So I have been familiar with the airplane for a long time. I do know it had a repaired center section after Oshkosh of 2008. Classic in Shenandoah valley did that. There was extensive spares inventory at one time but I’m not sure now. The one engine I thought was low time, the other was almost time mid time I remember correctly.
Craig Woodberry

You buy it and I'll come help get it up to snuff to fly back to VA

There is a good chance that is true. Cash only is pretty rare. What harm is there in accepting a 10% non refundable deposit with balance due within 24 hours.

I bought a ground looped Lockheed Lodestar on an insurance company sealed bid and about a week after I purchased it I got a certified letter from the Tampa Port Authority that managed the Plant City Airport. I was informed that I had 15 days to remove the “derelict” airplane. I had two other parts planes in Nassau and had everything to repair it and had it sold as a packaged project.

When I talked to the airport manager he was a complete prick and then informed me that before I could disassemble it I needed to obtain a crazy high liability policy naming the airport.

I showed up at 5AM on a Sunday with my flatbed crane truck and two other trucks and trailers. I used a broom handle to trigger the electric gate switch. By noon when the airport manager showed up we had the engines and props loaded and the rest of the airframe mostly cut up and laying on the ramp. After he finished pitching his temper tantrum I told him I would be happy to leave now or I could stay and clean up the mess. He walked off shaking his head cussing me and we left the ramp broom clean.

I am convinced he was trying to help someone else get the plane.