In a message dated 98-05-28 21:05:47 EDT, bkrueger@ici.net writes:
<< Some of you may recall that I picked up a 77 roadster in early
April for the princely sum of $500. To make the long story short - its
legal owner (according the Mass. Registry of Motor Vehicles) has been
incarcerated in California for the past bunch of years.
It seems that the college roommate of the guy selling it to me
acquired the car by salvaging it from the streets of Boston in '88. The
car was deserted, but had plates on it. He contacted the owner's family.
They denied that the owner even had a car. So the roommate wrote (and
signed) his own bill-of-sale and registered the car. This was before the
days of computerized VIN data bases. The present RMV computer shows that
in '85 a 77B with that VIN was issued a title to the guy now a guest of
California.
Fortunately, the guy selling it to me has given me my money back.
Now I have to figure out how to get the car back to him. I guess it's
going to have another trailer ride. Now if I can only find a market for
a new fuel tank and ignition switch....
Think I'll stick to TD's. >>
Bud,
Sorry to read of your misfortune. I guess there's a lesson for us all there
although I don't know how you'd be able to check such things out in advance of
taking possession of the car.
I think in view of the circumstances and since you have your money refunded,
the seller should share your expenses and retrieve the car himself. Jim
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