An Oxford University researcher has just been awarded more than $150,000 in damages by the Central London County Court following a strange saga involving her mechanic and a damaged example of one of the last air-cooled Porsche 911s.
According to the Daily Mail, Dr. Penelope Horlick, who specializes in Neanderthals and the mid-Paleolithic period, has been with the esteemed university since 2003. She purchased herself a 1997 Porsche 911 Targa back in 2008, equipped with a 3.6-liter M64 flat-six and a Tiptronic automatic transmission. The air-cooled sports car served as occasional transportation to Oxford until August 2010, when Horlick was reportedly involved in an accident while avoiding a pothole on a wet road; the car developed an oil leak as a result, and refused to start.
Following the accident, Horlick enlisted the services of Mr. Jhally of JJ Engineering to get the German sports car back in order. Jhally agreed to do the repair work, later issuing Horlick invoices worth around $12,000. Unfortunately, little to no progress was reportedly made on the car over the next decade or so, and Horlick’s attempts to receive updates on the work were reportedly met with extreme hostility, leaving the researcher unwilling to push further. Horlick went as far as to purchase an Audi in 2014 as a replacement for the 993, according to the Daily Mail.
After receiving yet another verbal confirmation on the work in progress in 2016, Horlick reportedly began searching for different mechanics to repair the car; despite those efforts, JJ Engineering refused to release the car. Once Horlick filed a court claim in 2022, Jhally allegedly dropped the stripped shell of the 993 off in front of Horlick’s home; the valuable engine and transmission had reportedly been removed, as had other key components. Horlick claims this created undue distress.
Dr. Horlick sued Jhally for compensation for breach of contract and for conversion. The court has sided with the academic, awarding her £114,000 — around $152,000 — in damages.
‘He didn’t complete the work with reasonable care and skill, indeed he didn’t complete it at all, although there is no significant criticism of the way he undertook his diagnosis,’ said the judge.
Both sides must still return to court to discuss issues such as interest payments, legal costs, and whether an appeal is viable for Mr. Jhally, according to the Daily Mail. Hopefully, those winnings will help Horlick rebuild the 993. (Maybe without the Tiptronic this time around.)
You Might Also Like
Source Agencies
