4 stolen Ferrari chassis | Page 3 | FerrariChat

4 stolen Ferrari chassis

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by krasnavian, Sep 14, 2008.

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  1. velocetwo

    velocetwo F1 World Champ

    Dec 11, 2006
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    Why would someone go to the trouble of stealinf 4 chassis for a few hundread bucks, way too much work. The guys that took these know the value and I would guess they are going to Belgium.
     
  2. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #52 donv, Sep 20, 2008
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2008
    You'd be amazed at what people will steal, and for how little. We had several sculptures stolen-- worth many thousands-- and where did they turn up? At the local scrap metal yards.

    After all, what good are they to a replica builder? The most valuable part of those chassis is the VIN, and now that's becoming public knowledge and hence worthless. So the thief might as well sell them for scrap.

     
  3. velocetwo

    velocetwo F1 World Champ

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    I hear what you are saying, but it takes a lot of muscle and the correct type of equipment to get not one but four chassis's. Europe is where most Ferrari replica's are made and Belgium is the capitol.

    My guess is that they will cut off the chassis numbers and put them on a replica, and then use the chassis to build other cars with fake VIN's. This is how they double their profit.
     
  4. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    It took a lot of muscle (and 4 people, and a truck, etc.) to steal our sculptures as well.

    Again, I don't think the VINs are worth much, at this point. And I don't imagine that the chassis' are worth much either, based on the descriptions in this thread. Couldn't you fabricate something similar for a reasonable amount of money, if you don't care about provenance?

     
  5. velocetwo

    velocetwo F1 World Champ

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    It's all worth somthing it just depends on what they do with it.
     
  6. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    Can you be more specific: what makes you write Belgium?
     
  7. velocetwo

    velocetwo F1 World Champ

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    Look at all the ads they will tell the story.
     
  8. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    Interesting riddle....thank you.
     
  9. iwanna860monza

    iwanna860monza Karting

    Sep 19, 2004
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    FWIW

    Any car with a stolen VIN, can and does open a can of worms, it may not be valuable now but in the future.......... And when the original owner tracks it down, well................ And however you wash it, it is still a stolen car.

    I would say stolen for scrap is MORE likely than any other explanation. Time will tell.
     
  10. velocetwo

    velocetwo F1 World Champ

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    WAKE UP Ferrari owners and buyers you are naive, there are people building and selling replica's all around you. Read the posts on the Alfa and Bizzarrini sites and you will better understand what is going on. Your best defense is documentation, but most buyers don't have a clue.
     
  11. ggjjr

    ggjjr Formula Junior

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    To illustrate the lengths that crooks will go to for scrap, in Detroit they are using trucks to pull the manhole cover assemblies out of the pavement. I don't mean just the covers themselves but the whole top of the manhole which is mostly covered and encased in either asphalt or concrete. Unbelievable.

    George
     
  12. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Reminds me a bit of the WWII scrap drives that were the demise of many a classic car :(
     
  13. thecheddar

    thecheddar Formula 3

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    Was just thinking the same thing. Sadly, I don't think this will be the last time we hear of this kind of thing happening to a Ferrari or Ferrari parts (if the chassis were indeed stolen for scrap). Times are tough and getting tougher. If it's made of metal and not locked away out of sight, a meal-ticket will be forged from it.
     
  14. gsjohnson

    gsjohnson Formula 3

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    I'm sure everyone is aware of the catalytic converter thieves are almost at epidemic level here in So Cal. All for the scrap value. Don't leave your high riding car in a parking lot in L.A. for longer than 10 minutes or someone will slide underneath your car and remove it in 5 minutes.
     
  15. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    Well I already knew the answer to the riddle mentioned in an earlier post!

    Whoever took them I don't believe it was for scrap they will show up...eventually.
     
  16. krasnavian

    krasnavian Formula 3

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    I wonder if that makes you an optimist or a pessimist. A student of human behavior, in any case.:)
     
  17. f308jack

    f308jack F1 Rookie

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    What if one intends to make copies of the chassis? I assume there are new chassis available, but at what kind of price?
     
  18. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    "Un optimisite indecrottable" Or in more formal English a hopeless optimist:)
     
  19. velocetwo

    velocetwo F1 World Champ

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    I figured you knew Nembo 1777, Ferrari guys all want to talk about scrap metal?
     
  20. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    I don't know anything, I just think this was a planned event. I doubt they were stolen for scrap but what I say is just my 2 cents, I would however like to hear what the L.A. area restorers, dealers and Tom Shaughnessy think.
     
  21. tactical

    tactical Guest

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  22. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Tom Meade is no Lord Brocket, brudda......

    Next idea......

    The "cloning" concept holds merit I think...maybe each VIN will yield a litter of puppies onto the track at a future Vintage Event?

    Sadly, I can also vouch for the fact that times are so hard we have to post armed guards on a copper Electrical Service to insure it's there when the Power Company comes to connect it! Once "on" it's a little harder to remove.....
     
  23. f308jack

    f308jack F1 Rookie

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    Well, it stands to reason that rather than sacrificing a less valuable original chassis to build a more valuable model, a cloned chassis would be a preferable alternative. I see, for instance, a 500 F1 for sale, with an Alfa Romeo 2litre drivetrain. Looks great, still a twin cam 4, I have no problem with something like that.

    Big Tex, no, thieves have no problem making off with even high-voltage transport cables in full operation. Some lose their lives doing so, but ask all who have been in black-outs as a result of cable theft here in South Africa.
    These days even outside plumbed waterpipes aren't safe, telephone cables etc etc., this inspite of laws that scrap-yards are obliged to copy ID documents from those who sell scrap metal.
     
  24. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dude, here I have seen the #4 bare pole ground on each wood power pole cut from ground level to "as high as I can reach" missing...

    But yea the ones that go for energized lines usually can be found pretty easily, lying at the bottom......

    It would be a real shame if these four VINs went that way though......squashed into one of those truckloads heading back to the smelter......always makes me sad to see vintage American iron on those trucks too.
     
  25. Horsefly

    Horsefly F1 Veteran

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    Sounds like somebody was just watching and waiting for a chance to grab the chassis. About 15 years ago, a local Corvette guy decided to go on vacation. He had several barns full of cars and parts. So he leaves on a vacation trip for the first time in years. First night he is away, his neighbor sees one of the barns in flames. After the smoke clears, one nice 57 Chevy convertible and a 62 Corvette are toast along with several fuel injection units and who knows what else. How strange that when the owner's are away, strange things happen. The buzzards are always circling.
     

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