Author Topic: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours  (Read 7399 times)

TommyM

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Greetings everyone,

I'm new here and just want to share my little story as a proud, but way to short, owner of a 1969 Camaro. Its a drama, so bring out those tissues. It happened two days ago.


I live in Sweden and was tipped off by my father about this six cylinder '69, rather rough edged, but reasonable priced beauty selling on our version of Craiglist.

After a few days of thinking, I gave the seller a call.

According to him, the car was recently imported from Houston, Texas, had a TH350 automatic, rough paint but very little rust (a few larger rust holes in the right side).

Didn't have the opportunity to check it out straight away, had shifts at work and later my father managed to pull his back.

A few weeks went by, mostly filled with work and research here on CRG and other sites. 
Oh, so many fun facts... Easy to get snowed in.


Finally, we managed to get a good look at it. It was indeed rough on the paint, sun destroyed but the seller didn't lie about the rust, a little crash bump on front left fender. This car had potential.

Once I managed to overcome the roughness, I wanted it. The seller and I managed to agree on a price and gave him a few bucks, needed the upcoming pay check to get it.

This Saturday, me, my father and his friend went on the road to pick it up. The weather was perfect, clear blue sky and 15 degrees Celsius.

Got the pink slip and of we went.


We didn't get very far before some problems occured, some heavy shaking's. First stop: tighting all tyres and noticing some leakage from gas tank. Ugh...

We gave it a new try, the shakes where gone, but not for long. The heavy shakes wouldn't go away, so we pulled over to a road diner and got ourselves some bad version of cheese burgers.

Switching left front tyre and a quick check on the warm drum brake. It didn't retract perfectly.

Third try, no shakes, so the ride went on perfectly in the afternoon sun. Just perfect. Absolut perfect. Back into an american car for the first time in 10-15 years.

Arriving to my home town, the looks started to appear. The look on a 4-5 year old boy trying to walk over a traffic light while staring at the car making his dad having to help him a bit, was just priceless. 
Report from our follow car said the dad had been pointing at the car later on. Made me smile hugely.

Stopping and standing around and chatting for a good two hour or so, after the trip, a teenage band walks by and when one of the boys shouting exciting "OH, what a cool car!", I knew my buy wasn't bad.

Yesterday we showed the car for my brother, who's more into racing and cars in general then me...
He was surprised and wanted to use it while learning to drive...


This morning, my dad wakes me up, telling me the car is gone. Stolen.
Immediatly, an empty feeling sets in, I can't believe its true. My car, just gone. Sickness starts to set in.

Dad went to work and soon the car was reported stolen to the police and the insurance company.

Now I'm on my way back home, feeling sick, empty and sad, writing this on the train. Tears almost setting in.

Too bad the world will most likely lose yet a six cylinder "Plain Jane, Granny milk wagon" beauty...


Some technical info about the car
VIN: 123379N580997
Cowl tag
ST 69 12437, NOR229377 BDY
TR 715, 51 51 PNT
01B, X11

Engine
L22, 250cu
Partial VIN: 19N580997
engine code: .... BD


Two days later, frustration/angry phase has developed to a sad one...

Love, Tommy

basecoupe#79

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2011, 11:31:09 AM »
I never heard of Swedish thieves.  Bummer.

restore-z28

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2011, 11:42:14 AM »
Tommy sorry to hear about your car being stolen, hope the police find and give it back to you.
Sonny
1969 Z28 Camaro, sold :-(
1970 Z28 Camaro
www.camaros.ca

IZRSSS

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2011, 12:35:11 PM »
Same here, very sorry to hear about your car. On the plus side, I would think a First Gen in your part of the World should stick out like a sore thumb. Certainly hope you get it back soon.

68Zproject

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2011, 02:06:56 AM »
If it gets to Oregon, I'll keep an eye out for it.  Sorry to hear someone would do that do you.
68Z28

KurtS

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2011, 04:25:50 AM »
I would think a First Gen in your part of the World should stick out like a sore thumb.
Ditto. Are you near a shipping port? That is, do you think it's still in the country or could it have been shipped out?
Make sure you contact the Camaro Club of Sweden about the car. http://www.camaroclubsweden.com/ They may be able to help.
Hope you get it back!

One question - do you know the rest of the stamped engine code? Thanks!
Kurt S
CRG

TommyM

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2011, 06:56:27 AM »
Ditto. Are you near a shipping port? That is, do you think it's still in the country or could it have been shipped out?
Make sure you contact the Camaro Club of Sweden about the car. http://www.camaroclubsweden.com/ They may be able to help.
Hope you get it back!

One question - do you know the rest of the stamped engine code? Thanks!
Yes, it was rather close to a shipping port, so the hope is not that great of finding it...

The swedish Camaro Club is alredy looking for it, as lots of other people.

Unfortanly, we didn't check the whole engine code, only BD. Transmission and driveline was to be checked this week.
// Tommy

IZRSSS

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2011, 12:56:15 PM »
Any law enforcement members out there, attorneys, or just good old common sense? Maybe if we put our heads together we can help Tommy out!

What would you guys do if your car was stolen?

- Contact Law Enforcement
- In Tommy's case contact Shipping Yards (are they required to inventory shipments and are there any specific regs for transporting vehicles?)
- Contact Boarder Patrol
- Contact Customs
- Trace the car back to where it was purchased & try to remember everyone who eyed the car & what they looked like and what they were driving
- Interview everone in your neighbor hood for suspicious activity
- Interview local gas station attendants
- Post pics of the car at as many businesses as possible

TommyM

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2011, 07:44:58 PM »
Once, again a proud owner of the very same "Plain Jane, Granny milk wagon"!

Best friday evening ever!

Dusk_Blue_Z

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2011, 08:22:05 PM »
Fill us in!
1969 X77 01B 51 51 flat hood

TommyM

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2011, 08:38:52 PM »
Fill us in!
After a tip it was found parked nicely on a side street in Farsta, a southern suburn in Stockholm. Just a few hundred meters from where my father and his friend had patrolled a few nights ago, they where never on that street...

It seems it's only a bit of dog drool on a window or two and a few gallons missing, nothing else.

One quite fun fact though, when my father drove towards a safe location, he passed a cop car which didn't stop him...

Looking forward on going through it, making it beautiful again. Plan so far is to keep it original as a milk wagon :D

68Zproject

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2011, 10:48:19 PM »
Fill us in!

One quite fun fact though, when my father drove towards a safe location, he passed a cop car which didn't stop him...


They were probably on a doughnut run or I guess Lutafisk or Lefsa
68Z28

lakeholme

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2011, 11:29:10 PM »
Put an alarm in it this time!
Great you got it back.
Phillip, HNR & NCR-AACA, Senior Master, Team Captain, Admin.,
Spring Southeastern Nationals chair, AACA National Director

restore-z28

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Re: A proud owner of a "Plain Jane, Granny Milk Wagon" for about 36 hours
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2011, 12:23:27 AM »
Tommy, congratulations on getting back you car.
Sonny
1969 Z28 Camaro, sold :-(
1970 Z28 Camaro
www.camaros.ca

 

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