The counter guy says, "The owner had us pick up a
little white car and a Z across the street this
morning. It's out back. Follow me."
Yep, that's it... minus the grill - whoops :)
I asked if I could buy the tranny?
He says, "I think the owner sold the entire car."
"Could you ask him for me to make sure"?
"He's out. I'll have to call him." I say, "Please,
do."
He calls the guy twice while I wait to talk to him."
He gets off the phone, "HE sold the entire car to
someone."
TO those of you I have sold parts, like Gordon, I'll
say this. Gordon, that new waterpump. Guess what? It
wasn't stolen. I got two of those when I bought my 2nd
car.
I sold a Solex cam to someone too. I owned that too.
Got it when I bought my 2nd car.
To the guy I sold the entire head, same thing. I owned
it.
MAybe I should have waited until I knew all of the
facts, but I got excited when I saw a 2000 on the side
of the road. Besides grabbing some good stuff for
myself, I really thought I was saving valuable Datsun
parts from the crusher as this was obviously junk. I
would have grabbed the 5-speed that same day if I had
come more prepared.
To those who found my act heinous, I do admit that I
wasn't 100% sure that the car was free game. That's
why I grabbed quickly and went home happy. If I
thought the car was totally there for my pickings, I
would have take the entire car! :)
P.S. This did happen and it wasn't April 1st.
Signed,
David Wilson (last name too)
Coconut Grove, FL
Please no more hate mail!
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