My car is gone. My 66 was stolen in Hawthorne CA yesterday

[graysky]

My car is gone.

I feel like I have lost a family member. My 1966 was stolen from the parking lot of the school my wife works at in Hawthorne CA yesterday. The school surveillance camera shows a grainy video of the two men who stole it. They were good. It took less than two minutes and it was gone. I am still in shock. Sometimes I hate the world we live in.

My car is gone.

We didn't have the car for very long. We bought it a little over two years ago as a Cal Look and I have spent the last few years bringing it back to stock. I'm not much of a mechanic so I let people who know what they are doing take care of that end of it.

My car is gone.

I am mourning the loss of the car as a whole, but also some of the little things that brought me such joy - finding original 66 only door panels and replacing the generic ones that were in the car when I bought it. Replacing the crappy aftermarket bumpers whose edges would give me paper cuts with German ones, buying the chrome buckles and making my own useless seat hold down strap, having my seats reupholstered in the one year only 66 pattern and in the process getting rid of the Ford Mustang vinyl that was on the seats previously, finding and installing NOS SB19 SB20 SB21 headlight glass, even dealing with the incompetence of the DMV while I endured the YOM license plate process I can look back on and shake my head but still smile.

My car is gone.

I know in my head that it is truly gone and that I will never see it again, it is off to some other part of the world either whole or in a thousand parts taken away by people too lazy to do the work themselves, too lazy to spend the time in a labor of love, too cheap to spend their own money to get the car they want, but my heart holds out hope that somehow by miracle it will be recovered. But I know it won't be.

My car is gone.

So now I am left to wonder what next? Am I up for trying to find another bug and begin the process all over again? If I decide not to can I live with the jealousy I now feel when I see another VW on the road? Am I willing to put love into another car and risk someone else stripping it away from me again? This will take some time for the hurt to go away, for my mind to clear so I can make a rational decision, but I wanted to share my story here on the samba with perhaps the only people who can truly understand my grief and relate to what I am going through.

Thanks for listening, and feel free to talk me into getting another VW.

My car is gone.

[Cjm005]

What a beautiful car..... I hope they find it.
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1965 Beetle restoration project:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=562603

[Jakebob]

Posted this to my blog's FB page cuz you never know.

I can't imagine how you must feel. Someone stole my Coke out of the fridge at work and I nearly lost my mind.

I hope its recovered.
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[EverettB]

I hope you can get it back...

I posted it to the Samba Facebook page.
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[OLD VW NUT]

What a sad day for you. I hope those thieves rot in hell.

I hope you had full coverage insurance with a company that understands classic cars and the costs involved with them.

I know how I'd feel if my Ghia were stolen. And I can imagine how my insurance guy would feel - I hate seeing a grown man cry.
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71 Ghia Coupe - stock body - no rust! Powered by a 2110 W/Dual HPMX 44's - Rancho Pro Street Transaxle - A/C by Gilmore

Other car - 2013 VW Golf TDI

[Maxoceanblue]

That sucks! Mine is a 64 and the same color. I would be pissed! Question: what protection did you have? My doors don't lock so I have installed a shifter lock and use it every time it's not parked in my garage. I also have the Club for the steering wheel. I'm wondering how good the shifter lock is.

I'm so sorry.
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1964 Beetle Sedan/1600cc DP 12v converted

[Maxoceanblue]

I have family and friends in So Cal and so posted on Facebook. Good luck.
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1964 Beetle Sedan/1600cc DP 12v converted

[graysky]

Thanks to all who have/will post this to their Facebook page, it is appreciated more than words can say.

We do have full coverage but as far as whether or not they appreciate classic cars remains to be seen.

We had a kill switch in the car that unfortunately was not activated yesterday but as the police officer who filed the report said from the looks of the surveillance video these were professionals and even if a club/kill/switch whatever would have been in use, it would have maybe slowed them down a bit, but not stopped them if they really wanted the car. Maybe he was just trying to make us feel better.

