Founder Wins Round in Struggle for Car Company : Courts: Judge rules that Vector directors violated Gerald Wiegert’s contract when they fired him.

The embattled founder of Vector Aeromotive Corp.--creator of limited-edition, high-performance cars with $450,000 price tags--won a battle Tuesday in his colorful bid to retain control of his financially troubled company.

A Superior Court judge ruled that the company’s board of directors did not give Gerald A. (Jerry) Wiegert proper notice of their intention to oust him.

But even Wiegert’s attorney acknowledged that massive management problems beset the corporation.

“You’ve still got a problem,” attorney Gary L. Bostwick said. “You’ve got an organism that needs healing. You aren’t going to do it by fighting about it in court.”

Before the ruling, Vector’s board of directors had seemed confident that Judge Robert O’Brien would affirm its right to make management decisions in the publicly held company.

Director John F. Pope said Wiegert’s dismissal was announced only after he resisted suggestions that he resign. Wiegert changed the locks on the company’s Wilmington facility and hired armed guards to turn back directors as though they were trespassers, Pope said.

But in his ruling late Tuesday, O’Brien cited a clause in Wiegert’s contract that required the board to give him 90 days written notice before termination to allow him a chance to address misconduct allegations.

Under the ruling, the board must give Wiegert a list of objections and 90 days to satisfy the concerns.

Joseph G. Wick, attorney for the Vector board, unsuccessfully argued that the contract clause, at best, entitled Wiegert to 90 days of severance pay.

Vector’s stock, which peaked at $13 a share in 1989, has been as low as 12 cents in recent weeks.

Westwood real estate investor Michael Carpenter, an investor in the company since 1987, heard the arguments in court Tuesday.

“It’s the type of thing that adds to the legend,” said Carpenter, who owns a Vector W-8 automobile. “The Vector legend--it’s good and it’s bad. . . . I want to get it over with so (the company) can move forward.”

Carpenter expressed hope that the company will straighten out its management problems and start production on a new line of cars--a coupe and a roadster with prices starting about $225,000.

So far, the W-8 is the only line of cars that Vector has produced. And only 20 of the cars have been sold.