Abandoned 71-72 on Roadside - Is it possible to....?

[Frizzle Fry]

A nice lifted 71-72 4x4 appeared on the side of the road on my commute a couple days ago and I figured the guy ran out of gas and went for a can.

Well, it's still there and it now has a sticker/notice on it. It'll probably get towed away in the next couple days if no one claims it so...

First and foremost I'd like to help the owner get it back if possible.

But, if (big if) that's not possible I'm wondering what the process might be to acquire an abandon vehicle?

I tried to snap a camera phone pick today but another car passed just at that moment

[Huskerboy2]

Generally, at least where I live, the truck will get impounded eventually. Then, the towing company will store the truck, at the owner's expense. The owner will have to go the the towing company, pay the storage and towing fees, and then they get their vehicle back. If they can't afford to pay those fees, the vehicle sits there for a period of time, usually about a month, racking up fees the whole time. Then, eventually, it will go to public auction where it will be sold to the highest bidder. You see owner's rescue their vehicles as late as the day of the sale. They can come in any time and pay those fees. What happens a lot as well is that the fees accumulate and become a bigger number than the vehicle is worth. In that case, owners will often just let the car to at auction. I've attended a few of these auctions. There are always a few really nice vehicles scheduled to be auctioned. Then, when you get there, those vehicles magically get "pulled" from the auction and there's nothing left but broken down junkers. Those vehicles that magically got "pulled" were actually rescued by their owners before the auction. The owner came in and paid the fees to get their car back.

[72 cheyenne pdx]

From a guy who has had his car towed a few times. One time I let my brother borrow a car of mine and parked in a no parking zone and was towed. He tried to get it out of impound with out me knowing, but the police station told him that only the registered owner could get it out of impound. A few years ago I totalled a Toyota truck I had. I had to go to the lot where they kept vehicles that were impounded or totalled from wrecks to get a few things out of the truck. I was talking to the attendant and asked him how long are the vehicles were here before they went to auction because there was a sweet 64 Nova Wagon that looked in great shape. He told me 30days for abandon cars, and cars in wrecks usually go pretty much after the insurance companies release them.

You never know Frizzle, the person who owns the truck might be a member and if you can get pictures, post them up. The owner may just take you up in the help you are providing.

SEA

[Frizzle Fry]

Ya, it just irks me to see it sitting out there in the rain. Especially because this morning I noticed that the hood and driver's side door were popped slightly open... and it's a heavy down poor I hope the owner gets it before the towing company.

[ABN82MP]

Are the plates still on it?

[rogergodding]

I am way too scared to leave mine on the side of the road like that.... around here, windows somehow get broken out......

[drunkbus]

My uncle owns a wrecking company and I know in Oregon if the owner doesn't come for the car within 90 days they can be sold off.

[Longhorn Man]

Originally Posted by rogergodding

I am way too scared to leave mine on the side of the road like that.... around here, windows somehow get broken out......

If you don't lock the doors, they won't brake the windows out.
It cost me 4 or 5 windows to learn that. if they want in, they'll get in. One way or another.

[ABN82MP]

You'd be suprised. I had the windows cut on my CJ5 only to have less than $1 worth of change and an old shaft mount radio stolen.

The kicker? CJ5s have vinyl doors that dont lock in the 1st place!

[rogergodding]

all the ones that I've seen with the windows knocked out look as if something was thrown at them from a moving vehicle

[PanelDeland]

Frizzle,I don't know the law in your area but one of my buddies got a free 58 Chevy schoolbus converted to a camper.It was parked in a parking lot of a building for sale(empty restuarant).He contacted the Real Estate company and got the owner of the property to give him a letter stating that the bus had been abandoned.He aquired the bus for removal and got a mechanics lein title thru the state of Tx.The bus needed a carb rebuild and some cosmetic interior work.The exterior was done in 60's traveling "Dead Head" grafix.
So if the truck is on private property then it may be feasible to "aquire" it.
On the street you would probably have to go thru auction.Watch for it in the local paper they usually have to post it publicly before they can sell it.

[earl87gta]

Usaly the towing company has dibs on it they fill out papaer work saying it was abandoned and that they need to dell the truck to recover the cost. you then get a lean on the truck after a given period of time you get a title issued to you and its yours. I did this with a motor cyvle when I lived in NC it wasnt a bad procces just toook a little while. I think 90 days before I could fill out the paper work and then 6 months before I got the title.

[rabid dime]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

If you don't lock the doors, they won't brake the windows out.
It cost me 4 or 5 windows to learn that. if they want in, they'll get in. One way or another.

Bull, Some punk kids broke the back window on my S-Blazer when it was unlocked with the drivers window down this summer. Then the drivers glass got knocked out of my 72 the first night I had it at home. Stock AM and no lock cylinders.

[Brad]

Mike, I could use a big window cab! j/k Hopefully the owner will rescue it before too long.

[Frizzle Fry]

Well, I happened to drive when they were loading it up on a tow truck this afternoon. Looked like another car was out there so hopefully the owner was having it taken to a shop instead of an impound yard.