'. . . Just weeks after Jerry Seinfeld was slapped with a lawsuit for allegedly auctioning off a bogus vintage Porsche, the comic has hit back with his own court filing — claiming a dealership duped him into buying the sham sports car and should be the one held responsible.
The funnyman and automobile aficionado filed a third-party complaint in Manhattan federal court on Monday saying he’s just the “man in the middle” and California-based European Collectibles should be on the hook if the 1958 Porsche Carrera Speedster is indeed not what it’s cracked up to be.
“Jerry bought a car from European Collectibles that was certified in writing as authentic. He relied on that certification when he purchased it, during the time that he owned it, and when he sold it three years later,” Seinfeld’s lawyer Orin Snyder said in a statement.
“Jerry has no liability in this matter, but he wants to do the right thing, and is therefore bringing this action to hold European Collectibles accountable for its own certification of authenticity, and to allow the court to determine the just outcome.”
Collector Fica Frio Ltd. first hit Seinfeld with a suit on Feb. 1, saying it scored the car from the “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” star in a 2016 auction with a winning bid of $1.54 million, only to find out it was “not authentic.”
The company alleges Seinfeld knew full well it was phony and wants him to rescind the sale and pay back all expenses.
But Seinfeld said in court documents that if the car is a dud, he was hoodwinked too.
He says he paid $1.2 million for the auto in 2013, believing the dealer’s claims that it was a “one of one GT Speedsters ordered in Auratium Green with Black” and had recently been restored with “all original parts.”
Seinfeld — who claims to be “one of the world’s most prominent Porsche collectors” — says the company provided a certificate of authenticity, and he’d sent his own expert to inspect the car without finding anything amiss.
As a “successful comedian,” he says he “does not need to supplement his income by building and selling counterfeit sports cars.”
If the court finds the car is indeed bogus, Seinfeld wants European Collectibles to cover his own damages . . .
. . . European Collectibles did not immediately return a request for comment . . .'
Still . . . curious as to what was found to ID this car as 'not authentic,' 'counterfeit,' yadda, yadda, yadda
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I heard from someone who knows the situation that a lot (a LOT) of the metal was new, and that the engine and transmission were not original (as disclosed)... I'm guessing that the new purchaser did not make themselves fully aware of the history of the car and assumed Seinfeld did proper due diligence... in this case it seems that the trail goes back to European Collectables... as with all these cases, it is usually up to the buyer to make themselves aware of what they are buying...
I understand the buyer to be a well-reputed collector of Porsche cars... so maybe Seinfeld bought the car without much history, passed it on without any more history, and the new buyer tried to sell the car via Maxted-Page who went through the car and decided there was too much new metal to call it a period car...
Caveat Emptor comes to mind...
1966 911 Coupe - Slate Grey - 304598 - still in restoration!
Member #1616
Thinking about some of the other cars that 've been restored --- like this one . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...t-classic-quot
Would more/better photos 've of the EC's 'work' 've made the dif, here?
Or what if Porsche did the work?
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Be interesting to know the chain of custody of this car over the past decades! Has any of that info been divulged?
I am not a lawyer but I looked up the statute of limitations for fraud and it's 4 years.
So how would Jerry be able to go after EC if he purchased the car from them in 2012? Isn't that transaction outside the statue of limitations?
Early 911S Registry#3437
1971 911E
Can't wait to see what happens when Seinfeld decides to sell his 1964 Porsche 911
No news on any of this? It's been radio silence.
Keith Adams
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Early 911S Registry #906 | PCA member IG: @912R
1969 Blutorange 912R - 912 to 911 conversion
1969 Mercedes 280 SE (W111) Coupe
Did anything every come to light as to the story of what occurred? this is just idle curiosity on my part.
Keith Adams
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Early 911S Registry #906 | PCA member IG: @912R
1969 Blutorange 912R - 912 to 911 conversion
1969 Mercedes 280 SE (W111) Coupe
I do not know but the latest 356 registry magazine has a half page add from European Collectibles advertising the car for sale. I believe hearing that some sort of settlement was reached.