A long time ago (in a galaxy far, far, away) I posted a "Moral question" for folks here on the HAMB, about a 1/4 built '26-'27 Roadster that was abandoned on a piece of property. After some pretty serious legwork, and research, I found the owner, who said he would sell that Roadster, plus a '39 Coupe with a SBF and Jag rear, for $5k... they have been sitting out in the rain forest for too long, and the '39 is just about to the point where saving it would be more time/expense that the car is worth. The Roadster has a front and rear 4-bar, and the body has all the outer patch panels done, and pretty much needs only a floor put in it. (He channeled it over a tube frame) Well, this guy has disappeared, and the property will be soon going up for auction. I don't want the property, and I don't even want the '39 Coupe.. I want the Roadster body, maybe the front/rear 4 bar setups, and the dropped axle... and that's it. Is the best way, to wait until the property has a new owner, and offer to "remove some of the s**** metal" for them? Any legal, morally correct, ideas?
If the property is going up for auction soon, the bank owns the property. Call a local ***le insurance company, find out which bank owns it, call them and offer your services or just ask-they often see the prior owner's belongings as detritus and want it gone. Just my pair 'o pennies....
That's the correct way. Anything else is just plain theft. Along with permision from the bank/***le co get a written consent form from them that includes the vehicles. This will get you started on a ***le for the body. The Wizzard
Tell the bank that you'd be willing to clean up the property for free... and what ever you find is yours
Could be a tax auction too. You might be able to buy the whole lot, dirt cheap, that way. If you wait for a new owner, go to the auction, see who wins, and contact them right on the spot. Don't be too anxious, just tell them you looked at the lot and you'd be happy to clean the junk off it for them.
youre in the woods....down an embankment, you find a 28 A sport coupe body shell, no decklid, no ther parts covered in leaves etc....there is no farm house, teepee...anywhere....what do you do? nothing..its already at my shop...if this clown is truly gone, and the tax office, mortgage co, whoever is gonna sell the ground, they have to pay someone to remove this"junk"....do em a favor take it now! before somone else does.... I've picked up a dozen or more lying in gullys and on hillsides....now youre not going up to a place where people live and work on thier cars, im talking out in the wilderness, just be smart, and do it in broad daylight.....less people pay attention then compared to running around with flash lights...
Take It Now! Nobody Will Press Charges Anyway! Dont Be Stupid And Ask For It! Take It Now! Like You Own It! It Is Not Stealling! Well Sort Of....
if the guy died and the bank is involved and his property is in probate... you wont get ****, even IF it is s****. it will belong to whatever real estate company or partnership buys it.... then it will belong to the dump site once the land is cleared for development. this is not theft.... READ: sal·vage (săl'vĭj) n. 1. 1. The rescue of a ship, its crew, or its cargo from fire or shipwreck. 2. The ship, crew, or cargo so rescued. 3. Compensation given to those who voluntarily aid in such a rescue. 2. 1. The act of saving imperiled property from loss. 2. The property so saved. 3. Something saved from destruction or waste and put to further use. tr.v., -vaged, -vag·ing, -vag·es. 1. To save from loss or destruction. 2. To save (discarded or damaged material) for further use.
If you really want it Just take it.. cause more than likely it is going to be junked when you least expect it and it will be gone for ever....
Take it or someone else will.I had a few 30's cars givin to me a few years back on a dear lease.As soon as i heard that one was a complete coupe (gl*** , seat and all) ,i jumped in the car, drove eighty miles to the property,hiked through the woods in the dark, just to find that someone else had already found them, and took every damn one of the them.
Sometime you try and be the good guy and go thru proper channals and get nowere. Then you go by one day and it will be gone turned to s****. I would just go get it. Before more vintage tin hit the s****per. CBB
Go through the proper channels any other way and your just a common theif. In the end it may not end up in your hands but at least you'll be able to sleep at night. Remember if you do just take it Karma has a way of biting you in the ***
I'm damned glad Florida and California ,are where they are at ......Here in the midwest,It would be a rarity for someone to have that "take it before someone else does" mentality.........You guys just dissapoint me.
If you ask you may be able to get it for FREE. My brother runs a hobby store in Michigan, a local hobby store here was shut down by the cops when they found out he was selling dope out of the business. The cops locked the doors and were auctioning off the building. I went to the police station and asked about the mechandise still in the store. The cop at the desk asked if I wanted it. I said yes, called my brother and got my trailer. Had to make two trips with the trailer and the back of my truck FULL. My brother sold the stuff in his shop and made a ton of money. All you gotta do is ask. I bet they let you have it.
Dr. X, thats a good idea. I agree with the people that say taking it, is just stealing. The guy is long gone, the sale proceedings have already started, and there is no way, repeat NO WAY, I am going to just waltz in there with a trailer and winch it up and drive away....if I do that, I fully expect to come home, see my garage door open, and see my '26 Tudor gone... and I would think I had it coming. I would hate to see the tin go to the s****per, as well, but if there is no way I can get it, then so be it. I'll do what I can to get both the '27 Roadster and the '39 Coupe, but we will juts have to wait it out, and see. Thanks for the input... sometimes I almost wish I wasn't so damned honest... By the way, here's a shot of the '39 Coupe...
People around here would give thier left nut for half of a coupe like that one. Don't let 'em s**** it!
Go get that thing. Before it turns back into dirt. Obviously the owner and no one else care about it. Id did the same thing when I got my 31 p/u cab. The next day I went by the and every thing on the lot was bull dosed into a big pile. If you wait to long thats what youll see, with your T body in it.
I believe I would go through the proper channels, that way you won't be looking over your shoulder after you get it .
Take it into protective custody!!!! If anywone asks you dirctly about it being from that property and they own the property kindly tell them you didn't want this peice of history to get ruined in the elements. Then offer them the current scrp price on the metel you started with.
You guys are funny. I remember the first time you posted on this car. There were several pages of people ripping him, calling him a thief, etc. for even suggesting that he just take the car. 26Tudor, you're doing the right thing. Stay on top of it and chances are you'll get that thing. And probably free, if not cheap. Although it may be more of a h***le now than dealing with the owner, it might be best if he is out of the picture anyway. First, he never has come through on closing the deal and second, now that his property is being re-possed, he might be more desperate for cash and try to ream you on the deal. Good luck!
You should at least ask the bank about cleaning up the property. A friend of mine's dad is a regular at this for one of the banks, he has gotten some good stuff. Chances are they wont give a damn about the "s**** steel" you are interested in. That 39 looks good for at least a few parts, I know a guy that would probably buy the frame, and I would be after some other stuff on it. My guess is the answer will be a blank stare in which you ***ume is a yes. Good luck.
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