------------------ John Wayne as John Bernard Books in The Shootist... " I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
My rides... 1988 GT with a 3.4L V6 automatic 1987 GT stock (with added stripes) 2006 Harley Sportster 'cause I love the twisties on two wheels or four.
I hope that you have one of those "wonky" 88 gas gauges and they run out of gas at 1/4 tank and don't know how to refill it, (because they are a stupid moron who deserves to die painfully), so they just gingerly pull over and leave it on the side of the road and then immediately get eaten by a Californian alligator. or get flattened by a passing [large vehicle of choice].
Hope they drive it slowly and law-abidingly, and get zapped by the most painful lightning bolt imaginable the moment they exit the vehicle.
Maybe the cops will catch the plate.
Idiot. Scumbag. Hope his balls fall off (after a rabid [insert animal with the dullest teeth] goes to town on them "downtown" for a few hours.
Had one of mine stolen once. Had another totaled due to a drunken wench all sad she didn't have a date on Valentine's day.
Hope the cops pull them over and the thief tries to escape and gets raped by a passing rhino. S-L-O-W-L-Y.
That stinks, sorry to hear that. It should be super easy for the police to notice, with so few Fieros on the road today. Hopefully it is just a stupid teenager taking a joy ride and it is waiting peacefully on the side of the road for the police to find it and return to you.
That's a real bummer. So sorry to hear that but a red 88GT would be easy to spot. Its not worth all that much unless it is kept together and resold. Then it would be very difficult to register. The thief would need to replace the VIN tag with an 88 that has been salvaged but it's a big job to get a salvage titled vehicle to register again. I say the thief gives up and you get your car returned. At that point install a hidden cut off switch.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Mine needed a new steering column. they broke the lock and hot wired it. at least they didn't break the door glass, they pushed it down...
If you need one, they are pretty reasonable. While you have it out, you might want to take out those four bolts that get loose eventually and put some threadlock on 'em...
The car was parked at work in the same spot I always park in, right next to the main drag through here. A customer of mine told me he saw the car at noon so that put the time between noon and 7pm.
The investigating officer told me they checked all the traffic cams in the area but no luck.
Another customer confirmed seeing it parked as usual at 12:30. He also told me that every stop light in town has a traffic cam. I didn't know that. There is also a wireless store in my center that has a security camera that might have picked up something. I asked him to check it.
(Lots of my customers know my cars on sight. I always park a white 87 GT or a red 88 GT in the same spot everyday. I've been driving the white GT for a long time now while I have been dealing with issues with the 88. Cracked manifold, finally getting it smogged, and then most recently dealing with suspension issues. I finally resolved my suspension issues by replacing the gas filled rear struts and the shattered buffers and getting the after market coil overs that came with the car all levelled up. I took it for a test drive on Sunday and it felt much better but will probably still need a 4 wheel alignment. I decided to drive it to work on Monday (3 mile trip) and then it disappeared)
Anyway, I posted on several Facebook Fiero sites and I'm getting some good info. One guy that lives up the highway sees my cars often as he passes right by. He saw the car parked there at 3pm. He remembered because the red one was there, not the white one as usual. So now the time is between 3pm and 7 pm.
So, if all the stop lights have cams, and the cops never saw it on the cams that day, that means that there are only a couple of ways he could have missed the cameras and that means driving through the neighborhoods instead of the main roads. Looks like I'll be doing some cruising through there tonight.
I hope its recovered soon. I would call and check local tow yards. Its quite often in CA stolen cars end up at the tow yards and then sold at auction without the owner being contacted. or when you do get contacted they will have had it for 6 months and want 6 months in tow yard storage fees.
Part of me thought maybe the fiero had reached an age that perhaps it was not worth taking. Its not that good of a car to chop out. However I did put my alarm back in service with an ignition disable when i put my car back in service last year. I also have been working on a gps tracker adaptation (i built a 3/4g gps trackers for my motorcycles)
Ok Ron, will keep a sharp eye out for your 88 here in the South Bay. Good news is Fiero's are pretty rare these days around here. I see one maybe every 3-4 months if I'm lucky.
As previously posted.... A Red 88 GT sticks out in a crowd. We can all be on the look out for it on the street, but that would be a hard confirmation unless it is seen parked and a VIN can be recorded. There is no telling where it could surface.
We should also be on the lookout for Red 88 GTs for sale. Classifieds, Facebook, Craigs list, Ebay, Bring a trailer... Many of us check these spots regularly. The more of us that look, the better the odds of catching it if someone tries to cash in using this method.
If someone spots it, what is the best way to contact you? A PM on PFF could keep the conversation private....
If someone spots it, what is the best way to contact you? A PM on PFF could keep the conversation private....
Paul
A PM here on Pennocks is good. I am checking in here several times a day.
And let me say thank you to all who are reaching out in support here and on Facebook and keeping their eyes open for me.
The latest news is that I hope to see some parking lot surveillance video very soon. Probably will see nothing but some hooded figure breaking in and driving off but I am trying to stay optimistic in the hopes that we might catch a vehicle or license plate or even a face.
