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New York - At age 82, Ivan Schneider had given up on finding his luxury Jaguar stolen 46 years ago, until it was recovered on a cargo ship destined for Holland on Thursday.
"This is just a miracle, a miracle. I was 36 years old then and now I'm 82," said the now-retired Schneider after California customs agents told him the good news.
"Never in anybody's lifetime would I think I would see this car again," he added.
His two-door 1967 XKE Jaguar convertible was stolen outside his home on the night of 13 March 1968. It was worth $5 000 at the time.
Today, despite years' worth of dings, scratches and a few rust spots, the car is priced at $23 600.
In top shape, the vintage wheels could fetch around $100 000 in today's market.
The cargo ship had already sailed out of California's Long Beach Port when authorities ran a routine stolen car scan and discovered the bootlegged Jaguar along with four other stolen vehicles.
Schneider, a luxury car enthusiast, has since owned several cars, but none as special as his XKE.
"It was my first good car and favourite. It's a wonderful car," said Schneider, who now lives in Florida.
"I used to get up at 04:00 or 05:00 in the morning on either Saturday or Sunday and drive it 90 to 100 [miles per hour] on the highway in New York," he remembered nostalgically.
He promised to be more careful with his newly-recovered ride, and said he looks forward to restoring it to its former beauty.