[Splitdog]

Bogus, man. Makes me think of one word; "Sha-shink!" (That's the sound of a shotgun being loaded just before discharge into a thief). I hope by some miracle you get her back.
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CH³NO²

Z = z² + C

Der Blitzkrieg Kafers

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[Bruno Misquita]

I hope you and find your car as soon as possible, but if it does not happen I want to see you with another Beetle sooner. Good luck

[Jon Schmid]

Man, that sucks. That is a beautiful bug. I hope it was just some loser joyriders and that you get your car back soon.
Good luck---
Jon

[stale air]

Wow, thats a beautiful car, and im truly sorry that these two jackoffs stole it. I can only imagine how you feel, if someone stole my car, it would be like loosing a family member.
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WANTED: Henry Veale Santa Rosa plate frames
WANTED: Brittsan Motors Fresno plate frames
WANTED: Any Georgia plate frames

[Dr OnHolliday]

We used to hang horse thieves - we should again...have a regular public party too.
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1965 Type 1 sunroof Baja / about 70k miles on self-rebuilt '74 1600 and counting / SP heads and aftermarket valve keepers / non-doghouse shroud with external cooler and filter / 1.5 qt extended sump / Weber 32/36 DFAV progressive carb / 009 dist with Pertronix / 1.25 ratio rockers and ball adjusters / 1.5" stainless steel J-pipes and carbon steel baja exhaust

[vwkidd]

Sorry for your loss. 1966 VDubs hold a special place for me. My first VW ever was a 1966. The car I learned alot about and from.

I will blast on my FB page & The Cal-Style Newsletter.
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1955 151 Deluxe L219 Congo Green (Project)
1951 11A Standard L21 Pear Gray
1954 117 Deluxe L227 Strato Silver "Delilah"
1966 141 Cabrio. L554 Cherry Red (low mileage)
Owned: All in the 80's slammed & running BRM's,Fuchs,OG Empis w/ big motors & 48IDA's LA Style!
1959 Convertible 151 L41
1955 Convertible 151 L41
1958 Convertible 151 L349
1966 KG Convertible L456
1967 KG Convertible L41
1959 117 Deluxe L451

[NewVWFan]

Man that sux!!! Thats a cool car. Ive lived in a number of states and only experienced theft in California. Lost a Chevelle & beetle in Cali. I would look hard a Pamona & Long Beach next month. Theves have no shame and will part her out and sell in the open. I would even watch the "Black Plates" on Ebay since they will bring some coin.

[So.Cal Danny]

I'm sorry for your loss bro. She was a beautiful car. I have posted this thread on my FB wall to spread the word. I truly hope the car is found.

[quicktypeone]

What a terrible experience... hopefully it is recovered.

If it is, or if you get another car/project that you put a lot of time and money into, definitely look into specialty/classic insurance coverage. Many insurance companies offer some form of it. For example, I use State Farm. They have two specialty options available, one for "parade cars" and one for "limited use/show cars". I insured my '65 as a limited use car for $10k considering its FMV and what I have invested into it. Full coverage at this level costs me about $20 a month.

Regardless of your current coverage, if you saved your receipts during your restoration, have your insurance company add those to the value of your car before cutting you a check. I would contact all the companies you purchased parts from and get copies of your orders just to make sure you don't miss anything.

That's a sweet car and I'm sure you spent more than a few bucks restoring it. It would be a shame to not get back what you put into it.

Hope this helps
Vince

[graysky]

Thanks for the very useful advice. I will definitely gather all the receipts I have to give to the insurance co.

There are a couple of local guys whose livelihood is buying and restoring/selling VW's and they are aways telling me what price they would ask for my car. I'll try to get something in writing from them with their estimate of the car's value along with their business card/resell license to give to the insurance as well. Might help a little.

*sigh* I'd rather have the car than the money...

[quicktypeone]

Getting quotes/appraisals from your local guys is worth a shot for sure.

Also, make sure you provide all these great photos of your car to the insurance company as well. The photos are proof that the car was in fact restored and in excellent condition.

I know you're bummed but its still early, so who knows... the car could still turn up. Its hard to look on the bright side, but if you try, maybe you can see another VW project in your future. There are still plenty of cars out there that can be brought back to life...

[djshutup]

this makes me angry and sad.. can only imagine what your feeling.

Do you have the footage can you post it.. Did they do everything from inside or did they start via messing around in the engine.