Grace Hart thought she'd seen the last of her prized 1966 Mustang convertible after thieves stripped it.
Only the engine was left untouched. The seats, dashboard and console were ripped out. The trunk lid and much of the exterior trim also was taken.Hart was so distraught that she told police to send the car to a wrecking yard. Police, however, had another idea, and with help from Hart's son worked in secret to surprise the 83-year-old woman.
"I just feel like I'm dreaming," Hart said Tuesday after seeing the perfectly restored Mustang. "I feel like it's going to disappear."
Police recovered the vehicle in San Jose on Oct. 17, three days after it was stolen. Hart learned how badly it was damaged, realized she couldn't afford the repairs and asked to have it scrapped.
"This was her little baby. She bought it new, had 90,000 original miles on it," Sgt. Mark Kerby said.
Led by Sgt. Brett Cole, a car buff who works in the auto theft unit, officers began a $3,000 restoration. The work was done for free, and the officers' association and Hart's son split the bill for parts.
Though the car is in perfect shape, Hart wasn't back on the road Wednesday. "She's still overwhelmed today, to the point that she can't drive," Kerby said.