Hey,
A close friend recently sold his (completely restored to new) '72 MGB-GT to a
fellow on the east coast who had somehow seen it advertised on our car clubs
website. The ecstatic new owner (who paid cash sight unseen) asked my friend
to hold on to the car until he, the new owner, had arranged for
transportation. In a couple of days my friend (who'd spent 2 days detailing
the MG) received a call from the new owner who said that he had found a
really great automobile transportation company located near to where my
friend lived, and so, at the new owners request my friend delivered the
beautiful classic MGB-GT to this "reputable" shipper. That should have been
the start of a wonderfully pleasant episode being that the MG-GT was in
better than new condition (about $15,000 in new parts alone!) But...about 6
wks. later the new buyer anxiously called my friend saying that he was still
waiting on delivery and asked my friend to check it out. Which my friend did
only to find the MGB-GT just sitting forlorn out in the open, covered in a
heavy layer of dust and debris. The transportation lot person said the MG was
scheduled to leave later that day..My friend was really hot at this point but
he no longer had any say in the matter, other than to report the info to the
anxious new owner in the east coast. The poor fellow thanked my friend.. Only
to call back a couple of weeks later saying that the MGB-GT still hadn't
arrived. He asked my friend just go down to the lot and tell them to please
call the new owner, who'd already paid all transportation costs plus who
knows what else. Upon arrival at the Transportation company my friend saw
that the
place was abandoned and a
neighboring businessman told him that the Sheriff had come and removed all
the trucking company records, then had padlocked the shipping office, and
that the transporter was being investigated by the Grand Jury.....But the
once beautifully and lovingly restored 1972 MGB-GT had vanished, just simply
disappeared. My friend who'd spent over 2 years restoring the car as a labor
of love was devastated. Hopefully the person who bought the car can collect
some insurance or something. So please make sure that you're using a really
reputable shipper. Don't be afraid to ask for proof that they're a bonded and
licensed business. Don't get ripped off! There's a guy on the east coast who
is $12,000 poorer, I know he wishes he'd investigated a bit more.
Albert Escalante ~ 1978 MGB
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