Ford Mustang II VTM648S (Talk about a long shot!)

[pOG]

Interesting story via our local beeb site this morning...

Ford Mustang II stolen at some point in the last TWENTY years from a garage in Welwyn GC...



www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-34711287

Chances are that it's now tenth-generation bean cans but, hey, you never know!

[roccoguy]

Someone probably found that 'abandoned' in the garage and took it upon themselves to claim it as their own, but apparently that's perfectly acceptable according to some on here.

[welshpug]

interesting that it does still come up on the dvla car check, though untaxed since 1993, ive known many that have dropped off the system from not having any activity on file before the computerised web search was available but still exist.

[MK2VR6]

Hate to say it, but the fact that's been untaxed for the last 22 years makes me think it's taken a visit to an oval shaped section of track.

[Deleted]

Many options there, One being, Did the dad sell it? , Was it a council garage? In which case , although they have a key it doesnt mean the dad kept up payments. The council may have cleared it years ago... Our local garages all have original locks, The council just cut new keys from old blanks,

....

[speedy88]

Nov 3, 2015 16:08:11 GMT MK2VR6 said:

Hate to say it, but the fact that's been untaxed for the last 22 years makes me think it's taken a visit to an oval shaped section of track.

Why's that your immediate assumption? It was probably dragged immediately over a weighbridge.

[MK2VR6]

Nov 3, 2015 21:59:45 GMT speedy88 said:

Nov 3, 2015 16:08:11 GMT MK2VR6 said:

Hate to say it, but the fact that's been untaxed for the last 22 years makes me think it's taken a visit to an oval shaped section of track.

Why's that your immediate assumption? It was probably dragged immediately over a weighbridge.

Hang on, why are you so confident it was weighed in, but NOT raced?

[dodgerover]

The councils also have a 100% policy of getting distruction notes issued on those vehicle left in their lock ups so once it had been taken by them it was a gonner - look in the Abandoned thread with the Chrysler Valiant Charger to see evidence of this

I would say it went over the bridge when scrap was £250 a ton personally though.

[roccoguy]

Nov 4, 2015 10:44:11 GMT dodgerover said:

The councils also have a 100% policy of getting distruction notes issued on those vehicle left in their lock ups so once it had been taken by them it was a gonner - look in the Abandoned thread with the Chrysler Valiant Charger to see evidence of this

No they don't. My mate used to have a contract with nuneaton and Bedworth council removing cars from unpaid lock up's. Anything that that was removed that was worth anything was taken and sold on, no destruction notices were placed on any of the cars he removed. Some that had a relevance to this forum were a minivan, mk1 golf gti (looked like it was modded in the 90's) and a reliant Robin.

Some councils may operate a destruction notice system, but that will be through their own choice, not by it being set in any kind of stone. It's entirely down to the council how they dispose of the stuff left over in unpaid lock up's. It's probably just easier for them to weigh it straight in. Luckily not all councils operate that way.

[Mercdan68]

I remember seeing a lotus éclat pulled from a council lock up and destroyed , when it could have been saved such a shame, can't see that mustang having survived imo

[gazz81]

My dad had a lancia gamma coupe stored in a council garage, he received a letter saying that they were developing the land and everyone had 14 days to clear their belongings. We went down to move it out, first time it had been visited in 5 years and yep the garage was empty!! No chance of ever tracing it, I mean what do you tell the police? I'd like to report my car stolen. Ok sir, when was this? Hmmm some when in the the last 5 years!!

[speedy88]

Nov 3, 2015 22:18:40 GMT MK2VR6 said:

Nov 3, 2015 21:59:45 GMT speedy88 said:

Why's that your immediate assumption? It was probably dragged immediately over a weighbridge.

Hang on, why are you so confident it was weighed in, but NOT raced?

Because it's a popular way for criminals to make a quick coin and destroy evidence all in one fell swoop.

It's highly unlikely that it was stolen just to be raced. You do realise that this forum has a reputation of calling banger racers criminals right? I'm doing my best to undo that.

[Rob M]

Nov 5, 2015 15:53:34 GMT speedy88 said:

Nov 3, 2015 22:18:40 GMT MK2VR6 said:

Hang on, why are you so confident it was weighed in, but NOT raced?

Because it's a popular way for criminals to make a quick coin and destroy evidence all in one fell swoop.

It's highly unlikely that it was stolen just to be raced. You do realise that this forum has a reputation of calling banger racers criminals right? I'm doing my best to undo that.

To be absolutely fair to this forum there has been the odd proven story or three posted up here where cars were stolen to be raced. To suggest that the forum has some sort of vendetta, even a veiled one, is disingenuous.
Its just as likely to have been stolen to race as it would have been to be taken over the bridge, that's not being anti Banger its just a sad fact.
You cannot change peoples perceptions if those perceptions are drawn out of a truth.

[speedy88]

It's simple statistics. Of all old motors nicked, how many were stolen for racing? It doesn't count for 1%, or even a fraction of that. Yet who's first to be blamed (seemingly) on here? It splits the car community when really the real people nicking cars are not enthusiasts at all.

[Rob M]

Nov 5, 2015 22:37:37 GMT speedy88 said:

It's simple statistics. Of all old motors nicked, how many were stolen for racing? It doesn't count for 1%, or even a fraction of that. Yet who's first to be blamed (seemingly) on here? It splits the car community when really the real people nicking cars are not enthusiasts at all.

The simple statistics cannot be verified by you or anybody else, like this Mustang, the majority are never seen again.
The facts are that it is known that classic cars have been stolen to race. Its also a fact that some have been stolen to be weighed in, broken for parts or exported.
Ive not suggested that this car was stolen to be raced and thats the difference between us, you are making an unshakeable defence of Banger racers by producing unproven gobbledegook statistics that don't actually exist and I'm just saying that you cannot discount the theory that the car was stolen to be raced because it has happened before on numerous occassions.
Its the fact that cars that are classics, retros and /or interesting could mark them out as potential Oval fodder, its happened before.
By all means state that its unlikely but don't be naive enough to completely discount it.

[escortmad79]

There are a minority of racers who go out & nick cars, a tiny percentage of those who actually do race.

There is no proof that this car has been stolen by a racer, it is purely speculation & doesn't help any party.

Who's to say that it wasn't in a council lock up & the owner stopped paying for the use of the garage & the council trying to get hold of the owner were unable to contact him so the car was crushed? Again speculation, the only person who knows for sure is sadly no longer with us.

[dodgerover]

Nov 12, 2015 21:02:49 GMT escortmad79 said:

There are a minority of racers who go out & nick cars, a tiny percentage of those who actually do race.

There is no proof that this car has been stolen by a racer, it is purely speculation & doesn't help any party.

Who's to say that it wasn't in a council lock up & the owner stopped paying for the use of the garage & the council trying to get hold of the owner were unable to contact him so the car was crushed? Again speculation, the only person who knows for sure is sadly no longer with us.

Exactly what he said ^^^^ you'll always get shitters in any sport or community, when they announced they would start checking frame numbers at MX meetings certain people suddenly didn't show up. Tarring everybody with the same brush doesn't do anyone any favours.