Man recovers stolen Healey after 42 years!

[BJ8Healeys]

I know your tongue is in your cheek, Rick.
Actually, the registry has all 553 <span style="text-decoration: underline">original</span> Metallic Golden Beige cars documented. That is, all of the chassis numbers are known to the registry. Four of those are known to have been scrapped, destroyed, parted out, etc. Former and/or current owners are known for 265 of them. No owner has been identified for 277 of them, but BMIHT data is recorded. These may or may not still exist, but haven't turned up yet. Engines and gearboxes originally installed in Metallic Golden Beige cars have been reported as installed in seven other cars, suggesting that maybe they don't exist due to donating their parts.
There are quite a few owners who aren't aware that they own an original MGB (unfortunate acronym!) because their car is some other color now.
The registry data and statistics become more complete and accurate the more owners contribute their information.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

I know your tongue is in your cheek, Rick.
Actually, the registry has all 553 <span style="text-decoration: underline">original</span> Metallic Golden Beige cars documented. That is, all of the chassis numbers are known to the registry. Four of those are known to have been scrapped, destroyed, parted out, etc. Former and/or current owners are known for 265 of them. No owner has been identified for 277 of them, but BMIHT data is recorded. These may or may not still exist, but haven't turned up yet. Engines and gearboxes originally installed in Metallic Golden Beige cars have been reported as installed in seven other cars, suggesting that maybe they don't exist due to donating their parts.
There are quite a few owners who aren't aware that they own an original MGB (unfortunate acronym!) because their car is some other color now.
The registry data and statistics become more complete and accurate the more owners contribute their information.

We need a "Transmission Database"! I'm looking for my original transmission, which I sold to a guy in Florida back in the '70's. Number is: 15595.

BTW: Steve helped me in finding my correct vin number for my "MGB" car by having me verify the number on the shock tower plate!

 

[Johnny]

Johnny, I agree that if someone has a legal title to a car, he is the legitimate owner -- provided that the car wasn't proved to be stolen before the title was issued.

This is an interesting topic, because as I see it there is a "statute of limitations" on stolen cars.

There was a similar corvette stolen some years ago and the car had been re-titled twice! The last owner spent thousands of dollars restoring the car. Seeing this car at a car show and recognizing the car by all the numbers the "original" owner filed a claim with the police saying the car was stolen. The court said the original owner could have the car back only if he paid the present owner the cost of the restoration since he had a valid title to the car. I lost track of how it all ended up ( I suppose the story was no longer newsworthy) but the ruling seemed fair to me. What do you think??

 

[BJ8Healeys]

Pat, the BJ8 registry has a gearbox database (and a batch number database, and a body number database, and a rear axle database). The registry has a record of your original gearbox, but so far it has not turned up as installed in another car or held as a spare by anyone.
Hey guys, the registries can only be helpful in proportion to the data included. The registrars depend on you to provide the details desired. In the case of BJ8s, the numbers of all serialized components that you find installed in your car are requested. You may get lucky and find that your engine is original to a car belonging to someone who has deep pockets and a strong desire to get their original engine (or gearbox, etc.) back. It has happened, even with the complete car!

 

[BJ8Healeys]

Johnny, in my early discussions with Mr. Russell I raised the issue of statute of limitations. He checked it out, I suppose, because he came back to me with the info that there is no statute of limitations on car theft. When the car was stolen from him, it probably was worth only a thousand bucks or so. When he got it back, although unrestored, it was worth many thousands more; but he only had to pay the $600 impoundment fee to the LA cops and the car was his. That may be just a difference in how the law applied to this case and the Corvette, I don't know. I do know that the only thing that got his car back was the fact that he still had his title and found someone at the Philadelphia PD and/or the Natonal Crime Information Center who refused to give up in finding the stolen car report from 1970. Without either of those, he didn't have a chance.
I remember the story of the Corvette, and I agree, it's an interesting issue. I think I agree with the judge.

 

[richberman]

I know your tongue is in your cheek, Rick.
Actually, the registry has all 553 <span style="text-decoration: underline">original</span> Metallic Golden Beige cars documented. That is, all of the chassis numbers are known to the registry. Four of those are known to have been scrapped, destroyed, parted out, etc. Former and/or current owners are known for 265 of them. No owner has been identified for 277 of them, but BMIHT data is recorded. These may or may not still exist, but haven't turned up yet. Engines and gearboxes originally installed in Metallic Golden Beige cars have been reported as installed in seven other cars, suggesting that maybe they don't exist due to donating their parts.
There are quite a few owners who aren't aware that they own an original MGB (unfortunate acronym!) because their car is some other color now.
The registry data and statistics become more complete and accurate the more owners contribute their information.

