Muffler Shop Gets a Reprieve

There are still a few mufflers left in Walter J. Egan’s future.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Victor E. Chavez delayed without comment a final decision Thursday in the city of Torrance’s eight-year fight to take possession of Egan’s aging muffler shop. Another hearing was set for Sept. 30.

Torrance city officials said it was unclear whether they could go ahead with condemnation proceedings against Egan’s shop before the next court date. The city has always contended that unless Chavez ruled otherwise, a previous judge’s decision allowed them to evict the maverick mechanic from the property.

“At this point, we don’t know what we’re going to do,” said City Atty. Ken Nelson. “We need the property and we need to remove all the buildings on the property, so time is important. But at the moment, it looks like we’ll maintain the status quo.”

City officials say the muffler shop must be demolished to make way for the widening of Torrance Boulevard between Western and Cabrillo avenues. But Christopher Sutton, Egan’s attorney, contends that the city’s real motive is to please the owners of the new $225-million American Honda Motor Co. headquarters next door.

A civil trial is tentatively scheduled for January to consider Egan’s claim that the city acted improperly in pushing ahead with the eminent domain case.