Wild Cherry Van

[cdennisg]

[TDCTDI]

I’m just curious as to what California would assess the value of that year/make/model van at. Each state has its own rules but some states tax the cars annually & the assigned value is non-negotiable regardless of condition.

If California, for tax purposes, assigns a value of $1,800 to that vehicle, & the owner is required to pay tax on that amount, then I would argue that a person that steals said vehicle would be stealing something above the $950 amount that bumps the crime from petty larceny (a misdemeanor) of vehicle to grand larceny of vehicle (a felony).

Here is the value that my state assesses my 1970 Karmann Ghia at...

If they're taxing me on a value of $5,000, of which I cannot contest, I absolutely would not let some thieving POS get a lesser sentence because the crush weight was $150. (Which is not an issue because NC classifies ALL auto thefts as grand larceny of motor vehicle. (Which is another reason not to f*&# with cars with no titles in this state.).).
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[LoneRat]

Someone mentioned that the vin numbers may have been changed. I know a friend of Chris Carter's and I actually spoke with Chris on one occasion. The friend says the vin numbers were changed with the second "donor" van. I do not believe Chris told my friend he was doing it to be shady, but I think that is the case.Why would a person do that if there was no issue with the title?

I think Chris feels that he has established ownership through the way he titled the Wild Cherry Van, but I don't believe it will stand in court, especially with photographic proof that the van was on the owner's land and Chris just showed up and took it.

Switching the vin speaks of theft, however, Chris clearly documented the land where he found the van. So if he were trying to cover his trail, he has completely provided evidence of where the van was "abandoned." It proves that the van was on the property of the owners. The law does not state that if the title lapses a vehicle is up for grabs. That is complete garbage. Plus, what if the van had been stolen and abandoned? Chris made no attempt to find any owner. I do not believe Chris wanted to find the owner.

Chris Carter thought he could go get a famous van for free and that is exactly what he did. He didn't have any money to buy the van and he just took it and he has justified his actions and tried to wrangle the title into his name.

I am not sure how a person is able to abandon a vehicle on their own property. IMHO, it really doesn't matter if the owners intended to restore it or they left it to rot. It is theirs. People who say they didn't love it and Chris did, they didn't value it, they weren't going to restore it, etc. So what? So what? That is a value call, a judgement on someone who doesn't wish to restore the van. Who knows, they might have eventually restored it. Maybe not. Certainly to lose a cabin in a wildfire, maybe it was a hard thing to face a beloved vehicle in disrepair and they may have intended to restore it at some point. Maybe after a horrible fire they felt sad at the loss of what the van once meant to them. It doesn't matter what the owners motive in calling the police, to get the van back, to get money whatever. It was theirs, it was on their land. Some have judged them, thinking that they intended to let it sit there forever, but it was theirs, that is their right to do whatever with their own prpperty. People have a right to do whatever with their own property even if others disagree.

Do you want someone to steal your car because they will restore it better than you would? Because they love it more? NO. Why the owners are being judged is beyond me. So what if they want money for their van? It actually seems like they just want it back. Who wouldn't want their property back if it had been stolen? Are they supposed to give it away cause people other than Chris put a lot of money into it? They did not give it away, I would be so angry - as would anyone. Why shouldn't they call the police? Just how are their actions unjustified? People who accuse them of just wanting money, I really don't know that the case and if so why not? Do you give your van away for free, especially unwillingly? Plus to have it paraded into California as if they have no rights to their own van.

Chris' whole innocent act is pretty stupid if you ask me. Why didn't Chris try to explain to the owners, ask for their cooperation, or try to buy the van? Because it was no mistake or accident. And likely because he has an arrogant confidence in how he handled the title.

Somehow Chris found the van, he found the son of the original owner. He was pretty handy at figuring out how to title it, but he couldn't trace the owner through the registration records? The previous owner's son, he did find him. That was possible. But not the actual owners.

And he found the land using google maps, but he couldn't take that same information to find out the ownership of the land?

Chris asked no one for permission to take the van. If you read the narrative, nowhere does it say he tried to make sure it was ok to take the van. He did not ask the man who opened the gate to let him pass, or the police officer, or anybody, "Hey do you own this van? Do you know who does?" Yet he showed up with equipment, ready to remove the van. There is information on Facebook already about how he washed the title in Florida. So if he was so confident the van was abandoned, why work the title through Florida?

One more thing to consider, Chris could have recreated the Wild Cherry Van using another van, anybody decent body shop could have. He knew that getting the actual Wild Cherry Van would get him attention. Chris has built a brand and a business around it. Chris didn't just get some junked out van and make it beautiful. He wanted the Wild Cherry Van because the Wild Cherry Van is VALUABLE. He has been working social media, Go Fund Me, and he is angling to get on tv as a builder. So while I have briefly spoken with Chris and he seems like a personable man, his actions are not that of an honest man.

Again, it confounds me as to why Chris would cover his tracks some ways and totally expose the caper in other ways. It is very telling that when the original owners came to light, he avoided speaking with the police and he made no apology or offer to pay the value of the van, even a minimal amount for it's original state. Chris isn't saying he made an innocent mistake, he is saying that the way he has it titled makes it his. Does that sound like an honest person?

I think if Chris truly felt the van was abandoned and he came to it honestly, there would have been an apology to the owners. What I saw was a photo of him flanked by two police officers, flipping off the camera. I find that attitude indefensible. On the other hand, Chris has achieved the notoriety he so desperately sought.

[lonotch]

It was stolen plan and simple, give it back or put it up for auction and let whomever bid on it including Chris, then give the proceeds to the rightful owner.
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It's not about the window, it's about the people.

German Folks

[my59]

Is the skeevy thieving peckerhead in jail yet?
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget.

[cdennisg]

[Onceler]

It blows my mind that this guy would risk everything for what I assume is not really a whole lot of financial gain on his part. It's not like he could retire on the the sale of this obscure piece of Americana (the pictures show only a mild interest). And then to try and build a reputation as a restorer on shaky legal grounds?
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1972 Karmann Ghia

[Zeen]

I agree with the consensus that the van was technically stolen, but I'm a bit more sympathetic to the perpetrator. It reminds me of the countless sad stories told on this site about attempts to rescue a vehicle from the hands of a hoarder who insists he will restore it "someday", while it deteriorates into a pile of scrap. The way he was so public about the whole process indicates he never thought anyone would miss it, and he thought he was doing a great thing by rescuing it from ruin.

But for goodness sake, at least make an attempt to contact the landowner and inquire about obtaining it legitimately. It could have turned out that it really had been ditched there, and the landowner would be happy to have it removed. Or even if they loved it, they would be happy to sell it to someone who would restore it and get it back on the road. But we'll never know. My prediction is the owner will get the van back with a free restoration, and the charges will be dropped.
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The consequences of your decisions should not be confused with fate.

[j-sou]

Edit- prob more photoshopped bs

[my59]

Maybe he didnt screw with the vin, and leaves the old missing title in the glove box, the keys in the ignition, the original plates on it, and vanishes into the night.
Wonder who is gonna unlock the gate this time?
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget.

[TDCTDI]

[jwp67]

[TDCTDI]

Maybe this is where a buddy's (Or fellow "concerned enthusiast's") tow company picks it up, charges outrageous towing charges & storage fees, then applies for the title to satisfy those fees & then it comes up with a clean title, "To save the van".
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[lonotch]

[jwp67]

Ummmm, maybe have someone follow you?
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21 million of these cars were built,and everyone of them were sold...kinda astounding given how unreliable they are.---johhnypan

[Zundfolge1432]

[EverettB]

[ach60]

Stupid is, as Stupid does.
Yes the Van is stolen, and the guy was stupid to waste his time and money to steal it.
Yes it's stupid to leave something you value to rot into the ground.
EVERY BARN FIND, IS A STORY OF NEGLECT.
I sure as hell wouldn't return to California with it!
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Good Luck
Al

[B Ramsey]

Well, the doosh has been arrested, no word on vans location or condition.

https://autoweek.com/article/car-life/wild-cherry-...lony-theft
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Go outside and do something.

[TDCTDI]

They arrested him at his divorce hearing. It looks like they’re extraditing him to California.
https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article219478880.html
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.