YOUNGSTOWN — An Indiana man has sued Larry Gresh of Weaver Road in Berlin Center, seeking at least $170,000 in damages related to two Ford Model Ts Gresh either sold him or restored for him.

Rod Barrett of Anderson, Ind., filed the suit in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, alleging that after he bought a 1913 Ford Model T touring car from Gresh in November 2017 for $35,000, the vehicle needed $10,000 in repairs.

The suit states Gresh listed the car on eBay in November 2017 as having recently had its transmission and engine “completely disassembled and rebuilt by a well-respected Model T engine rebuilder, then reassembled and highly detailed.”

The listing said the vehicle’s engine was “test run for several hours on an engine stand prior to installation.” The ad also described the car as “show quality” and “professionally restored.”

But when Barrett transported the car home, he learned the emergency brake was not working, the fuel tank was rusted and the engine had water in the oil requiring a “complete rebuild of the engine,” the suit states.

Attempts to contact Gresh last week were not successful.

The suit was filed by attorney Scott Cochran of Youngstown and is assigned to Judge R. Scott Krichbaum.

The suit states Gresh’s representations that the vehicle was “show quality” and “professionally restored” were among the false and unfair representations made.

The suit notes the following year, Barrett commissioned Gresh to restore a 1910 Model T Ford by disassembling it, stripping, prepping and refinishing the painted surfaces of the vehicle but not rebuilding the engine, transmission, rear axle assembly or related mechanical components.

In the agreement, Gresh said the cost of the work would “not exceed $40,000,” the suit states.

During the restoration, Barrett asked Gresh to perform additional work on the car, which Gresh billed and Barrett paid, the suit states. In all, Barrett paid $56,605 for the work.

But Gresh has not delivered the vehicle and refuses to continue to work on it until Barrett makes additional payments, the suit states. Gresh also refuses to return the $16,605 in additional payments above the $40,000, it adds.

The suit asks for a judgment against Gresh for $35,000 in damages and punitive damages related to the 1913 Model T and other non-economic damages. The suit also asks a judge to issue a judgment against Gresh for $138,247 as the value of 1910 Model T that Gresh still has.

erunyan@tribtoday.com