Great Lakes Jeep Thing's beloved Jeep CJ grill, 'Bubba' has been sold out from under the club and we would like help tracking it down so we can attempt to buy it back from who ever Erik (OOC) has sold it to.

Long story short the grill was built from donations by the members of GLJT for the club and has been a fixture at club events for the last several years.  The member who stored it and had it titled to them sold it off this weekend without any notice to the club or it's members.  Needless to say the club is both heart broken and angry; our members put countless hours into that grill and are all upset to hear that not only is it gone but it was sold without us even having a chance to purchase it back.

For the record the member who stored it had never complained about the finacial burden or ask for somebody else to take over duties even when it was offered on several occasions.

We, obviously, bear no ill will towards the person who purchased Bubba, it is a great grill that any Jeep club or enthusiast would be happy to own and how could they know things where not on the up and up, they took Erik at his word that the whole thing was a legit deal. 

If you have Bubba or know who does we would like it if you could get in contact with us regarding purchasing the grill back if possible.  We know it is a lot to ask, Bubba is a rare treasure and if I had it I would nto want to give it up either but the people who really own it never had a say in it's sale.

Thanks,

Doug Haynes

Long time GLJT member.

Post edited 8:56 pm – March 8, 2010 by notoriousDUG

bittergenius said:

Dang, that sucks. That thing is pretty cool. The Erik guy doesnt know who he sold it to?

He won't tell anyone or even discuss the issue and either will not answer his phone or hangs up. 

When I started to ask about the grill he hung up on me.

In other words he f'd us over and knows it.

Just keep spreading the word; if it's out there somebody will know where it is. 

GL4x4 has put it on their front page as has GLJT and i would not complain if DDO did the same.

As a club we are less then happy to say the least.

oddball said:

I have to think whoever would buy that grill will show up at some event, at some point, during the summer.

 

FWIW, you guys positive this Erik really sold it?

I have a feeling it will be located before anyone has a chance to use it, I have faith in whoever bought it doing the right thing.

I never considered that he had not sold it but I am pretty sure he has; their family business is closing and it, apparently, was going to be losing it's storeage anyway.  Somebody will be by his failing shop to check if it is there or not.

Post edited 4:53 pm – March 9, 2010 by keithert

If Eric's name is on the title I don't think you could force the buyer to give up the purchase.

oddball said:

Then again, I'm confused as to how it can be referred to as "Stolen" in the title (which I've also seen elsewhere) if this guy Erik held the title in his name?  If I understood all this correctly, there isn't anything GLJT can do if that's true.

 

Baseball bats or not, the law is the law.  GLJT's only hope is the buyer has a soft heart and will take (in cash) what he paid for it.  One would think anyway.

OK here's the deal:

The grill was built by the members of GLJT by it's members several years ago using a Jeep and parts donated by many members; in fact almost no materials came from Erik.  When it was complete it had to be titled; sadly a Jeep club, unless incorperated, is not a legal entity and cannot hold title on a trailer.  It was decided that Eirk would title it with the understanding that it belonged to the club and in the event he left the club the title would be signed over to another member…

Now before you even tell us how stupid this was be aware some of us, me included, thought this was a horrible arrangement and wanted to better protection for the club against something like this but people vouched for him; I have never been less happy to be proven right.

…So, regardless of the name on the title there was a agreement between GLJT and Erik regarding the owner ship of the grill; one he acknowledge on our boards and as soon as I get somebody to do a screen capture for me I'll show it.  I have no idea if he needed money, was pissed off at the club or felt he was owed storage but he up and sold it out from under the club.  If he had wanted some kind of storeage for it or to sell it for the storage costs the club would have done it in a heart beat.

You are correct, we have no legal recourse here because of the way things where set up.  All we are trying to do is find out who has the grill and see if we can work out a deal to buy it back for their costs.  I would like to think that most people once aware of the situation would want to work to make things right, I know if it was me I would.

A few things I want to make clear:  1) Nobody blames the new owner in this, they had no way of knowing this was not a deal on the up and up.  2) If they do not want to return it that is their choice and there is nothing we can do and nor would we, baseball bats are uncalled for here although I personally think youwould have to be a real prick to keep it. 

Make sense now?

There are quotes around stolen because it is a gray area…

Actually he may have done something wrong in the eyes of the law.  His statements on our boards are, in the eyes of the law, pretty much a legal contract.  We will be taking him to small claims court in the near fututre; it's nice to have attorneys for friends.

Also, keep in mond that had he been willing to, after the fact, talk to any of us and tell us where he sold it so we could attempt to buy it back none of this would have had to occour.  Every attempt to contact him is meet with silence.