Good news for one classic owner.

[Catweazle]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18848481

[Du1point8]

sometimes I feel its a little harsh on people when they don't know its stolen as it happened so long ago... that would be such a kick in the balls on you if it was your car you were selling now that someone can come and claim it after all this time.

How did the guy take an insurance payout and the car or did he just suck it up a long time ago? If the latter then I can understand but its still a kick in the nuts to the seller.

How far back does HPI style checks go?

[anonymous-user]

Does he get it back or the insurance company? if they paid up then they get the car.

[hidetheelephants]

My first reaction to his comment(not in that link but in others) that the brakes need attention was that they're all like that!

[AndrewW-G]

Something similar happened (but without the happy ending) to the late great Peter Ustinov, somebody stole his Hispano Suiza, sold it on to a man in France, who subsequently rebuilt it . . . . .When Ustinov tracked it down, the French judge allowed the chap who restored it, to keep it

[spoodler]

A chap I knew bought a Stag in "iffy" condition. He spent a couple of years and a considerable amount of cash rebuilding/respraying/replacing etc. and when he came to put it back on the road it came to light that it was a stolen car (probably hadn't bothered with updating the reg' until then). The owner's "mate" had sold it while he was away and had claimed it was stolen. After a quite messy court case and various agreements between all parties the restorer got to keep it; I think he had a few sleepless nights in the meantime.
Really had to feel for both the restorer and the original owner.

[a8hex]

Saw a case the other day of a pre war MB, it was acquired during the war by a US serviceman.
It recently visited Europe and the descendants of the war time owner went to court and have regained ownership in a German court. I think I'd recommend they never tried take the car to the US or they might find that a US court decides to side with the US claimant.