We need a "Transmission Database"! I'm looking for my original transmission, which I sold to a guy in Florida back in the '70's. Number is: 15595.

BTW: Steve helped me in finding my correct vin number for my "MGB" car by having me verify the number on the shock tower plate!

An engine database would be great too. I'd like to know where my original engine is...as well as who has the car for my tri-carb engine.
rich

 

[Randy Forbes]

Pat, the BJ8 registry has a gearbox database (and a batch number database, and a body number database, and a rear axle database). The registry has a record of your original gearbox, but so far it has not turned up as installed in another car or held as a spare by anyone.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Hey guys, the registries can only be helpful in proportion to the data included. The registrars depend on you to provide the details desired.</span> In the case of BJ8s, the numbers of all serialized components that you find installed in your car are requested. You may get lucky and find that your engine is original to a car belonging to someone who has deep pockets and a strong desire to get their original engine (or gearbox, etc.) back. It has happened, even with the complete car!

Oh how I wish, I wish, I wish, that you handled the 100/6 registery!

Rudy Streng has been the 100/6 registrar since at least the mid 80s, and you cannot get any information out of him; frankly, I gave up trying at least two (2) decades ago. I can only surmise that the collection of data is for his own personal enjoyment, as it is never, to the best of my knowledge, been disseminated among those that have contributed to his whim.

I hope that someday, preferably within my lifetime, the collection of 100/6 data will pass on to someone that learned how to share with others! Just you and your registery alone, could have me thinking about getting a BJ8__too bad they didn't make any two-seaters...

 

[BJ8Healeys]

Randy, each registrar pretty much runs his registry the way he wants. There has been some discussion about standardizing the registries, but it hasn't gone anywhere. I think that is an exercise in futility for the most part because the cars are different, the specific details collected differ among the various models, etc. I try to build and maintain a continuous ownership history, for example, and some of the other registries only record the current owner.
Rudy uses 3 x 5 cards to document 100-Six data because that was the technology in the early '80s when he started. I use Excel, some use Access. So, there is not even a standard format. Changing formats is a real problem for some of us this late in the game.
A lot of what a registry is depends on the individual registrar -- how much time and effort he wants to spend doing it, and how interested he is in making the data collected useful for that model community.

 

[healey106]

Rudy is very protective of the 100-Six information that he has on his index cards. That is one of the reasons that I began the Longbridge 100-Six, 2-Port Head Registry back in 2005. I have owned my Longbridge since 1970 and I had little success in obtaining information of the Longbridge BN4 2 port-head model. Things appeared to be not reflected properly in the Originalty Guides so I thought I might try to correct the documentation for the Longbridge BN4, with support from other owners of this unique first 6 cylinder Austin Healey. We have been fortuante that the Moment /Anderson "Bible" has an excellent photo section with many photos of the Longbridge #29977, done by Sean Johnson. Then this year at Conclave there was an excellent example of the Longbridge, which received a "GOLD" in Concours, done by Jerry Thompson #46573, but also close by for comparison was a 16,000 mile Longbridge that was completely original except for hoses, spark plugs and exhaust system. The show was a true delight for the Longbridge owner.

Jim Lesher
BN4L-O-40757
Registrar for the Longbridge BN4 2porthead Registry

 

[SpacerM]

I just want to add that I recently updated the registry for my newly aquired BJ8 and Steve could not have been more helpful. He informed me that my Illinois acquired car had a history in North Carolina, and not only volunteered the information he had on the car, but offered to track down, copy and mail to me whatever original ownership information he finds on file with the NC DMV for nothing more than reimbursement of his actual costs. Hats off to Steve for the incredible service he provides to us BJ8 owners, and hopefully the other registrars come around to the notion that they are custodians of information for the benefit of generations to come, not individual "collectors" of data on others cars.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Rudy is very protective of the 100-Six information that he has on his index cards. That is one of the reasons that I began the Longbridge 100-Six, 2-Port Head Registry back in 2005. I have owned my Longbridge since 1970 and I had little success in obtaining information of the Longbridge BN4 2 port-head model. Things appeared to be not reflected properly in the Originalty Guides so I thought I might try to correct the documentation for the Longbridge BN4, with support from other owners of this unique first 6 cylinder Austin Healey. We have been fortuante that the Moment /Anderson "Bible" has an excellent photo section with many photos of the Longbridge #29977, done by Sean Johnson. Then this year at Conclave there was an excellent example of the Longbridge, which received a "GOLD" in Concours, done by Jerry Thompson #46573, but also close by for comparison was a 16,000 mile Longbridge that was completely original except for hoses, spark plugs and exhaust system. The show was a true delight for the Longbridge owner.

