Bring the FJ Holden home

In the early 70's my mother married her first husband Ian, a mechanic, he purchased the FJ Holden and drove it everywhere with my mum.

Tragically, in 1976 Ian was killed in a car accident in a friends car, leaving the FJ and his toolbox to my mum, for this reason the FJ means the world to mum.

In the early 80's she met and married my dad, the FJ was later sold to a family friend for my mum's fertility treatments, my older brother become the first test tube baby to be born in my local area.

The FJ was gone but not forgotten, Ian and the FJ become subjects of bedtime stories during our childhood.
Once I finished high school I secured an office job at the local Holden dealership, I became interested in the history of Holden and it's various vehicle models, by then my parents had separated as my dad was unfaithful, mum lost faith in love, convincing herself she wasn't meant to be happy, remembering the stories of the FJ I went looking for it.
After a tip off that it might have been sold a few months prior on ebay I managed to find it.

Confirming the vehicles history with the ebay seller, he sent me paperwork confirmed that it was the very same FJ.
He gave me the contact details of the buyer, who thankfully after reading my email about the FJ was willing to sell the it back to us for what he paid.

Despite being a rusted out shell with parts missing having been used as a parts car by various owners over the previous 25+ years, the effort was well worth it watching mum's face light up seeing various things on it that confirmed it was the same car that she parted with all those years ago.

The years that followed from 2012 to 2016 I painstakingly purchased and collected the various parts the FJ needed to be made whole again, I started making enquiries to get the rust repaired, conversing with various other FJ owners and making enquiries on facebook about recommendations for panel beaters I was contacted by an individual who claimed to have done a number of the paint jobs I had been admiring and questioning about, he claimed to be a fully qualified panel beater and painter and was looking to go into business for himself and was looking to build up his portfolio, I always see the good in people and he seemed sincere, so I gave him the job, looking back now I was young, stupid and naive and was sucked in to what has since become a nightmare.

The first red flag it took him close to 6 months to supply repair contract and collect the car, the contract contained unfair terms and items I've since found are illegal.

I was promised updates via email, the vehicle was collected october 2017, he was taking payments under the agreed payment plan but no updates, I contacted him in January 2018 (especially since I was slated to get married in August 2018 and it was agreed that he would have the car ready for my wedding) and was told he hadn't even made a start on it.
Eventually photos surfaced on his business facebook page of the FJ having been stripped of it's paint, it was sitting on it's wheels and still had much of the mechanicals still attached, it was clearly not disassembled as agreed.

I was not happy and expressed as such I was assured since then he had started on cutting out the rust, I asked for proof, (to this day I still have not been provided any proof of the rust repairs having been done).
Eventually after a nasty argument demanding he stop immediately as he had purchased a number of items that were in the contract as not being supplied by him, that he did not consult with me on which was what was in the contract, I was sent an email that he was going to stop work on the FJ, after which point he continued to work on it.

I was refused access to view the vehicle, until 10 days out from my wedding where it was found the FJ was poorly painted, was not the right colour, the wheels weren't removed for painting it was apparent that many corners were cut and he was completely unapologetic for leaving me without a wedding car.

Following the wedding he claimed the FJ was finished, wouldn't let me see it and expected me to pay for the FJ sight unseen, this was not acceptable to me exercising my rights under consumer law being dissatisfied I asked for the vehicle to be returned, he refused, eventually I received a letter of demand to give him the vehicle for him to sell it to settle remaining debt and nothing indicating refund of what I had paid, legally fitting the criteria of attempted extortion.
I sought legal advice which is where the contract was found to be illegal.

Solicitor attempted to settle the dispute but the panel beater despite making offers to settle rejected each settlement offer after I had accepted.

Now the matter is in front of the Victorian Civil Administration Tribunal, where during the first hearing he refused a $3000 lump sum payment which would have brought me up to date on the original payment plan.
Also made discriminatory comment that I wouldn't be able to pay him due to my currently being pregnant.
He continually refuses to co-operate, accusing me of making threats and being abusive each and every time he contacts me attempting to bully me.

I just want to raise the remaining funds to pay him to attempt to get him out of my life and get rid of any legal hold he has on the FJ in an attempt to get the FJ back where it should be with my mum.