The nerve of some people....

[FlatheadGeo]

As some off you are aware of, I was able to get a replacement engine and transmission from a member on Long Island through the efforts of Joe Lipton, our local chapter President.This happened three years ago and it was all for at no cost. Well, due to four family members battling cancer the parts sat in front of my house, covered, and the 57 Studebaker is parked right in front of said parts in the driveway.

Yesterday, after returning from a Red Bank, NJ Show(I went with a friend's car); I had to take my 36 year old nephew to the emergency room, one of the family fighting cancer. To make a very long story short--when I returned home from the hospital I noticed that the three speed manual transmission was purloined from in front of my house.

I am so incensed at this point, but; I kept my vocabulary clean! Thanks for allowing me to rant.

[raoul5788]

Have you checked the scrap metal dealers?

[studegary]

Sorry for the loss. I hope that you notified the local police. What will they take next?

[jclary]

Have you checked the scrap metal dealers?

Gee...I hate that you are missing your transmission! The combination of having the stuff "Out Front," state of the economy, folks trolling for scrap, being that close to Elizabeth, N.J. with all those combination wrecking yard, repair garage, tow, and Repo businesses...just a matter of time. I'd be making room in the back yard before they return with a bigger truck!

Raoul...your comment hints of a refreshing bit of innocence...but in that part of Jersey...fuggetaboutit.

[FlatheadGeo]

Yup, followed up as per all of your suggestions.

[Orestudeguy]

We have a local club member whose son bought him a 49Stude truck. His son removed the engine, transmission and radiator to tear down for a rebuild.
This was done on a slow Friday afternoon at the son's shop.
Monday comes and the son discovers that some creep stole the engine, trans, radiator & old battery. It was reported to the sheriffs dept but nothing has showed up at the scrap yards so far.
The bummer to this is the Father lost his Stude truck and his home & garage in a fire. Now the truck is just sitting there.

[plwindish]

Over the past 6 years, Iv'e had first a 21 speed hybrid bike stolen out of my garage and then later, an Apple laptop stolen out of my car parked in the same garage. That was before the economy went way south in 2008. Today, you pretty much need to keep everything under lock and key.

[Chris Pile]

One of our local guys was working in the garage, then went inside for lunch and a nap.
When he came out someone had stolen the bullet from his '50 sedan.

[Lothar]

There are still places in this country where you can leave your car and house unlocked, and nobody messes with your stuff. Nothing much happens here... and thats a good thing.

[62champ]

There was a news report last night that in New York City, the recycling department is having a problem with people stealing cardboard that is at the curb for pickup. Apparently the loss has gone into the millions of dollars.

Back in June our township had its annual cleanup day. They stated they would be taking car batteries, but you had to pay $2 each. I told my wife I was going to take my truck down and put up a sign near the entrance with "I will buy your battery - $3". Reason is the local salvage yard pays $6 each for those items...

[kurtruk]

Last month, while I was home a Meth-head opened my side gate and walked off (literally, on foot, through our residential neighborhood) with about $30 worth of aluminum cans for recycling. Eight garbage bags worth.

About a quarter of the street lights in Fresno are out because the copper wiring has been stolen from them.

[jclary]

Many many years ago. I had just upgraded my original "cyclops" Fuzz Buster to the latest and greatest expensive "Escort" brand radar detector. I had it in my '60 Lark back when I was using it as my daily driver (mid 1980's). I came out of my local auto parts store and discovered that some thief had reached through the gap in the almost rolled up window, unlocked the car, and stole my state of the art radar detector.

I immediately drove the three blocks to the police station, stormed in through the door, ready to proclaim how greviously I had been victimized!...Suddenly...I realized...this (sleepy little Mayberry type) southern town, raised most of its money with the "Speed Trap" on the main drag! I sheepishly mumbled my complaint to the guy at the desk. He politely acknowledged my complaint, but was much more attentive to wielding his fly swat at the tiny barn buzzard circling his desk. "We'll let you know if anything turns up," was his reply.

That was the last I saw of my radar detector or the inside of the local police station.

[swvalcon]

Sorry for your loss. The good old USA. Isn't what it use to be. THe biggest thing is even if caught nothing gets done to these people. WE really need to go back to the COOL HAND LUKE DAYS. Work their tail off for a year or two and they would think twice about it.

[showbizkid]

WE really need to go back to the COOL HAND LUKE DAYS.

"What we have here... is a failure... to communicate."

[COMMANDERPINK1]

"What we have here... is a failure... to communicate."

Dont think its the communication thats an issue its nobody thats a listening.
Tom