Trying to Locate a '74 '02 that 2002AD lost when they moved.

[josh72ooh2]

My buddy had a '74 2002 automatic with the vin number 4280403.

He had $6k worth of paint and body work done and then took it to 2002AD to have the trim pieces and new seats put in.

That was about 5 years ago. His life went though some major changes, and well, the car went on the back burner and he never got around to dealing with it again.

Also in that time, 2002AD went through some ownership changes and a few moves from sun valley, to Lancaster, then to Pomona (i think).

Today he and I went on a wild goose chase to find the car at 2002AD and the current owner has zero idea what could have happened to it. When he bought the business, he took all the parts, but no cars came with the sale.

So, essentially, the car is now missing.

I will call the DMV on monday and see if i can track it down but we all know how efficient the DMV can be.

What other options do we have?

My feelings is that either the car is sitting somewhere, or got re-sold somehow (if out of state, we are probably screwed),

or it got hacked up for parts. It had many of the regular desirable parts on it (great rims, ugraded suspension, mechanically sound, etc...).

It is hard for me to believe that a car would just vanish like that and he wouldn't get a letter from the DMV or a call from 2002AD...

if anybody has any ideas or advice to lend, please help?

Thanks.

-Josh

[esty]

it's possible and probable that it might have been sold for storage fees, mechanics liens, etc...if so, chalk it off

[josh72ooh2]

Yeah, but don't you think the owner would have contacted at some point?

[esty]

Yeah, but don't you think the owner would have contacted at some point?

hard to say...iirc all that's required is a notice of sale and a short waiting period for any interested party to file a claim or retrieve the car for the fees owed....public notices, small microscopic ad buried in the news paper

[PatAllen]

my heart fainted when i saw the vin...

my automatic 02 that i just rolled out of the restoration is 4280905...ouf !!

[vinceinIL]

The way I am reading this is that your friend had title to a a decent looking, running? 2002 that he brought to 2002AD for some relatively minor work. The condition of the car is important, as if it was a stripped shell needing work, the value would be questionable. If it was much more complete, then the car would definitely have significant value to even a casual observer.

If the work was completed and the shop contacted your friend that the car was ready to be picked up, and your friend never followed through or paid, then the shop would have grounds to take possession of the car via legal means (lien, etc). Abandonment is a term that comes to mind. If your friend was never contacted that the work was completed, then the shop would not have such clear grounds to take possession of the car. This is where it gets murky.

Because the shop has moved and changed owners, even if your friend had tried to follow up on the car, it would have been difficult for him to retrieve it.

Yes, five years is a long time. It's possible that the car was simply looked at as one of several in the lot that needed to be dealt with quickly during a sale. But what if the shop decided they could quietly acquire ownership of the car then sell it at a profit, or someone familiar with the shop decided to take it since the legal owner was apparently not doing anything about the car?

I think your friend should also contact his local police department and discuss this matter with them. Bring title, registration, receipts, etc. Tell them he's been trying to track the car down and have not been able to. This is not to create trouble with 2002AD's past or present ownership, but to make an attempt to claim property of his that may have been "improperly" transferred to another owner.

Of course, any pictures your friend has will be useful to post here and elsewhere!

Please let us know what happens!

vince

[esty]

another loser for your friend is statute of limitations...

[penth2o]

Hate to say it but that is the definition of abandonment.

If he just stuck 6K in paint and was getting more goodies he would have had it in his mind at some point in 5 years.

Even if he was incarcerated he would have thought about it and had someone go get it.

No one leaves a freshly painted 02 at a shop and forgets about it. I lose a few of my cars around my town but that is because I drive one in town and end up hooking up with someone and later they drop me off at home then I get another one and maybe leave that at a girlfriends house and she drove me home but never more than a day or two that I go to get in one and say shit where's the Z or 02.

You sure your friend hasn't told you "the rest of the story"

[02Les]

4280403 - Atlantik/Tan was on Ebay Jun '06. The Seller was Ebay ID "2000m5", San Mateo, CA. 2000m5 is, I believe, Evan ? of BimmerBrothers fame.

HTH

[vinceinIL]

Joel, my friend, you sound like quite the popular man around town... "end up hooking up with someone and later they drop me off at home", "at A GIRLFRIEND'S house and she drove me home".....

