When a thief stole Doug Marchant’s 1977 Mercedes Benz 300D from his Port Lincoln home, he never imagined it would lead to a new adventure and friendship.
Now, the 94-year-old retired mechanic and farmer has two vintage Mercedes cars in his garage and a new friendship based on a shared love of mechanics.
“There has been a silver lining,” he said.
Mr Marchant was over the moon when his cream Mercedes Benz was found almost three weeks after it was stolen last month bogged down in the scrub at Port Lincoln with a flat tire but not much damage.
“Did I think I was going to get it back? Never,” Mr Marchant said.
“I thought if mine was found it would be burned or something like that.
“We never expected to see this come back in one piece. It’s truly a miracle.”
It broke down twice away from home
Meanwhile, as Mr Marchant’s hopes faded, his daughter, Jill, had found a green version of his 300D in Melbourne.
Her father set out to drive her home to Port Lincoln, with his two grown-up grandchildren, but the old car broke down in the Macedonia Ranges, about 70 kilometers north-west of Melbourne, with fuel filter problems.
More than 1,300 kilometers from home, he was rescued by RACV mechanic Melinda Tairi, who twice attended to Mr Marchant’s car, first getting it started again but later towing it to Gisborne for further repairs. extensive.
Ms Tairi was so impressed with Mr Marchant’s mechanical knowledge that she volunteered to fix the car for free after hours.
“I just knew he was a car enthusiast and he was very happy when we started his car the first time and then when it broke down again he was very upset,” Ms Tairi said.
“So I was like, ‘I’ve got to help Doug,’ so I did everything I could to get the car here.”
Ms Tairi spent three weeks repairing the clogged fuel filter and other parts of the car and traveled 16 hours from Gisborne to Port Lincoln to deliver the green Mercedes to Mr Marchant at the weekend.
Ms Tairi, a diesel mechanic for 15 years, said she had learned a lot from Mr Marchant’s 80 years of experience in mechanics.
His agility at age 94 was also impressive.
“When we were in Gisborne town on the main strip me and James (a mechanic friend) were under the car looking and I looked to my side, Doug is under the car,” Ms Tairi said.
“I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’ and he says, “I’m just taking a quick look, I’ll be fine.”
Daily repair updates
During the repair of the green car, she had daily diagnostic calls with it.
Mr Marchant’s friend Rodney Hirte, who has a smartphone, helped take pictures of the texts and advice Ms Tairi.
“He taught me a lot about it over the phone,” Ms Tairi said.
“He takes a post-it note and makes notes in the manual and then Rodney sends me a picture of the notes of what Doug thinks is wrong with the car.
“Rodney says he (Doug) is always under the car or on the hood – very fit.
“He’s been a mechanic for 80 years, so that’s really impressive.
“He’s a lovely humble person and I just wanted to help him.”
Ms Tairi delivered the car in Port Lincoln on Saturday.
“He actually wanted to fly back to Melbourne and drive it himself, but I said, ‘No, I’ll do it for him’,” Ms Tairi said.
“I was a bit concerned and some people said, ‘What are you thinking driving 14 or 15 hours so far?’
“But there were no hiccups, the engine ran very well.”
She ran out of gas at one stage due to a faulty fuel gauge, but was prepared.
“I had my tools in the back of the car so I just bled the car to the side of the highway.
“I had a 20 liter jerry can, so I was back on the road in half an hour.”
Grateful for the support
Mr Marchant said the theft of his car turned out to be a good thing.
“Otherwise I would never have met Mel – that’s important. I wouldn’t have had the trip to Melbourne and all the trouble and stuff, which I don’t regret.
“The most generous lady I have ever met.
“I am very grateful to all the people who helped me and were concerned about me losing my beautiful old car. I have got it now and I am very pleased.”
He is not sure what he will do with the second car, but will continue to tinker under the covers of his cars in the garage which now has improved monitored security.
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