Bad news guys, I left the house at 4:15 this morning towards Idaho to rescue the truck and it's precious cargo. Unfortunately the truck was nowhere to be found!
Apparently it was towed yesterday. 
It is at a tow yard that fortunately is a little closer to me than where it initially broke down. I am waiting for further instructions from the owner, but it seems there are some steep tow/storage fees to be taken care of.
Damn. Any confirmation that the Alfa motor is still in the truck?
Update the gofundme and let's get it out ASAP
Just donated, hope it helps and both cars can be retrieved intact.
Fyi, many years ago I was involved in an accident and the car was towed to an inpound by a wrecker. I had AAA and the reimbursed me all the storage/towing fees.
The sheriff needed the car out right away and had it towed, so not sure if that would work in this case.
Donated.
Confused, though. Someone bought Bill's truck? Where is Bill? Who is the new owner?
Keep us posted as to what happens with impound.
tuna55 wrote: Donated. Confused, though. Someone bought Bill's truck? Where is Bill? Who is the new owner? Keep us posted as to what happens with impound.
i was equally confused/sad. I went back and looked at his 4-runner thread and it looks like he sold it a few months ago :(
I too am in but I also don't really understand.
What I do know is a call for help was placed and I thought it better to help than to wait for understanding. Being on the side of the road can be ultra-stressful. I hope the few bucks eases the stress and the rest of the story will surface later.
If I remember Bill was being transferred out of the country, The 4 Runner was sold and m4ff3w is babysitting the Alfa.
Bill is in Kuwait now, having been transferred for work. Once he found out he couldn't take the Alfa, he asked if I would take care of it until he got back. Bill and I know each other from Autocross/UTSA when we both lived in SA and I had an Alfa Milano at the time.
He'd planned on taking his 3.0l engine to Kuwait with him to build it while there (along with a supercharger) but he found out he couldn't even take the block.
He gave the truck back to the person he got it from years ago when he lived here (he traded it for an RX7) and the guy agreed to drop the Alfa 3.0 at my place in Austin for safe keeping.
Email that Bill forwarded:
So if you haven't seen the texts yet, the truck broke down. Details follow: At around 1030 last night my radio cuts off and my headlights dim. All signs of a dying battery. I was on a long barren stretch between twin falls Idaho and Ogden, UT. So I turn around to the nearest truck stop deciding I'll catch a nap and handle it in the daytime. Upon waking I realize that this station (off sublet) is closed on Sundays. After many failed pop starts in 30 degree rainy weather, I start asking for jumps from any passerby, no luck. Finally a trucker by the name of Gus helps me out and I bullE36 M3 with him long enough to let his big rig charge my battery a bit. Truck starts right up and drives off fine. Bobby's excited. It is now has been 5 hours of being stranded, 11 hours since initial breakdown. 5 miles down the road, she spudders out and dies. There is nothing for 30 miles I either direction. I know now is time for walking. So I pack my valuables, leave a note for future PD, and start hiking. I make it about five miles before somebody finally answered my lonely thumb. I was able to ride with these guys about an hour to Salt Lake airport (all.greyhounds along the way we're closed). After throwing a chunk of cash down I was able to get a flight out back to Denver. So now, broke and heartbroken, I write this email. My plans? I have at least two days before IPD tag the truck, warning for a.tow. (turns out the guy who picked me up used to work for the road service, so I got the skinny on it), then they tow at day 3 or 4 in which I'll owe tow and storage charges. SO if I can get the cash together I can rent a car hauler and take my FJ out to get her. My concerns? The cost, I can maybe squeeze it. The FJ has one tire that may or may not make it. But that's....Meh....Minimal. my real concern is taking the 9.5 hour drive out there and finding some good ol boy stole it. So conclusion, her alternator is done and she sits on 84 a few miles before Snowville, ID with a dead battery and half tank of gas."
Apologies if I confused anyone, I was hoping to get something underway ASAP, the moment I heard from Bill. He'd just landed after ~24 hours straight traveling. I didn't want Bill to lose his 3.0
berkeley! Can someone who is not the registered owner get the truck out??
In reply to java230: It should be possible. It may take some phone calls and a pic of the owner and their license but most companies have policies to release cars to people besides the owner.
Sorry for the confusion guys. I'm pretty beat right now but the skinny is I had to let all the cars go when I took a job overseas here in Kuwait (with the exception of the Alfa that Matthew will babysit). Apparently you cant import a car older than 10 years old into kuwait.
Anyhoo, all the cars went to people with sentimental attachment. The truck, in this case, went to my friend Bobby who's traded me his RX-7 back and forth over the years (the 4-runner to my step brother, etc). I figured his sentimental attachment made for a good home.
Unfortunately it looks like the damn o-vanced zone alternator I put in there less than a year ago bit the dirt on his drive after taking possession. (also unfortunately) this all comes after a rather long string of losses all related to this move.
A quick recap of what's been going on:
The alfa doesnt quite drive.(I was hoping to GRM chain that one to matthew in running order) This was 3-years in the making and a mad dash with lots of sleepless nights and understanding by the wife especially towards the end when I was an absolute zombie. I finally got it to run, but couldnt get the linkage to shift into first or second. I broke the hood release cable trying to get it to open, and broke the shifter off in my hand the next day. It'll still be shipped, but it was a hard pill to swallow
The 3-liter I had set aside for a future swap was all crated up and ready to go only to be nixxed by the moving company the day of the move (after it was approved by them and Kuwaiti customs the week prior). This was rather irritating because if they had told me this originally I could have not only saved the crate making time, but I probably could have organized shipping, OR sold it on craigslist. As it sat I had 2-days to figure something out.
and then there was the millions of things I didn't get to around the house that needed doing before i left that Mrs Hungary now has to take care of while juggling the kids and her own move to Texas until all their visas are approved.
I appreciate everyones help, but I'm just too damn exhausted to put up a fight anymore. If we keep at it I'd just feel like I'm taxing the community for a truck I gave away, loaded with an engine I bought for $100. It was a valiant effort but sometimes the good guys dont win.
Thanks everyone. This was really more support than I could have ever hoped for.
To answer Java's question: The truck is only reported as "sold" at this point (by the wa dmv). So no real registered owner. Anyone who wanted it could probably snag it from the impound
In reply to Hungary Bill:
Sorry, that really sucks
I think it's worth noting that the only thing that ever stranded my Toyota pickup was a parts store alternator, those things are evil.
Hungary Bill wrote: To answer Java's question: The truck is only reported as "sold" at this point (by the wa dmv). So no real registered owner.
So, who holds the title? Will Bobby be able to prove ownership if the tow yard needs some documentation?
I still have hope that we can get this worked out!
Bobby has the signed title, or maybe it's in the glove box. In washington's computers (and probably the police's too) it just shows up as "sold". Bobby was going to register it when he got to Texas. Honestly I dont think the greedy tow company is going to care as long as they get their money 
2002maniac is a hero! He has successfully rescued the Alfa 3.0 (and the truck it is attached to!)
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Yep, I've got the truck and am on my way home.
Great news!!
berkeley yes! You rock 
man, I cant tell you guys what a relief this is. What a fiasco.
Matthew was telling me the tow company picked it up on Sunday (same day it broke down). Looks like no matter how quick we moved, the tow company would have had it.
Now to get the driver back up to the truck, the vato-zone alternator to the target range, and the alfa engine to Matthew 
Thanks again everyone!
Wow, this forum rocks! Kudos to you guys for making the most of a E36 M3 situation!
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