Hot Rods Still looking for stolen 60 Mercury

Here's the link to the thread I mentioned. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/any-one-elso-on-here-own-a-1960-mercury.701351/

 

So explain something to people who don't know how to think like a crook.

What good does a (I guess) stolen car sitting on a used car dealers lot for many years that he won't sell, do for him? I don't get it. Why would he want a car he can't sell? It's just a liability isn't it? Somebody comes sniffin' around checking out VIN or other stuff, he's in a lot of trouble.

 

You have probably seen your old Mercury every time you see a Honda ...its been recycled

 

Good ol Grundy co. Your definitely right about that place. Still hasn't changed much.

 

One of my friend's dad owned one of these for years but his was blue. I think it ended up out at the local junk man's farm. When the son of the junk man took over he crushed everything out there. It was a sad event, he probably crushed millions in parts.

 

A person contacted me who is into 60 mercurys told me about this silver two door sedan that sat on this lot in new tazawell ,tennessee for many years he said it was in unusually good shape mine was mint when stolen ,he said he inquired about it many times and was blown off completely ,it was also told to me this dealer had another what appeared to be a parts car ,hence my assumption it may have been purchased for a vin swap,one of the owners of this lot has died and the cars have disappeared ,I was told one is now in Harrogate Tennessee missing the hood,door,and engine and transmission and is for sale for 1800 ,I cannot verify this information and all of this is speculation and has not been verified ,but what perks my interest is this car was a silver car which is not common in a 1960 mercury and it was a two door sedan which is also uncommon,and it was located very near where my car was stolen ,just would like to obtain the vins off these cars,no one will get into legal trouble as statue of limitations has long passed ,as to why this car was stolen and kept it was MINT condition at the time it was stolen it was ten years old this car up untill it was stolen had spent most of its life in storage

 

Well, OK. They wanted to use it in a "VIN swap".

So that's where (I guess) they take one totaled out car, with a good VIN, and use parts from the stolen car to make a saleable car. So then why didn't he do that?

Or, just cut the car up and shelve the parts, etc. If I had a nice desirable car that was stolen, the last thing I'd want to do as a dealer is leave it on display somewhere. See where I'm goin' with that? It doesn't make any sense, but I'm not a crook either. That's why I asked.

 

My thoughts were that the 'parts car' VIN plate (along with the clean title) would simply been attached to his car and then sold off. Though, it's not likely they also restamped the 'parts car' frame # onto his frame. See my post ( post #35) earlier in this thread for my thoughts on the Vin/title switcheroo.

 

I agree with you thats why I have tried to get the Tennessee state investigator to locate the parts car get the vin and see if it is licensed anywhere in the country especially if the vin tag is missing ,then maybe check out the car in person ,problem is an old theft they have little interest in recovery ,this car was not covered by any insurance so it was a total loss ,I would just like to have the car returned

 

btt

 

btt

 

Plus it's a two door...

I'm sorry but a 4 door 1960 Merc stolen in 1970 would have to have some serious sentimental value to still be looking for it after all these years. I wonder what the backstory is?

 

The car is a TWO door sedan ,it sat in storage from the time it was a couple years old in New York until we purchased and drove to Tennessee in 1970 it was a silver grey with a silver interior and was in like new condition when stolen even though it was ten years old ,it had a 312 Y block ,it was taken in Knoxville ,it did have an army base sticker on the bumper

 

while we are here I'd like to get my 1968 Schwinn back that was stolen in 1972. it was blue. anyone seen it?

 

Remember it was just a 10 year old used car when it disappeared. Not sure about 1970 specifically, but within a couple of years of that date, the scrappers were operating 24 hours a day around Knox. I worked on Chapman Highway in 1973, and couldn't believe the honest to God classics going by every day on flatbeds, coming out of Sevier county. Big, exotic, classic stuff from the 20s, 30s, 40s, EVERY DAY. Guys trying to buy them at the gates from the drivers, usually to no avail. The scrappers were in too big of a hurry to go get another one, they wouldn't fool with a guy paying more, cause then they'd have to deliver it somewhere else. Sad as hell, even then.
I mentioned in an earlier post about my 52 Chevy truck stolen in Knox in 1971.
I'm betting your car went across the same scale as my truck. Don't think anybody gave a shit about titles, either, not in Knoxville. Car's gone, man.

 

This can best be described as an exercise in futility. To the point of obsession.
Like everyone else has said, let it go and move on with a more productive use of your life and time.

 

sadly you are probably correct