A Jaguar convertible stolen back in the 1960s has returned at long last to its owner for a happy ending after 46 years.
Manhattan attorney Ivan Schneider bought a Jaguar E-type convertible in 1968, enjoying the ride for just six months before it was stolen while parked in front of his apartment, Jalopnik reported via the Los Angeles Times.
"I would tell stories about this great car that got stolen," Schneider told the Times on Wednesday through video news conference from his Miami residence. "I have had a lot of great cars since then, but none has been as pretty."
Schneider, who has owned several luxury cars since then, thought the convertible was gone forever. But that pretty E-Type resurfaced in late August when U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents inspected cargo in the Port of Los Angeles, discovering the Jaguar and four other stolen cars.
Now 82, Schneider has thought of the missing Jaguar convertible every time he purchased a new vehicle over the years, he told the Associated Press.
"I've always said that was the prettiest," he said.
The two-seater was discovered in a container on a cargo ship that was headed to the Netherlands. Its exterior had been repainted and the interior was the worse for wear, but the Jaguar is still estimated to be worth around $24,000.
Schneider could scarcely believe the news when the car was found, forwarding emails he received about the matter to close friends and family.
"I figured they would think it was my imagination, that I was writing a book or something," Schneider told the Times. "Who would figure a car would show up 45 years later."
The Jaguar will be shipped in state to New York for a full restoration job that will likely cost around $100,000, after which Schneider plans to drive it as a "Sunday car."
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