spider fraud?

[ascher baer <ascher@domain.elided>]

a few months ago i bought a 92 spider from a digest member who advertised
it here. the car was described to me as having been purchased direct from
the factory in italy (he said he unpacked himself at the docks).  it was
also described as in "perfect" condition, and when i went to view it, i
specifically asked about any damage.  then, i was told about a truck
backing up into it and doing some minor damage (replaced hood and minor
metal repair to hinge area; he also said that there was some fender
damage, but that it was replaced).  i bought the otherwise,
excellent-shape, car and on the very first day i registered it, hit a
deer.  some cosmetic damage and cracked windshield.   i had the damage
repaired, and the body shop guy went over the car.  the results:

front left fender had been repaired - with filler (he showed it to me).
driver's mirror had visible paint bubbles with old paint underneath
front right fender had visible paint drips on the underside wheel well
right door had visible drip
right rear quarter panel had been repainted (they didn't bother to take
off a small square base on the motorized antenna)  problems with the
antenna retracting cause me to take off the base and see the old paint
underneath. 
the body shop mentioned that there had been no structural damage.
otherwise the car seems in good shape (except for the antenna).

i called him back and told him the findings.   he acted surprised, said
it "was news to him", "as far as he knew..." etc.  he offered no further
pursuit of it (e.g.-another shop's review) much less a compromise.  i
really just wanted to find out during this call how he would
react/receive the news.  in a call a week later i asked him for some 
records he had promised and gently hinted at the situation.  nothing.  a
few days ago i called him back and told him that i wanted him to propose
some fair resolution to the situation.  he refused and launched into a
monologue about what a good deal i got ($9,500 strikes me as fair, but
not extraordinary), how he someone lined up offering more after he'd
already agreed to the $9.5k (he deducted $500 off his asking $10k for a
hole in the muffler), how he shelled out $300 to rent a trailer to bring
the car closer to me (he offered after he made plans to be in the area in
which i met him so HE could pick up his new jaguar project car, and most
strikingly how since he thought the car was in his prescribed shape, how
he had no responsibility resulting from the discrepancy.

i would like some comments and advice on how, and even whether, to pursue
this.  i really can't imagine that this car arrived like this from turin,
and in retrospect a lot of what he told me and the way he conveyed it
never quite gelled; something always seemed "off" but beyond that, his
unwillingness to help - and preoccupation with absolving himself, makes
me want to seek compensation.  when i bought the car he had promised to
send the remaining repair records soon, along with some remaining oil
filters.  half-expectantly, i never heard from him.  i'm now told he
really doesn't have the filters as he thought and that he can't find the
records.  this sort of "it's your problem now" attitude doesn't invite
understanding either, but the heart of the issue is that i have a car
which has been significantly damaged, but for which i paid an
"undamaged".price.

seeking sound council,
ascher

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                   ascher@domain.elided
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End of alfa-digest V7 #851
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