New guy with a lost and found

[CharlzO2k]

Hey everyone, just dropping a quick intro to the forums, and will be looking forward to a wealth of information. Quick backstory:

Years ago, I had a girlfriend from Florida. She had a 1985 Olds Cutlass Supreme, Broughman. It was her first car, and I believe it was passed onto her from her grandmother, so obviously she loved "Blue". She moved up to NY to be with me, and we brought the car up. That winter, it overheated - I never considered that the car was a FL vehicle and never would've been properly readied for cold winters. We parked it in a storage unit that I had, and then a little time passed, she moved back to FL, without the car. A few months later, I planned to move down, so I replaced the gasket that had let go, and drove it a few days to make sure it would hold up, had no issues. The day we go to leave, poof. We had a "garage" fix it, and it made it another mile and then REALLY smoked out. Ugh, so we put it back in storage and took my car down. Job market went to crap around that time, I ended up losing the storage unit, and with it, her car. Right about then, we also split up, and basically cut ties, she never mentioned the car, but I never forgot it.

So fast forwarding from 2010, and had always had thoughts about it, since we had always had plans of fixing it up a little more, hot-rodding it a tad in her eyes. I always wondered where it went, and just recently, I found it. It's actually local to me, and has been parked in the guy's garage ever since he got it from the storage auction. He hasn't touched it since, and never bothered trying to get it titled. I'm going to go look this weekend, and purchase the car. Mild plans but ultimately planning to get it up and running with a replacement engine, give the rust-free paint a good cleaning and polish, and surprise her (I do still have contact information, but we don't exactly talk), with the keys again. I always felt bad about it, and I think the sentimental value of the car will be a nice thing to have back. Or, worst case if she doesn't want it back, well heck, sign me the title, and I'll have a nice toy

Looking forward to researching the heck out of anything I decide to do, and I'll post more pictures after I get it home.

 

[Longroof79]

Welcome to the forum.
Thank you for your introduction and compelling story behind your girlfriend's Cutlass.
It sure looks like a sweet ride.
I think your wanting to give the car back to her after getting it running and roadworthy again, etc, is certainly noble on your part.

Good luck with that endeavor. Hopefully, reacquiring the Cutlass works out in your favor. As you said, if your ex-girlfriend is no longer interested in the car, then put the work into it and enjoy it yourself.
Of course, I vote for the latter.

Please keep us informed as to how this story plays out.

 

[79 GP 4 speed]

That is a lovely story. You may end up with a girlfriend again.

 

[CharlzO2k]

That is a lovely story. You may end up with a girlfriend again.

Not sure her husband would go for it, and he's not my type so I think a group hug is out lol. I'm a weird strange non-believer of karma. I do try to help out people I can and so on, and everyone always says how that's good Karma, though I have yet to be on the receiving end of any, but I don't do it with expectations. And in this case, even though she also left the car, I do feel responsible that the car was lost. While I know I could just buy the car and keep it anyway, and go through the hoops of getting a title as abandoned and all that, I think it should be her choice, because it was her car, and her grandmother's, and to me it just feels the right thing to do. I am able to do it, afford to do it without hurting my own situation, and would make me feel good inside to be able to be "Hey, I found your car, and you deserve to have it back". Don't care if she takes the keys and never says another word, I just want to do what feels right

 

[Local Hero]

That's an awesome story and one that I hope is just beginning.

But I can't get past the wonderment of regardless of how she feels about the car again, what are the chances she still has the title for it somewhere even if she wanted to give it back to you?

For all parties involved, I hope she does.

 

[69hurstolds]

I'd do it differently. My thoughts (and they may not be as virtuous):

You seem to want to go purchase the car and then "surprise" her with the fact you found it. Like one of those "look what I did for you" moments. She's married, so repress that urge to impress her. She left for a reason and if the relationship was that great, it would have ended up with the car sticking around, too. Not judging you or her, just dealing with reality facts here.

As long as you break even on the car, then I'd say it's good. You seriously wouldn't just GIVE it to her, would you? The mere offer of it at cost would be good deed enough. And you can put that in your book of good deeds at no real cost to you, sorta. Although time, gas and incendiaries of getting the title back, etc., is worth something too.

But if she balks, take it and run and enjoy your newfound Cutlass. Remember, you don't OWE her anything. Unless you do, and somehow by going through all this may square things up so you can be relieved of some guilt or something.

Once you went through the trouble to find it, I'd have simply contacted her and let her know you found the car and if she was really interested in buying it back or whatever, she can take it from there. No meddling in her marriage and again, still being able to chalk up a win in the good deeds column. You can't control what she does with the info once given. Unless you really want that car back because your love for the car. That's the only way I'd buy it first and go through all that stuff just to see if she wants it at her leisure.

But if you go through all that just to give it away to her? If you do that, come back and tell us, I'll probably have another opinion.

Good luck either way you go, though. Nothing's ever cut and dried simple.

 

[69hurstolds]

Eh, never mind. I see in a further post where you feel responsible for fumbling away the car, so there you go. Still, good luck.

 

[CharlzO2k]

But I can't get past the wonderment of regardless of how she feels about the car again, what are the chances she still has the title for it somewhere even if she wanted to give it back to you?

I've actually been debating a lot of avenues as to the best way to approach it, and nothing is set in stone. As far as not having the title though, that's not a hard thing to get around. Takes time to sort out paperwork and whatnot, but there are ways. Worst case, if she was willing to pass the car over, I'd even spring for the fee to get a lost title reissued that she could then sign over.

69HurstOlds, I do feel your thoughts, and they've been on my mind. One version would be to get the car home, send a picture and say that I found the car, and give them the option of paying me to fix it for them. It's really not a large purchase for me, and really, is heads and shoulders cheaper than it would've actually cost had I kept it in storage the last 8 years.

The idea of surprising her isn't necessarily a "see what I did for you!" feeling on my part but I can certainly see how it would/could be perceived as such. I'm well over the relationship and have no desire to have anything, nor any delusions of rekindling anything. But yes, the intent is mainly because I do feel mostly responsible that the car was lost on my watch.

And at the end of the day, I did like the car (and not just front seat antics - bench seats are useful), and selfishly, there is a good chunk of me hoping she's just gonna go "Oh, that's nice but uhhh I don't want it back".

I'm leaning towards sending word that I got the car, and seeing how it goes from there though. While the finished surprise would be nice at least in my mind, at least if I knew ahead of time what it's fate is, might lead me back towards which direction to go with a build.

 

[69hurstolds]

Again, best of luck. I'll be rooting for the "she didn't want it so I get to keep it" response. I'd sure not want to let that car go.

Of course, I love strays, the wife hates 'em. "Oh, I'll fix it up, drive it for a bit, then sell it".....that's how I got a crap load of cars...….

 

[My86R3gal]

Welcome to the forum! Post pics