Thanks for all of the support, my friends. It's very helpful given the situation is not going to end well.
As I've pieced together more of the actual story, it seems that Dion had no substantial funding in place when he started Red Cannon, so that his ability to complete my Jeep required finding an investor to fund his business. In turn, the more he could delay me picking up the Jeep, the more time he had to use it when continuing the search for funds and the longer he avoided a reckoning with me. In the meantime, the money I'd given him for specific tasks on my Jeep went for other expenses. It was 100% the wrong thing for him to do, both legally and ethically, but I finally understand how things developed the way they did.
It was a terrible decision to take the Jeep apart without clearly having the resources to put it back together as the Red Cannon "Darien," but when Dion did that last summer, he thought he'd have the money. When the investors didn't come through, he, me and the Jeep were all screwed.
I'll be going to Iowa to get the Jeep in a couple of weeks. It would be helpful to have another person help me with the pickup--and I have had volunteers willing to put themselves out and travel long distances to help me (which is amazing and much appreciated)--so if there's anyone in the immediate vicinity of Fairfield, Iowa, with a few hours spare time, please sent me a private message.
It's impressive that there's as much interest in the fate of this project as there is. I will keep you posted, but there's not likely to be much useful anyone can add until I get the Jeep and inventory where things stand.