I did call some local towing companies. They all told me the same thing... they are required to notify the police department immediately of all vehicles towed.
And I placed a sign on the street for any commuters that may have seen something.
[This message has been edited by Rsvl-Rider (edited 11-17-2021).]
I posted to the GGF Facebook page and a few other Fiero pages. Not sure how to reach out to the Central Valley area specifically.
I travel all of California each week for my job but my main area is the central valley of Tracy/Stockton all the way to Bakersifield and out to San Luis Obispo so I'm keeping an eye out.
Mine needed a new steering column. they broke the lock and hot wired it. at least they didn't break the door glass, they pushed it down...
How do you push the door glass down on a Fiero? Is it only on a non-power window motor car?
Slightly off topic but perhaps others can avoid theft if we know how this is done possibly can figure out a way to prevent the door glass from being pushed down.
Surprised this hasn't turned up yet. Was fairly certain it was a joy-ride steal not a sophisticated thief that knew anything about Fieros.
Three scenarios:
1) Stolen for a joy ride: My first thought yet hasn't turned up yet.
2) Stolen to try to resell whole: Typically thieves steal high production modern cars to part out or even sell whole. Seems like it would be super difficult to sell one of these whole (3500 left on the road probably). It would require replacing the metal VIN with a salvaged or wrecked one and removing all body panel VIN tags and also is risky hoping the car is not recognized. This would obviously plummet the resale value as would show as a salvaged car and need to be recertified by DMV to reguster and the new buyer would be buying a salvaged title with no VIN body tags, etc.
3) Stolen to part out: Thieves typically want a quick turn around and on to the next car. Is is likely he's got the car in a garage somewhere and removing parts to sell on ebay? Could be wrong but I doubt it. If that was his intention why not buy a Fiero parts car for $400 like the ones that end up in the junkyard and avoid being caught? Also why not just steal a high production car so there would be less ability to determine it was a parted out stolen car? Surely the parts on a modern car are far more valuable for the same effort.
4) Fiero enthusiast that plans to drive it around? Seems like it would never work if he's from the area. Did a thief really travel states over to get a Fiero to then take back home and drive around? Surely if he lived in the area it was stolen he knows he can't be driving it around town so it'd be stuck in his garage.
Very strange scenario and hoping it is found in good condition soon.
On both my Fiero’s you can push the windows but only down about 1-2 inches. I assume this is play in the window regulator and/or power window motors? Maybe just enough to get a coat hanger in there and feel around. One easy theft deterrent discussed here on occasion is wiring in a hidden switch inline with the fuel pump relay. Kit
Surprised this hasn't turned up yet. Was fairly certain it was a joy-ride steal not a sophisticated thief that knew anything about Fieros.
Three scenarios:
1) Stolen for a joy ride: My first thought yet hasn't turned up yet.
2) Stolen to try to resell whole: Typically thieves steal high production modern cars to part out or even sell whole. Seems like it would be super difficult to sell one of these whole (3500 left on the road probably). It would require replacing the metal VIN with a salvaged or wrecked one and removing all body panel VIN tags and also is risky hoping the car is not recognized. This would obviously plummet the resale value as would show as a salvaged car and need to be recertified by DMV to reguster and the new buyer would be buying a salvaged title with no VIN body tags, etc.
3) Stolen to part out: Thieves typically want a quick turn around and on to the next car. Is is likely he's got the car in a garage somewhere and removing parts to sell on ebay? Could be wrong but I doubt it. If that was his intention why not buy a Fiero parts car for $400 like the ones that end up in the junkyard and avoid being caught? Also why not just steal a high production car so there would be less ability to determine it was a parted out stolen car? Surely the parts on a modern car are far more valuable for the same effort.
4) Fiero enthusiast that plans to drive it around? Seems like it would never work if he's from the area. Did a thief really travel states over to get a Fiero to then take back home and drive around? Surely if he lived in the area it was stolen he knows he can't be driving it around town so it'd be stuck in his garage.
Very strange scenario and hoping it is found in good condition soon.
These have been my thoughts exactly.
Not much new to report. I am still waiting to see the video surveillance tape of the parking lot. The video is not actually on site. This company has all surveillance data from all its stores nationwide fed to a central location. The local store has to make a request which then has to be approved. I was hoping to see it today but no luck. Maybe tomorrow.
A young woman came into my shop today. She saw my sign on the street and my 87 GT is parked directly in front so she came in to talk to me. She lives just a couple of blocks away and she reports that on Monday night around 6pm she and her boyfriend ( a Pontiac GTO guy) heard a car roar down their street which was unusual enough that they both commented on it. (The car does have an exhaust growl to it) That street is the easiest way out of the parking lot without getting on any of the busy streets around (and to evade any street light cameras).
This is not an actual sighting but it backs up my theory about how they exited without being seen by street cams and it would have been just after dark to cover the break-in. I had already driven that street hoping to see something, anything, but of course no luck. I believe the car is in a garage somewhere in that neighborhood less than a couple of miles away.
