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Man Finds Wedding Ring Lost 45 Years Ago in 1972 Oldsmobile Engine

A 93-year-old from Iowa found the wedding ring he lost about 45 years ago in the unlikeliest of places: inside the engine of the 1972 Oldsmobile he sold for parts to a man about 30 miles away, who needed the engine for his own car.
Wedding ring lost 45 years ago, recovered from Oldsmobile engine 1 photo
Photo: ABCNews.com
Will Frye from Dubuque, Iowa, tells ABC News that he’s always loved tinkering with cars, so when the engine on his 1969 Oldsmobile died on him, he turned to the classifieds to find a new one. He knew he could easily replace it and continue taking the car to the races like before – but he never imagined he’d come across a diamond wedding ring inside its engine.

He picked up the paper and called an ad that sold a 1972 Oldsmobile for parts. The car belonged to Ray Schmuecker, who bought it when his wife found out she had breast cancer, so she’d have a nice ride to and from chemo treatments. He remembers losing his wedding ring in late 1973 or early 1974, and he never imagined he’d see it again.

“[My wife] was kind of broken about me losing it, so she [went] right into the town and [came] home with another wedding ring with several diamonds in it exactly like the one I lost,” Schmuecker tells the media outlet. “I had never dreamed of ever seeing that ring again.”

He lost the ring shortly before his wife passed away from cancer, and he continued using the car afterwards. About 20 years ago, it broke down and neither he nor his children had the time or the inclination to fix it and get it back to the road.

Initially, Schmuecker thought about sending it to the junkyard – and he’s happy now he didn’t. Upon reconsidering, he put out an ad to sell it for parts, and Will responded to it.

When Will found the ring, he immediately called Schmuecker back. The man’s daughter met up with Will and got the ring back, so he now has two. He also has fresh hope of seeing a part of his old car again, as he expects Ray to take his own Oldsmobile, with his engine inside, to a race track nearby.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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