This should put a smile on your face. - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

THGL · 01-18-2006, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Stolen Corvette Returned After 37 Years
Wednesday, January 18, 2006

CARSON, Calif. — The last time former New York City resident Alan Poster saw his dream car, he was young and it was blue.

Nearly four decades later, he's a little grayer and the car has turned silver — but it was love at first sight again as the Corvette somebody swiped in New York was returned to him.

"It's a dream. Wow, this is a beautiful model," Poster said as customs officials unveiled the 1968 sports car. "This is definitely a miracle. Because in speaking to the police, the odds of them finding me were a million to one."

Poster said last week that he won't drive the car much — he has a Mercedes — but he is glad to have it back in his collection.

Poster was living in New York in January 1969 when the car he'd bought for $6,000 three months earlier was stolen from a parking garage. Poster had not insured it against theft because he could not afford to do so.

He went on with his life, eventually moving to Northern California.

In November, the Corvette was inside a shipping container at the Port of Long Beach, destined for a buyer in Sweden. A routine customs check showed that the car had been reported stolen on Jan. 22, 1969, but there was no address for the owner.

Nobody knows where the car was or through how many hands it passed. While it appeared in perfect condition, some things had changed. It was silver with a red interior, had a different engine and lacked a gas tank, and its transmission had been stolen from another car.

The car was seized, and New York police were notified. Two detectives spent days studying microfilmed files until they found the report. They tracked down Poster and notified him that his long-lost Corvette had been found.

"The odds against finding it so many years afterward were phenomenal," said Mike Fleming, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

No arrests were made in connection with the theft of the car or the transmission.

The car's seller, a Long Beach collector, and the Swedish buyer are not suspected of wrongdoing, authorities said.

Poster, meanwhile, is overjoyed.

"This car was probably the last car I ever really [loved]," said Poster, 63. "It was the hottest thing around."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,181988,00.html

That's an awesome story! And talk about hitting the mini-lotto... even without that story to along with it, that Vette has to be worth a pretty penny nowadays.

bobby · 01-18-2006, 10:05 AM

THEY NEVER MENTIONED THE MILAGE ....OR IF THE REPAINT WAS ANY GOOD???

XOXOXOO

Scorps · 01-18-2006, 02:07 PM

Wow that is pure luck they found that after all those years!

What what a sweet ride it is

Tech · 01-18-2006, 04:51 PM

it's cool to get his ride back, and it's interesting that it was still on record as stolen for so long... but he talks about how much he truely loved it and now says he's not going to drive it? comeon! you can park the mercedes for a few nights...

hemiram57 · 01-18-2006, 07:11 PM

What a story. That is my favorite model vette. Very nice!

troit · 01-20-2006, 12:33 PM

I mean that thing looks GOOD for being stolen for 25+ years. Good for him.

Shadow · 01-20-2006, 12:54 PM

Nice to see things like this!

Brewmaniac · 01-20-2006, 01:22 PM

What luck! Very nice ride...

01-18-2006, 10:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
bobby Super Moderator Location: 18,000+ posts on TFP #1,2,3,4 and 5,but I'm not counting!	THEY NEVER MENTIONED THE MILAGE ....OR IF THE REPAINT WAS ANY GOOD??? XOXOXOO __________________ "Life goes on,within you,and...with out you !" xoxoxoo

01-18-2006, 04:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tech Addict Location: Baltimore MD	it's cool to get his ride back, and it's interesting that it was still on record as stolen for so long... but he talks about how much he truely loved it and now says he's not going to drive it? comeon! you can park the mercedes for a few nights... __________________ -Tim- ~I swear sometimes i feel like i'm married to a child. ~You better watch who you're calling a child, Lois, cause if i'm a child than you know what that makes you? a pedophile. and i'll be damned if i'm going to stand here and be lectured by a pervert.

01-20-2006, 12:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
troit Transfer Agent Location: NYC	I mean that thing looks GOOD for being stolen for 25+ years. Good for him. __________________ I've yet to dephile myself...

01-20-2006, 01:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
Brewmaniac Searching for the perfect brew!	What luck! Very nice ride... __________________ "That's a joke... I say, that's a joke, son"

01-18-2006, 02:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
Scorps Lost!! Location: Kingston, Ontario	Wow that is pure luck they found that after all those years! What what a sweet ride it is

01-18-2006, 07:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
hemiram57 Upright	What a story. That is my favorite model vette. Very nice!

01-20-2006, 12:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
Shadow Addict Location: Caught between Heaven and Hell	Nice to see things like this!