First principles. "You covet what you see" So they are probably local. The car had not been parked there for many months prior. Then on Monday, the second day I drove it to work ( I came into work for a few hours on Sunday with the car ) it disappeared. (I've been driving my white 87 GT. Very stock and very vanilla. The 88 that was stolen was much more desirable to a joy rider or a thief).
[This message has been edited by Rsvl-Rider (edited 11-18-2021).]
I was thinking maybe take a cruise through the parking lot of the local highschool during class times. Someone liked it took it and has yet to park it somewhere that would get it pucked up. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ my fingers are crossed it will turn up. Im keeping my eye out.
I was thinking maybe take a cruise through the parking lot of the local highschool during class times. Someone liked it took it and has yet to park it somewhere that would get it pucked up. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ my fingers are crossed it will turn up. Im keeping my eye out.
Good idea. Might try that.
I've been cruising the parking lots in some of the low rent apartments in the area looking for anything with a car cover on it.
One other option is the car was stolen to be shipped overseas. Coastal states are prime to have cars shipped overseas.
But it is hard to say who or what as it takes a very non rational mind to do something like this.
We had a truck stolen years ago. They found it 5 years later. It left a base GMC Sierra Grande and came back a fully loaded Silverado.
The guy changed the doors , interior and front clip. Only the cab shell, chassis and engine were original. We bought it back. He stole cars and parted them out but kept the truck to tow a boat. We even got the plow back like new.
Maybe it was a dum-bass who watched "Fast & Furious 9" and thought they were getting a flying car...
Most people I meet in the bay area think that "All Fieros catch fire and are the worst automobile ever made!!!" But then I had THREE different people admire my Fiero when I drove to the P&P in Modesto (Which is in the Central Valley like Sacramento)
A) The Fiero is not worth that much nor very collectable (Thank you Car & Drivel)
B) The parts on it are not in that much demand nor worth much....
C) They are not good for a "Drive-by" or as a getaway car....
D) Considering all of this, I am amazed that the crook could even find the.....STEERING wheel!
Disclaimer notation; I know the Fiero is a good car and collectable.......But I am not the thief!
Maybe it was a dum-bass who watched "Fast & Furious 9" and thought they were getting a flying car...
Just last month i was getting gas in my notchy and some dude was yelling at me "is that a gt!!???" And im like no my GT is at home. Then dude tries to mansplane to me that its worth 40k and super hot to lambo kit car people right now.
Yes, I considered that but the Fiero is hardly worth the cost and effort. It's possible but I think this is mostly for the high value cars.
Unfortunately Mexico is a possibility.
They are taking some odd cars over seas. Many are not prized here but can bring some good money just on their looks alone. Mexico is a ways away. Much easier to nab one in San Diego.
They are taking some odd cars over seas. Many are not prized here but can bring some good money just on their looks alone. Mexico is a ways away. Much easier to nab one in San Diego.
It is possible that the car could end up in a shipping container headed for the Middle east, Cuba, Mexico, Eastern Europe or South America but that would take some doing. It would need to go thru the port of San Francisco. Any security cameras in the area where the car was stolen that you could view? If it was used for a joy ride then it could be dropped off on a street somewhere and that would take a while to locate. Also vehicles need gas and all gas stations are usually CCTV monitored. Its most likely been caught on camera somewhere. My best guess is that it is still in the area somewhere but if so, the thief could not register it without some proof of prior ownership unless the perpetrator tries to just change the single VIN tag on the dash and go with that. If that is the case chances are, they might nab the guy at the inspection station.
The real trouble is finding the right cameras in the right place at the right time.
This takes time and effort often the police will not spend unless there is a death involved.
This is why we all need to review our insurance and make sure we are covered for our total loss.
I know these cars are like our children but to the cops it is just one of many stolen cars and they are already understaffed to dig too deep to look for stolen property.
Most web thefts are never investigated due to values and understaffing. That is why so many get away with it.
Sorry for your loss. I hope it is found safely. It has also inspired me to purchase a set of AirTags and install one in my car and my girlfriends Harley. Would have been found in minutes but frankly I have never given it much thought.
Best regards,
Dr. W.
[This message has been edited by infinitewill (edited 11-20-2021).]
As I mentioned on one of the facebook posts, I'm down in Lodi, and travel to Roseville to see the inlaws. I hit a lot of the cars and coffee events in between, so I'll spread the word and keep an eye in the 99 corridor.
Good luck!
------------------ I dated a girl in high school purely because she had a fiero.
Man I hate thieves. Sorry to hear this. In California there is no law against vehicle theft. I say this because of the punishment IF a thief actually gets caught......nothing. Thanks democrats I hope you get your car back in usable condition
Your best bet might be to knock on some doors near that lady's house and ask if they can check their security footage at that time. If someone has a camera at an angle, it might be able to catch the driver's face. Or just leave a flyer at every house on the street saying you received word that the thief likely drove the car down this street at 6pm on XXXday. Please check your security camera and call if you have anything that can help.