I agree there's probably more to the story, but also think there's the opportunity to try to avoid an abandonment claim if he was waiting for the car to be done, the shop was moving, changing owners, etc.

I have two heads at a local shop that I'm waiting to get back. I told them I was in no hurry, as they often get urgent jobs from racers or our friend Ben. They've been there about 10 months now. I've called a few times, and now need to call again and push them to finish them. I haven't abandoned them, but it sure might look like it to someone else.

Sorry I won't be at Vintage Fest, I'll miss learning the tricks of the trade from ya!

vince

[josh72ooh2]

Actually... i know the person quite well.... and well, a marriage, a really premature baby, and both parents dying and 2 house moves was the reason the car got put on the back burner for 5 years. When you have other cars to get you around, and major life changes, well... these things can happen. Would i have ever been so negligent? Hell no. But i can't speak for others and their priorities.

Part of his hesitation for not dealing with it was because the shop moved.

And it moved from a place that was convenient for him, to a place inconvenient. I think he just assumed that the car went with the shop.

The way it was left, he dropped it off for a quote, then the shop moved, his life went upside down, and that was the end of it.

I wouldn't point the finger at Ben at 2002AD. I doubt any of this has to do with him.

I think whatever happened, both my friend and the old shop is at fault. I think this case is a two way street. He should have been notified, and he also should have been more diligent.

And Thanks Les.. i can't believe you had that info... something might come of this after all!

Wow.

-Josh

[penth2o]

Vince,

Good to hear from you. Sorry you won’t be there but I read your going on a nice bike trip. My brother bought a bike this summer and has done nothing but ride. (Co. Canada, Wash.) He loves it. S.O.B. already wore out all the tires, chains, sprockets. I can’t believe he put on 38,000 mile since he bought it this spring. My buddies have bikes that are five years old and don’t have that many miles on them. Have a great trip my friend.

I was looking forward to chatting with ya down in Chicago.

Vince, Sorry you abandoned your heads at the shop. I’ll go offer them a dollar amount while I’m down there and pick them up while yer on your bike trip :} :}

Hey when yer single ya gotta do what you have to survive.

I was glad to see Les had the info also. Les, do you keep a database of all 02’s that pass through Fleabay & such. If so that is a great idea for future reference & stolen vehicles. I have a friend that does that with VW's.

Josh, I hope you didn’t take it in any negative way what I said. I just thought there may be more to the story than what you knew. I’m sorry your friend has had to deal with the issues mentioned above. Those are some serious issues to have to deal with.

Isn’t that name mention above Evan the guy that goes around picking up 02’s cheap and re selling them. I thought I read that years ago on here.

Good luck for your friend Josh.

[jgerock]

Josh -

Please send me an e-mail using the button next to my name.

[02Les]

I was glad to see Les had the info also. Les, do you keep a database of all 02’s that pass through Fleabay & such. If so that is a great idea for future reference & stolen vehicles. I have a friend that does that with VW's.

Isn’t that name mention above Evan the guy that goes around picking up 02’s cheap and re selling them. I thought I read that years ago on here.

I keep an amateur Register of '02s. I have scoured Ebay, etc for the past 8 or 9 yrs and acquired info on around 5000 '02s.

The Seller (2000m5) of the missing '02 is still putting cars on Ebay and is the Evan that used to be (maybe still) part of BimmerBrothers. Not sure if BimmerBros is still going now though.

Edit: a little more info

www.bimmerbrothers.net

www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_g8m4xd

The guy is Evan Esterman. Not saying anything against this Evan, but as the car went through his hands, he may be able to help.

[jgerock]

the Evan that used to be (maybe still) part of BimmerBrothers. Not sure if BimmerBros is still going now though.

Well - I tried being "low key", but here is the info I have for Evan from his 2006 business card (not sure if the info is still valid).

Evan Esterman

www.BimmerBrothers.net

bmwbros1@hotmail.com

(650) 574-0561 or (415) 298-3270

Back when I was looking for a tii in 2006, Evan picked me up in Oakland (as a favor to Ben @ 2002AD) and drove me around for the day, looking at cars. I really appreciated his help and advice. Evan's a good guy.

Good luck on the search for the automatic 2002 - some pictures posted here may help someone I.D. the whereabouts. As with many "lost" vehicles, they end up being almost right next door with a little detective work.