On Thursday, Lee Chapman, a resident of the United Kingdom, filed a lawsuit in Iredell County Superior Court against Jarit Johnson, who is NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson’s brother. 

The case centers on a 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle that Chapman purchased for $20,500 and handed over to Jarit Johnson Restoration and Dirt World for a high-end restoration.

According to the filings, the defendants were listed as Jarit Johnson, Lucas Mott, Jarit Johnson Restoration, and Dirt World. The car in question was acquired in August 2021, a month after Chapman initially began conversations with Johnson and Co. 

North Carolina reporter Sydney Haulenbeek reported the news via X. Through multiple proofs including bills and recorded conversations, Chapman claims that there have been several missed deadlines for what was initially pitched as an 18-month-long restoration project. 

Having given the car to Johnson and Mott in 2021, Chapman claims that not only is the car still unfinished, but after he took possession of it and had it inspected, there were signs of restoration work that will need to be redone because of the underwhelming job done on the car. 

According to the filings, Chapman was recommended to Jarit Johnson Restorations because of a reputation built around Johnson as the NASCAR guy, owing to his ties to his brother, Jimmie Johnson. 

The charges levied upon Johnson, Mott, Jarit Johnson Restoration, and Dirt World are those of Breach of Contract and Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices. The claims amount to fraud and fraudulent business practices. 

Chapman’s filings note that the UK citizen put in a lot of money and effort into the car and is left in a position where there is a lot unaccounted for in terms of both parts and finances while the car remains incomplete. 

A five-year-long struggle for a restored Chevelle

Like most classic car lovers, Chapman was hoping to revive the 1967 Chevelle to his specifications, including a paint job of his choice and upholstery work to his liking. 

According to the lawsuit, a copy of which was attached to an article by The Charlotte Observer, Chapman has provided correspondence details dating from 2021 to 2025 where he was constantly looking for updates while the timeline was constantly pushed back and the status of the work was misrepresented. 

After an initial down payment, Chapman claims that he was told about parts that needed to be replaced or purchased, and in all, he paid a total of $140,794.71.

After Chapman obtained the incomplete car that will need almost all the work to be done on it, Chapman claims that more than $37,000 worth of parts are currently missing on his Chevelle. 

The car-lover hasn’t just lost five years on the restoration; he is also over $140,000 in loss since none of the payments seem to have been put into the car, and neither can any parts be found. 

As per the correspondence provided, Chapman had reached out to Lucas Mott multiple times about updates, to which he was provided false updates, and later, when Chapman asked Mott about where the money went, the reply was something along the lines of “I’m not sure what happened.”

As the Iredell County Court in North Carolina looks into the matter, Chapman also seeks around $25,000 plus treble damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees and interest.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason