Story about stolen Corvette - very cool
1/17/06, 02:49 PM
#1
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This is something!
Sorry it's not about Mustang, but still very interesting read.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationw...ack=1&cset=true
Sorry it's not about Mustang, but still very interesting read.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationw...ack=1&cset=true
1/17/06, 03:16 PM
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Same story, but from bbc.co.uk
The owner of a Corvette sports car stolen when it was brand new in 1969 is to be reunited with the vehicle after it was finally found, 37 years later.
Alan Poster's prized possession went missing in New York, but was found 3,000 miles away in California, just as it was about to be shipped to Sweden.
"We can call this a miracle," Mr Poster told the New York Times.
The car had just been sold to a Swede, who was not aware of the car's past, for $10,000 (£5,700).
However, because Mr Poster had not insured the car, he was not compensated when it was stolen and is entitled to it back.
The Corvette Mako Shark, which was originally painted blue with matching upholstery, is now silver with a red interior.
It has had a new engine, but is missing some vital parts and does not run, a spokesman for the homeland security department said.
Mr Poster, who is now 63, said it was "probably the only car I've ever really loved".
Needle in a haystack
He said said he bought the car as a wild indulgence after his divorce, when he was a guitar salesman living in Queens, New York.
"That car and my new life started together," he said.
They're going to have to kill me to get this car
Alan Poster
He went on to move to California, and so, unbeknown to him, did the car.
"Up until this moment, I thought it was chopped up and shipped away," Mr Poster said after learning it had been found. "It's in great shape, I understand."
The car was found during a customs check as it was being loaded onto a ship to be taken to Sweden.
New York police spent a month sifting through about 10,000 archived stolen car reports to find the original owner.
"It was the equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack," said Detective William Heiser of the New York Police Department.
The car, which Mr Poster bought for $6,000, is now a classic which could fetch up to $60,000.
"It's not getting away from me again," Mr Poster told The New York Post.
"They're going to have to kill me to get this car."
Alan Poster's prized possession went missing in New York, but was found 3,000 miles away in California, just as it was about to be shipped to Sweden.
"We can call this a miracle," Mr Poster told the New York Times.
The car had just been sold to a Swede, who was not aware of the car's past, for $10,000 (£5,700).
However, because Mr Poster had not insured the car, he was not compensated when it was stolen and is entitled to it back.
The Corvette Mako Shark, which was originally painted blue with matching upholstery, is now silver with a red interior.
It has had a new engine, but is missing some vital parts and does not run, a spokesman for the homeland security department said.
Mr Poster, who is now 63, said it was "probably the only car I've ever really loved".
Needle in a haystack
He said said he bought the car as a wild indulgence after his divorce, when he was a guitar salesman living in Queens, New York.
"That car and my new life started together," he said.
They're going to have to kill me to get this car
Alan Poster
He went on to move to California, and so, unbeknown to him, did the car.
"Up until this moment, I thought it was chopped up and shipped away," Mr Poster said after learning it had been found. "It's in great shape, I understand."
The car was found during a customs check as it was being loaded onto a ship to be taken to Sweden.
New York police spent a month sifting through about 10,000 archived stolen car reports to find the original owner.
"It was the equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack," said Detective William Heiser of the New York Police Department.
The car, which Mr Poster bought for $6,000, is now a classic which could fetch up to $60,000.
"It's not getting away from me again," Mr Poster told The New York Post.
"They're going to have to kill me to get this car."
1/18/06, 07:47 AM
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Great story and I'm glad it finally had a happy ending.
I question the $6k price though, because I almost bought a new 1970 Corvette which stickered then at about $4200. But who am I to quibble about minor details?
In 1970 I was in the Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune NC. I had a close friend who went on a 6 month deployment and left his silver 427 Vette convertible with me for safekeeping and asked only that I drive it a little to keep the battery from dying. Of course I complied. My ride at the time was a new 1970 SS350 Camaro.
