Dear Skyclad, We sometimes refer to these situations as caught between a rock and a hard place - which is certainly where you are! You say your buddy's car is about to receive the carb that you think was originally yours. Certainly start by doing a little sleuthing work yourself by asking him about it - where he got it - the name and addy of the guy - etc. and see if you can trace it back to the original source. If you can do that and discover that it was the guy that you saw come in the shop and if he has no sales documentation, you'll know the next step. Inform the garage owner what you found out (names, addresses, dates & all other evidence) and also the local sheriff or police. File a detailed report and while you're there, check out the guy's MO (the one who your buddy bought it from and/or the one who brought it into the shop) to see if he has a record. If you have your own documentation (sales receipts, order form, shipper etc) that shows you as the legal owner of the carb, there is little that can be argued. A serial number would be certain proof. As far as the bouncing check goes, that's never a good idea since the shop owner may not be at fault anyway. I would have him do as he agreed - eat the carb cost, fix your car and let him duke it out with his insurance company about your stereo. When your car is done & you go to pay him, that's when you need to take a firm stand about recovery of the stereo costs. None of this is your fault so there is no culpability on your part and he shouldn't have put your car outside if it wasn't going to be insured - that's his fault! If all this fails, you still have your own insurance company available to file a claim for the stolen stereo. Just some ideas for you to mull over...good luck! Brian D500s in frozen Michigan Skyclad Digital Design wrote: > Thanks my FWDLK bruthas, beforehand................... > OK. Here Goes.............. > I took my 59 Belle to my mechanic to get a Holley four barrell and Manifold > put in. Whilst there my car was broken into and my speakers were stollen and > the Holley carb I had just bought. Now I had called him that Friday and > allerted him that I had left the part in the back seat so he could get it. > That weekend the breakin occured. I had that car locked up tight. They musta > used a Jimmy stick to get into it. Now his place is fenced in and barb wired > accross the top. He shares the building with several other auto > shops..........all reputable. Now hes trying first off to get me to get my > insurance to pay................ but no dice. To smart for that one. so he > says hell eat the cost of the carb and well worry about the speakers later > after he talks to his insurance co more.............supposedly they wont > cover anything left outside. . I need the car back now and actually am now > worried about it even being at his shop. > Now someone suggested that I get him to fix her, pay him, imediately > cancell the check, get my stereo repaired/ replaced with the exact same > components and then send him a check immediately for the difference. > Otherwise most likely I'll be out the price of the stereo. Any other > suggestions? Something More fair? > THE PROBLEM IS............ I smell something fishy. While there at > his shop some guy shows up with my exact > carburetor...............................hmmmmmmmmmmmmm? > I would allmost swear its the same box...........same bend in the top. > Perhaps I'm paranoid. It is a small shop though..................and this > part is supposedly going onto a buddy of mines car. I'm going to call him > after this just in case.....................can I trace serial numbers on > the carb? > Again, help! What would you guys do?.....................r
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