Imagine that your first car is a 1969 Camaro that you eventually build into a bitchin’ Pro Street ride. Now imagine that very car being stolen right out from under you, probably disappearing into the blackness for all time. Fast forward 16 years and put yourself in front of a computer, searching for an old car to buy. A click here and a click there and than BOOM! All of a sudden you are staring at your old car, for sale on a Utah classifieds site!
This very scenario played out for Missourian Ed Neeley. He found the first automotive love of his life, contacted the police and through the process was able to get the car back in what appears to be more modified condition than when he lost it, which raises some interesting questions.
As big a win as this was for Ed Neeley, it was a real kick in the yam bag for the guy selling the car who claims to have owned it for a couple years and in that time poured more than $10,000 into it. In the video attached to the story you can see a roll bar, the custom paint, custom interior work and other touches that the car does not exhibit in the still photos Neeley supplied for the story from back in the day. The Utah police do no know how many people have owned the car, how many times it has been bought and sold over the years and they do not have the trail of former owners. Apparetly the most recent owner is going to take Neeley to civil court to try and recoup some of the money he has invested in the car. It sucks for that guy, but he was holding onto stolen property and we’re not sure that, “I didn’t know,” is a viable defense.
Hit the link below to read the story, it is pretty wild. Hell, we’re not sure how Neeley was so convinced that this was his car, with the different paint and all. We guess it is just one of those things. Car guys know their junk, even 16 years and original paint removed!
Thanks to Elmer Fudd for the tip!
Story – Man reunited with stolen 1969 Camaro after 16 years
This could be a can of worms since the insurance company probably paid a settlement to the original owner for the cars value and the insurance company would now be owner and they probably wrote it off a long time ago. Any lawyers here?
I’m not buying that is was his car. Yeah, he found a car with a wrong number and had lost his, but sold the judge on his story.
There’s a case that routinely cited in Law school where the above happens. The guy who lost the car gets it back because the other person doesn’t have the right to sell it. It’ll be interesting to see if any lawyer takes on this case; as I said, it’s settled law – you can’t sell what you don’t own.
The hidden VIN matched his original car’s VIN, which he had in the police report.Hard to believe he could state his ownership case well enough to get a search warrant. Then he had to take a fender off to expose the original VIN. Or maybe could still read the frame rail VIN?
Yes, strange case. The fake vin should have been enough for the cops to impound the car untill ownership and disposition gets selttled in the courts.
The car had a chevelle vin number and title. I knew it was mine because of many things such as stance, the line lock and aluminun firewall bends in the roll bar, and the way the narrow rear end was set up among other things.
All the naysaying about Mr. Neely should not have his car back – what would you do if this happened to you? Mr. Neely apparently had his poop neatly in a pile because he could provide proof he did the right thing when his car got stolen (reported, etc.). Would you buy a Camaro that had a Chevelle title? Probably spent alot of money for it, too. The devil is in the details and Mr. Neely has his in order, for sure.
I saw this car going down the street in my neighborhood on two different occasions. When I saw it on the news, I was like “Holy Crap!” The other guy lives in the city over from me, but I have never had the chance to meet him. I hope you and the previous guy can work something out.