OK, so I need some help located my Z...

[revel8or]

Alright, so I've been a little stupid.  I left my 1978 280z in Mishawaka with a "friend" when I moved to Ohio.  The deal was that he was to tow it to his place and I'd get back with him in a week or two and work out the delivery to me, or if he could come up with enough money, he could buy it.  This was in (and here's where everyone can laugh) 2002.  He disappeared, and so did my car.  As a matter of fact, when I mean he disappeared, I mean that two weeks after I moved, I called and his phone would ring with no answer and then his work stated he no longer was employed there.

 

I've looked as far as possible.  I've called the South Bend and Mishawaka police stations and all of the major tow companies up there over the years looking for this vehicle.  I still have the title and one of the keys, but no car.  

 

It was a 1978 Metallic Brown with fuel injection, or infection if you are a carb person.  When it was left with the nameless subject, it ran, sort-of, where it would fire, then die.  It needed to be towed anywhere it went.  Hell, I don't know if it was left in the original location or taken and parted out.  It would have been worth more parted out, but...if there's an off chance that it's still together, then I'd like to find out where it is, and hopefully get it back.  I have the VIN number if it's necessary that I post it.

 

The last place that I saw it was at what is now called River Pointe apartments in a garage in Mishawaka, Indiana.  Any hints or thoughts would be appreciated.

Edited October 18, 2015 by revel8or

[SteveJ]

If you really want to find it, you probably should post the name of your "friend" and the VIN. Otherwise a brown 78 is pretty darn generic.

[Zed Head]

Thirteen years ago (that's a long time) you left a car with someone you didn't really know.  He was the only person you knew in Mishawaka?  You didn't know any of his family or other friends or have a place you hung out where people knew him?  You were both unknown to the community, invisible?

 

Weird story.  I'd worry about sending you towards anyone out here with a 78 Z.  You might both be ex-cons.  Maybe you left to serve time.

[Patcon]

You could always file a police report, that will put the VIN in the system and it may turn up somewhere.

[Zed Head]

What are the lost title laws in Ohio?  Could be that he just moved, lost track of you, and had it retitled.

 

Still lots of weirdness here.  Who loses a car?

[revel8or]

Well, I'm not an ex con, and thanks for forgetting that I'm a human on the other end of the computer.  Who has no record, but since you jumped to the conclusion that a person on the other end of the computer *must* have a record, my bet no matter what I say will not prove you to be incorrect.  As a matter of fact, I bet that just by stating that I don't will lead you to the conclusion that I must since I denied it.

 

I have the vin: HLS30463192.  His name was Joe Rawles.  I worked with him a year and a half, and became close enough after work (I believed) to trust him with a car that didn't run and was kept in a locked garage for a couple of weeks.  

 

I've searched for it numerous times over the years with the police and with every junkyard and salvage company, as well as his whereabouts, and I have come up with *nothing.*  So, I lose a car.  It's not like I parked it behind some trees beside a bench, came out and assumed that it joined and disappeared with other quick, small brown animals that hide around the foliage.    Although that might be a setup for a good joke, so I do see your point.

Edited October 18, 2015 by revel8or

[Zed Head]

 I do see your point.

You have to pick one - righteous indignation, or, you see my point.   You should thank me for clarifying your situation.  There are strange people out there on the internet, trying to find out where people live so that they can express their opinions in person.  You might be one of those.  You're just a stranger on this forum.

 

Probably easier to find the guy than the car.  The government keeps track of people much better than it keeps track of cars.  Have you tried the place you worked?  Didn't you know other people there?  Facebook?  

 

Still, considering that you don't know why the guy disappeared, and because we don't know you, and you might be angry and looking for retribution, we might be leading an irrational person to somebody who was just trying to help a friend.  Your first paragraph above makes me nervous.

 

That's my point.

[Patcon]

I agree with Zed. Try to find the person. Use some of the online sites that track people. You know his name and where he lived at some point in time. That should narrow it down to 4-5 people. Start there, call them all till you find your guy...

[siteunseen]

Quick property tax search shows only one RAWLS family in that area.

 

Owner Name  Rawls Ira Patrick & Elizabeth O Owner Address  907 N Twyckenham Dr 
South Bend IN 46617-1631

[Mark Maras]

 What else can you tell us about Joe? Approximate age, occupation, hobbies? Have you talked with other co-workers to see if they know where he went? I don't think his trail will be that difficult to follow.

 Much akin to troubleshooting a gremlin in a Z, The more details you can give us, the better chance we have of finding it. 

 It might be interesting to take on a "cold case" & see what happens.

 Does anyone in that area remember the car or remember buying parts from a metallic brown Z? I find it hard to believe that the whole car just disappeared.

[jfa.series1]

Check social media - FB, Twitter, ...etc.  5 Joe Rawles listed on FB

[revel8or]

Well, we worked at Goodwill Michiana together.  I was an Employment Specialist, who found individuals with disabilities jobs in the community, and he worked in the production team, where donated items were sorted and shipped to different stores.  We hung out, some, not a ton, but enough to have had beers after work and played some pool.  

 

He was (now this was some time ago) about 5'10, Caucasian, sandy blond hair.  By now he's probably 50, my guess.  Eyes may have been hazel, but It's been a while.  If I remember correctly, he was in the Navy or ex-service.  I don't know where he went.  I talked to him a couple of times after I moved, then called and he had disappeared.  Phone rang, no answer.  When I called GW to talk to him, I was transferred to Human Resources, who wouldn't answer *any* questions about him or put me through to anyone else in his department - even though they knew who I was...I didn't like that company very much. I digress.

 

If I knew where he went to, I wouldn't still be searching.  

 

I thought that he may have donated the car to GW, but from what I understand, you needed to have the title to do that, which I still have - and I don't know if it's possible (and I don't really want to know how) to fake documentation to get a new car title.

The car was in restorable shape, i.e. when I saw it last it needed to be restored, which I was going to eventually do.  It needed new seals around the back hatch, and the clear coat was fried on the top of the hood, roof, and quarter panels.  It had faux wire rims and locking covers, for which I still have the key.  The dash had a cover as it had cracked - it was a Texas car, and sat by someone's garage for many years before I purchased it.  It had faux sheepskin covers (both additions added by the original owner, I might add, along with the velour diamond tuck upholstery on the doors).  It had all of the badges intact, along with the ash tray, etc.  The Datsun on the dash, however, had been removed so the cover would adequately fit.  

 

The driver's door was funky in so much that it wouldn't unlock from the outside.  I had to unlock the passenger's side, crawl through, and unlike the driver's from the inside, walk around the car...anyway...it's a habit that is so ingrained in me that when I'm in a hurry, I *still* open the passenger's side door before getting in the car on the driver's (insert head slap).

 

Sometimes the most obvious things are the ones that I overlook.  I'll try FB and twitter to see if there's any luck.