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  #1  
Old 09-28-2015, 09:12 PM
Mölyapina's Avatar
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James Dean's Porsche may have been found...

James Dean's 'Little Bastard' Missing Porsche May Have Just Been Found

Apparently, after a 2014 episode of a TV show, the Volo museum got a call from a man who said that he was six when he saw his father and a couple of other men hide James Dean's 550 Spyder behind a false wall in a building in Washington state. The man is not revealing the exact location of the car until he feels assured that he will receive the $1M reward the museum has promised for a lead to the car, and the museum is working on establishing who the current owner of the vehicle is. From Jalopnik:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Justin Westbrook on Jalopnik
It’s also reported that the man coming forward knew exclusive details related to the car and passed a polygraph test.

The conversation over the exact whereabouts of the car are ongoing, with the man wanting a guaranteed amount of the reward money before revealing the location. The museum is trying to establish clear legal ownership of the car before granting any rewards, but everything looks to be moving forward.

“This guy’s story is awesome, and our most believable lead to date,” Grams said. “It’s kind of like Al Capone’s vault. If it is in there, it continues the legend of this car’s notorious history.”
If true, this could be some of the most exciting automotive news in years.

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Old 09-28-2015, 09:41 PM
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Doesn't it matter is slightest who owns the building?
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Old 09-28-2015, 09:47 PM
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I could see that that would factor into who owns the car, but if the building owner does not own the car, then I would think he would have to allow for it to be removed.
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2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."
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Old 09-28-2015, 09:52 PM
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Not so sure about that. Don't you need a search warrant to go knocking down his walls to see if it is even in there?
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  #5  
Old 09-28-2015, 10:33 PM
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This sounds like a huge long-shot to me. Even if it were true that a vehicle had been put behind a false wall, the chances of it still being there are slim. Unless the person who owns the wall knows about it and wants to keep the car a secret. Whole thing seems weird.
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  #6  
Old 09-28-2015, 11:17 PM
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Could be true. There was a rare Ferrari sport racing car that a fellow owned who was linked to the mob. things got too hot for him and he actually buried the car in a sort of vault. Shortly after that he disappeared. 40 years later his son uncovered it all and sold it for a couple mil or so (bout 7 years ago).

Someone in trouble with the IRS might do something similar too.

Fun, comparing the IRS and the mob...
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Old 09-29-2015, 09:09 AM
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Is all this stuff true??

The Curse of James Dean's Porsche
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Old 09-29-2015, 09:56 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elchivito View Post
Is all this stuff true??

The Curse of James Dean's Porsche
"He drives a '57 coupe
Walks with a stoop
Swears James Dean isn't dead
He's a dedicated rocker
A real headknocker
Don't look at his lady again
'Cause if he catches you messin'
He's gonna teach you a lesson
Don't let me say it again "
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  #9  
Old 09-29-2015, 10:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS View Post
Not so sure about that. Don't you need a search warrant to go knocking down his walls to see if it is even in there?
a search warrant is for police. A business transaction would require permission. If a car were walled in and forgotten and the legal owner of the car died would the car ownership revert to the new owner of the building? I would think so...or perhaps would revert to the car owner's estate....but storage would be owed to the new building owner possibly.

There was an interesting case a few years ago about a Cobra Daytona which was more or less abandoned at a lady's house in a carport. She could have used the money but for some reason never tried to sell it. I think there may have been questions about the title and who was the legal owner. Phil Spector appeared and tried to snatch it but lost out.
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  #10  
Old 09-29-2015, 11:19 AM
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I knew of a nice 911 that was locked up in a garage for a long time that was owned by a restaurant. The restaurant burned and the owner moved to another province and started again.

I knew the car was left behind at the time. Fast forward fifteen to twenty years. I located the restaurant owner and asked him if it was still there as I may like to purchase it if possible.

He told me it had eventually been disposed of only a few years earlier and asked how I knew it had been there. I told him that I had periodically heard that it was still there over the years and you had left it behind because there was an engine problem that you did not want to deal with at the time.

As for James Deans old car. Even if there it could be pretty complex. I do not know about the statute of limitations but if the insurance company paid it out at the time. They are perhaps still the legal owners. Car could be claimed illegally taken at the time.

Certainly the tow truck driver would know where it originally went.
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Old 09-29-2015, 12:05 PM
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Most states allow for a car to be retitled to the land owner as "abandoned property". It varies from state to state. Usually that requires you to try to contact the previous owner by VIN search.
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Old 09-29-2015, 12:54 PM
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An insurance company once seized a restored '65 VW microbus that was on its way to a buyer in Germany. The car had been stolen like 40 years before from the original owner and the insurance company had paid the theft loss, so it was the legal owner.
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Old 09-29-2015, 01:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MTI View Post
An insurance company once seized a restored '65 VW microbus that was on its way to a buyer in Germany. The car had been stolen like 40 years before from the original owner and the insurance company had paid the theft loss, so it was the legal owner.

I remember reading about this, here it is VW Bus stolen 35 years ago returned in mint condition... to Allstate
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  #14  
Old 09-29-2015, 01:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barry12345 View Post
I knew of a nice 911 that was locked up in a garage for a long time that was owned by a restaurant. The restaurant burned and the owner moved to another province and started again.

I knew the car was left behind at the time. Fast forward fifteen to twenty years. I located the restaurant owner and asked him if it was still there as I may like to purchase it if possible.

He told me it had eventually been disposed of only a few years earlier and asked how I knew it had been there. I told him that I had periodically heard that it was still there over the years and you had left it behind because there was an engine problem that you did not want to deal with at the time.

As for James Deans old car. Even if there it could be pretty complex. I do not know about the statute of limitations but if the insurance company paid it out at the time. They are perhaps still the legal owners. Car could be claimed illegally taken at the time.

Certainly the tow truck driver would know where it originally went.
Pretty certainly dead now. I believe a fellow bought the wreck and toured around with it as a sideshow attraction to see for a fee. After that who knows? ...seems like something for Believe it or not Museum or such. Now it would be worth a few mil as an SKL and as Deans death car. Hard to know if worth more as the wreck or as a restored car.
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..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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  #15  
Old 09-29-2015, 01:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph_Conrad View Post
Its one thing when its totaled by an insurance company, though not as complicated as one which was stolen, since it would have been sold legally (most likely) to the next owner.

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..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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