Kansas Man Will Get His Seized 1959 Corvette Back Following Lengthy Legal Battle
After a five-year legal battle, this seized 1959 Corvette is finally coming home to its rightful owner.
Back in October 2021, we reported on the story of Richard Martinez, a Kansas native who found himself embroiled in a major legal battle with the state after his recently-purchased 1959 Corvette was seized back in 2017 when he tried to register it. Turns out, the dealer that he purchased it from in Merrillville, Indiana removed the car’s VIN plate during its restoration and reinstalled it using modern rivets instead of old-style units, which apparently violated state law. Thankfully, however, it appears that this story will finally have a happy ending after all.
Martinez will indeed get his beloved 1959 Corvette back, according to WIBW 13 News, a full five years after it was seized and impounded by the Kansas Highway Patrol. The Johnson County Court ruled in Martinez’s favor, citing HB 2595, which allows for classic cars to be registered in Kansas with proper bill of sale documentation, as well as SB 267, an appropriations bill that ensures the 1959 Corvette will be returned to Martinez. and also includes up to $20,000 to ensure that the value of the vehicle is maintained.
“This is a major victory for property rights and against government overreach,” said Kansas Justice Institute’s Litigation Director Sam MacRoberts. “Mr. Martinez didn’t do anything wrong, but the government spent years trying to destroy his car anyway.”
This particular case was baffling from the start, as it was clear that this was a classic car that had been restored – not some attempt to alter the VIN on a stolen vehicle, which is why the law exists in the first place. It states that any vehicle with identification numbers that have been “destroyed, removed, altered or defaced” must be seized and destroyed. In the case of this Corvette, its mis-riveted VIN plate wasn’t the only reported violation, as its original engine is long gone, while the third VIN underneath the car was “inconsistent,” according to the state.
Unfortunately, the Corvette has been sitting outside for the past several years and likely needs a bit of work now to get it back to its former glory, but we imagine that Martinez is just happy it’s all over. With any luck, the money he’s awarded will be enough to compensate for his troubles, not to mention some changes to this archaic law.
Photos: Richard Martinez
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