One humiliating memory comes back to me. One rainy night I was at a stoplight and when it turned green I tried to get ahead of a VW Beetle but the Corvette had so much power that it spun its tires as I tried to accelerate. Remember, this was in the days of radial ply tires, and they weren't as good as good as what we have today. I wasn't trying to race and I still remember being mortified as that little VW motored on in front of me and my spinning tires.
Same thing happenned a few months later when a buddy went on a 6 month cruise and entrusted me with his Fiat 850 spider ragtop. No power, but so much fun to drive. It had no power but it was a blast to drive. It was the only car I've ever driven that needed full power in all gears just to keep up with traffic. Redline in the first 3 gears, hit 4th--finally--and I could barely keep up with traffic.
Not long after that, I had a buddy who wanted to swap me even up for his 427 67 Vette coupe. My beloved ex wife nixed that for "practical" reasons. That was the third time she said no to a Corvette and note that I said ex. That was just one of many reasons...
Well, those are just old but fond memories from a long distant past...
I question the $6k price though, because I almost bought a new 1970 Corvette which stickered then at about $4200. But who am I to quibble about minor details?
In 1970 I was in the Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune NC. I had a close friend who went on a 6 month deployment and left his silver 427 Vette convertible with me for safekeeping and asked only that I drive it a little to keep the battery from dying. Of course I complied. My ride at the time was a new 1970 SS350 Camaro.
One humiliating memory comes back to me. One rainy night I was at a stoplight and when it turned green I tried to get ahead of a VW Beetle but the Corvette had so much power that it spun its tires as I tried to accelerate. Remember, this was in the days of radial ply tires, and they weren't as good as good as what we have today. I wasn't trying to race and I still remember being mortified as that little VW motored on in front of me and my spinning tires.
Same thing happenned a few months later when a buddy went on a 6 month cruise and entrusted me with his Fiat 850 spider ragtop. No power, but so much fun to drive. It had no power but it was a blast to drive. It was the only car I've ever driven that needed full power in all gears just to keep up with traffic. Redline in the first 3 gears, hit 4th--finally--and I could barely keep up with traffic.
Not long after that, I had a buddy who wanted to swap me even up for his 427 67 Vette coupe. My beloved ex wife nixed that for "practical" reasons. That was the third time she said no to a Corvette and note that I said ex. That was just one of many reasons...
Well, those are just old but fond memories from a long distant past...
1/18/06, 08:25 AM
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I read that story on CNN.com this morning. Great story. Vettes were (and still are) my 2nd favorite cars when I was growing up (Mustang was 1st of course).
1/23/06, 12:07 AM
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Originally posted by scottie1113@January 18, 2006, 9:50 AM
Great story and I'm glad it finally had a happy ending.
Great story and I'm glad it finally had a happy ending.
1/23/06, 12:27 AM
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Cool story. My dad's 1984 Yugo Scala 101 was stolen during the war in 1995 and it was never found. Maybe his car will be found someday too.
1/23/06, 12:32 AM
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Originally posted by scottie1113@January 18, 2006, 8:50 AM
Same thing happenned a few months later when a buddy went on a 6 month cruise and entrusted me with his Fiat 850 spider ragtop. No power, but so much fun to drive. It had no power but it was a blast to drive. It was the only car I've ever driven that needed full power in all gears just to keep up with traffic. Redline in the first 3 gears, hit 4th--finally--and I could barely keep up with traffic.
Same thing happenned a few months later when a buddy went on a 6 month cruise and entrusted me with his Fiat 850 spider ragtop. No power, but so much fun to drive. It had no power but it was a blast to drive. It was the only car I've ever driven that needed full power in all gears just to keep up with traffic. Redline in the first 3 gears, hit 4th--finally--and I could barely keep up with traffic.
1/23/06, 11:23 AM
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Originally posted by future9er24@January 23, 2006, 1:36 AM
btw Zoran, thats a pretty neat car, i hope ur dad gets it back someday, or at least one like it
btw Zoran, thats a pretty neat car, i hope ur dad gets it back someday, or at least one like it
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