[NOBBC] Austin-Healey and US owner back together after 42 years apart

[Don]

A little positive news is good to see.  Just got this from my friend 
Tim, who has many old MGs and other British cars.



>Your friend tim spotted this on the guardian.co.uk site and thought 
>you should see it.
>
>To see this story with its related links on the guardian.co.uk site, 
>go to 
>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/16/austin-healey-us-owner-reunited
>
>Austin-Healey and US owner back together after 42 years apart
>
>Bob Russell reunites with much-loved and much-searched for British 
>sports car stolen after second date with future wife
>
>James Meikle
>Tuesday July 17 2012
>guardian.co.uk
>
>
>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/16/austin-healey-us-owner-reunited
>
>
>Bob Russell had not seen his much-loved British sports car since the 
>morning after the second date with his future wife. But he never 
>gave up hope of being reunited.
>
>Years of internet searching has paid off with his 1967 Austin-Healey 
>3000 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin-Healey_3000" title="] back 
>outside his US home after a separation that lasted nearly 42 years.
>
>Russell, a retired sales manager from Southlake, Texas, spotted the 
>car on eBay [http://www.ebay.com/" title="] in May, and finally 
>managed to recover the vehicle ? which he bought from a friend for 
>$3,000 (?1,930) in 1968 ? last month after proving his credentials 
>with authorities. He had first called a Beverly Hills car dealership 
>that was selling it.
>
>He said the identification number matched that of his car and had 
>the original key and car title, but not a copy of the stolen-car 
>report to prove that it was stolen from him. Russell contacted 
>Philadelphia police for help and learned that the stolen-car report 
>did not show up at the FBI's national crime index because one 
>vehicle identification number was entered incorrectly. The report 
>was finally found and the file was reactivated, enabling Los Angeles 
>authorities to impound the car.
>
>"It still runs, but the brakes don't work well. We're going to put 
>it back the way it was," he said.
>
>"The fact that the car still exists is improbable," said Russell, 
>who had reported it stolen from an apartment complex in Philadelphia 
>where he then lived. "It could have been junked or wrecked."
>
>In the years that followed he eyed similar Healeys he passed on the 
>road, he told the Dallas Morning News [http://www.dallasnews.com/" title="].
>
>Russell said ever since eBay started he periodically search the 
>website for his beloved motor. "I checked it on Friday, 11 May, and 
>there it was." Once the authorities had verified his story, Russell 
>and his wife, Cynthia, drove to LA to take possession of the car, 
>paying roughly $600 in impoundment fees. They also paid about $800 
>to have it shipped to their Southlake home, he told the Dallas Morning News.
>
>"We were probably out $1,500 plus six days of travel and hotel 
>costs," Russell said. "I'm not complaining about any of that. I 
>couldn't get the credit card out of my pocket fast enough."
>
>He reckons the car would probably be worth $50,000 when restored.
>
>"I had a hobby car but got rid of my Porsche 911 a year ago," he 
>said. "I used to have an antique Corvette and a couple of 
>motorcycles. Now I have a grandpa [Toyota] Camry."
>
>He and his wife were graduate students when they met and went on 
>their first two dates in the car, which he was too cash-strapped to insure.
>
>"It's a bit of a relief," said Russell on having the car back. 
>"Nothing's ever linear ? you're up, you're down, you're being 
>whipsawed back and forth, and suddenly it's over."
>
>
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