Stolen 1957 Chevy - RETURNED after 30 years...

[DOC-Z]

Stolen '57 Chevy returned after 30 years with complimentary restoration - Autoblog

Stories like this are too rare. Skip Wilson, 65, took delivery of his fully restored, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air last Monday. That's not the cool part - he hadn't seen the car in over 30 years.

Wilson's two-door Bel Air was purchased in 1975 for $375, and after years of work on it, was stolen in 1983. The car was recovered, but was missing its engine and transmission. Before the northern California resident had a chance to source a new powertrain, the car was stolen again, not to be seen until it arrived outside his house sporting a new coat of Competition Orange paint and a 350-cubic-inch V8 fed by a Holley four-barrel carb.

It turns out that over the 30 years since it was stolen, the car had seen four different owners, one of whom had completely restored it. There was supposed to be a fifth owner, in Australia, until US Customs inspectors discovered the car in a shipping container in the Port of Los Angeles. After notifying the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which had the car's VIN on record, it was seized by the California Highway Patrol and returned to Wilson.

The entire story, published by the Santa Rosa Press Democrat is really worth a read. While Wilson is wondering how his Chevy was registered by four different owners when its VIN was on record with the NICB, he just seems happy to have it back. "Somebody put a whole lot of work and money into that car," Wilson told the Press Democrat. "I imagine somebody in Australia must be awful upset."

Click to read more...

 

[DOC-Z]

Link to VID:

Man reunited with stolen, rare '57 Chevy | thv11.com

 

[rz79]

So awesome I just read that to my wife!

 

[Rebel]

$375 That's ridiculous.

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

id be happy with that result!

 

[BrianG]

That's great for the original owner! Sucks for the last guy to have paid for it, since he's not entitled to a dime and has to give it up.

 

[Euro]

What a great story. Even though the car is "restored," I'd still give it a once over. Those seats are hideous

 

[Breze84]

https://www.hotrodhotline.com/content/stolen-57’-chevy-bel-air-convertible-sept-22-2008

 

[Aircal]

$375 That's ridiculous.

Not at all at that time. I paid $400.00 for my 70 Nova in 1978, 64' 65 mustangs all where priced 3-4 hundred at that time. My father passed on a red 67 GTO because $800 was way to much to pay, probably 2 weeks before I got the Nova. Heck you couldn't go a block with out seeing a 67-69 camaro without a drivetrain covered in weeds in someones front yard. Usually for sell well under $400. Most would have traded you for a good 8-track or CB radio....lol
That's why prices are so high now, everything got trashed back then. And now that everyone wants it again, and done right, the prices have gone skyhigh.

 

[DOC-Z]

Not at all at that time. I paid $400.00 for my 70 Nova in 1978, 64' 65 mustangs all where priced 3-4 hundred at that time. My father passed on a red 67 GTO because $800 was way to much to pay, probably 2 weeks before I got the Nova. Heck you couldn't go a block with out seeing a 67-69 camaro without a drivetrain covered in weeds in someones front yard. Usually for sell well under $400. Most would have traded you for a good 8-track or CB radio....lol
That's why prices are so high now, everything got trashed back then. And now that everyone wants it again, and done right, the prices have gone skyhigh.

I remember when it would only cost $3,000 for a really (REALLY) nice paint job. It blew me away when my father repainted his 1973 Pontiac Grandville vert. (back in the 8-0's) and it cost $3,200. My mother (literally) almost threw him out of the house when she saw the paid bill. Now you are looking at close to double that.