Jim Lesher
BN4L-O-40757
Registrar for the Longbridge BN4 2porthead Registry

I assume you are interested in ALL BN'4s and even the ones that sit in junk yards? PM me with your personal email address and I'll send you info on one that I saw in Yuma, AZ several years ago. Rudy never responded to me.

 

[healey106]

Patrick - I am interested in any Longbridge 2 porthead BN4 - we have one here in PA, which was totaled in 58 on the PA turnpike. The current owner put on a Devin fiberglass body and has been driving it ever since. It certainly does not look like a Longbridge , but it has the vin plate with BN4L-O-xxxxx and that is what counts and the photos of the original crash to prove it.

send the info to

BN4_2porthead@hotmail.com

Jim Lesher
Longbridge BN4 2porthead Registry

 

[HealeyRick]

Here's the seller's side:

"Beverly Hills Car Club found the Austin Healey on Craigslist and purchased the car from a seller in New Jersey who claimed to have owned the car for 42 years. The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) matched the registration and paperwork, had no liens and was clear and unencumbered from the State of New York, when it was issued to the seller in 1970," says Versa Manos from the Beverly Hills Car Club. "In good faith, we purchased the car and paid to have it shipped cross-country, where it was detailed, photographed and displayed for sale on our eBay page."

When Beverly Hills Car Club got a call from Mr. Russell, saying that the car was stolen in 1970 and belonged to him, the Austin Healey was taken down from eBay immediately. The matter was handed over to the dealership's attorney for investigation into Mr. Russell's claims.

"To our knowledge, the car had a valid title and there was no report on it being a stolen vehicle, which was apparently due to an error by the Philadelphia Police Department," continues Ms. Manos. "This could have happened to anyone buying a car on the internet."

When it became apparent that the car belonged to Mr. Russell, Beverly Hills Car Club was quick to cooperate with local authorities to return the car to its rightful owner.

"We are all very happy that Mr. Russell has gotten his car back," says Ms. Manos. "However, we are victims in this situation. We have lost $27,000, which is what we paid for the car plus the cost to ship it to California."

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/beverly...aley-2012-07-12

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Here's the seller's side:

"Beverly Hills Car Club found the Austin Healey on Craigslist and purchased the car from a seller in New Jersey who claimed to have owned the car for 42 years. The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) matched the registration and paperwork, had no liens and was clear and unencumbered from the State of New York, when it was issued to the seller in 1970," says Versa Manos from the Beverly Hills Car Club. "In good faith, we purchased the car and paid to have it shipped cross-country, where it was detailed, photographed and displayed for sale on our eBay page."

When Beverly Hills Car Club got a call from Mr. Russell, saying that the car was stolen in 1970 and belonged to him, the Austin Healey was taken down from eBay immediately. The matter was handed over to the dealership's attorney for investigation into Mr. Russell's claims.

"To our knowledge, the car had a valid title and there was no report on it being a stolen vehicle, which was apparently due to an error by the Philadelphia Police Department," continues Ms. Manos. "This could have happened to anyone buying a car on the internet."

When it became apparent that the car belonged to Mr. Russell, Beverly Hills Car Club was quick to cooperate with local authorities to return the car to its rightful owner.

"We are all very happy that Mr. Russell has gotten his car back," says Ms. Manos. "However, we are victims in this situation. We have lost $27,000, which is what we paid for the car plus the cost to ship it to California."

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/beverly...aley-2012-07-12

I would hope that the Dealer can find a way to get their money back and what about the guy who sold them the car in the first place?

 

[HealeyRick]

I would hope that the Dealer can find a way to get their money back and what about the guy who sold them the car in the first place?

I predict when the music has stopped playing, someone is going to be without a seat. Dealer will likely go after their seller who may or may not have anyone to turn to some 40 yrs. later.

 

[TimK]

This story made Fox News tonight -- national coverage.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Bob Russell is in Canada and should be back soon so maybe he will comment on some of the details that will shed more light on his car.

After he got his car back I recommended he join the BCF and also supplied him with good parts suppliers, etc. Bob has over 40 years of catching up to do!