coupe-less..

montyv8 · 20-08-2007, 02:04 PM

my worst fear happenend today..
firstly some background. As a few of you know from my project thread, I've had an XB coupe for the last three years that I've been getting ready for the road (ex-dragcar).
So I've got it in roadleagal condition, and ready for rego. As I got it with no plates, (has body tags, just not number plates), It had to be inspected to make sure it wasn't a stolen car. I'd already rang the police stolen vehicle unit, and Transport SA to make sure the car was legit, and it came up clear.

So I've put the skinny rims and quiet exhaust on, and headed off to the inspection station with my wife. They start checking the car out, and look reasonably happy.. head back in to their office, and stay there for quite a while. I'm sitting there stressing that they don't like some of my mods, or my big holley and manifold, etc etc..

so a bunch of them come out and start looking under the bonnet again, looking confused. I go over and ask them what they're looking for. Couldn't find the engine number. showed them where it was, and sat back down.

they go back to the office, then one of them comes out looking very serious. Again, I'm thinking they don't like the car..

"There's an issue with the ID of the car. We're taking it, locking it up, and making some phone calls. wait there."

WTF?? so i ask what the hell is going on? is the car stolen??

"I can't divulge that information"

right about then i started to freak out, get very angry and start stressing all at once.
So this other inspector comes out to move my car. I show him how to use the shifter etc, and follow the car to the shed next door. I ask this guy if he knows anything..
"Its the motor. It was in a car that was stolen in 1982 in NSW. we've contacted detectives in NSW, and waiting for them to call us back and let us clear it. till then the car stays with us sorry"

so after half an hour, the guy comes and asks me into an office. "I've got some bad news" .... my heart hit the floor... its like on TV when the family is sitting outside the operating theatre and the doc comes out and says "I'm sorry..."

So they've seized it temporarily, its going on a flatbed truck to the police impound yard, where forensics guys will check to see if the engine has been restamped. meanwhile they'll see if anyone has a financial interest in the motor (insurance company etc), but as it was 25yrs ago, they're confident that I'll have the car back shortly. intact.

I bought the motor off a mate (also a member here) about 2.5yrs ago, and hes had it for almost 10yrs before that. before him it probably went thru 3 or 4 people.. so yeah, everyones fairly confident I'll have it home in 10 or so days. doesn't make me feel any better tho..
the inspectors were really good, very apologetic etc. They could see how upset I was and made me feel a lot better about the situation.. I'm not in the least bit upset with them, as they're just doing there job. Unfortunately theres no-one I get ****ed at really. They actually told the detectives that they think I should be able to take the car..

but after all that they were happy with the car, except the heater hoses weren't fitted, and it might be too loud.. So if/when I do get it back I know it'll pass..

So now its a waiting game... a very upsetting, stressful one..

flappist · 20-08-2007, 02:07 PM

Of course it is not a computer error, the systems are 100% accurate........

conordec · 20-08-2007, 02:08 PM

not good news mate.
i would've asked them if you could take it home, they have your details etc, at least then it's safe.
couldn't stand the thought of it being locked up "somewhere" else.

good luck with it.

BAGTP454 · 20-08-2007, 02:09 PM

thats really tough mate i seen your postings about this car it's really just one hurdle you just need to take break from it while its overcomes.

i am scared any time when I going to dicroads about anything even license renewals.

one of my cabs got inspections while on collins street last week from the operations groups. they only give 15 minutes to drive home! i had to have the cab towed. now it needs to be roadworthying and then put in vicraods inspection.

nugget378 · 20-08-2007, 02:09 PM

What a bummer,hope it all works out well,and is sorted quickly...

TZENU · 20-08-2007, 02:09 PM

Damn that cannot be good...

Did they give you a reason why it would take 10 days to clear it. I would have hated to go through what you have when i got mine registered...

blueoval · 20-08-2007, 02:11 PM

man thats not good Phil. I had no idea.

I hope it works out for ya mate, this will be a tragedy otherwise.

4Vman · 20-08-2007, 02:12 PM

Not good, sorry to hear that, did you check the engine number to see if it was clear when you bought it?

xalent · 20-08-2007, 02:22 PM

That sucks the big one.
Hope all works out for you.
If you'd had the old number plates it would have been so easy to register it, no matter how long it had ben out of rego.

A cop once followed my missus home in her previous car, rego number came up as a stolen car. I'd done heaps of work to it so I was worried they would take it. They contacted the detectives from where it had been stolen (10 years earlier) and luckily all was resolved. It still amazed me that nothing came up on the vehicle securities register or with Transport SA. Copper said something about their computers not being linked for that stuff...

Its my worst fear to have to take my coop through Regency. Never seems to be any consistency there.

montyv8 · 20-08-2007, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TZENU

Did they give you a reason why it would take 10 days to clear it. I would have hated to go through what you have when i got mine registered...

they said it shouldn't take too long, probably 10 days at the most.

if i was able to track down the original number plates I could have just gone into a rego office and registered it, no inspection necessary. But the previous owner couldn't help me, and transport SA wouldn't tell me...

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

did you check the engine number to see if it was clear when you bought it?

unfortunately I didn't. yes, i'm kicking myself.

GK351 · 20-08-2007, 02:26 PM

This happend to me some years ago,

Luckily i had a receipt from the buisiness i purchsed the engine from including on this
receipt was the engine number. It was now out of my hands.

The veichle had been stolen and recovered, but the RTA hadnt had any updates on this.

Good luck with it all.

4Vman · 20-08-2007, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TZENU

Damn that cannot be good...

Did they give you a reason why it would take 10 days to clear it. I would have hated to go through what you have when i got mine registered...

The reason they wait the time is to see if an insurance company has any claim to it... If an insurance company paid out on the thieft they technically own the original stolen car and in this case the engine..
Also they "may" want to track the purchase of the engine backwards to the thief...

Ive seen a GT go through this problem and it was a nightmare.

DOC · 20-08-2007, 02:36 PM

The positive is they may track the theif ( but doubt it ), and sends a message to all would be car theifs that their day may come. All of us fear the dreaded missing car in the morning and any steps to rule these scum out the better.

Hope it's sorted soon in your favour Phil.

conordec · 20-08-2007, 02:52 PM

i had a scare with my gt, i registered it in vic, but when i moved to qld, they said i didn't own it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
was STILL in the old owners name!!!!

took a day, but was ok in the end.

had me sweating!!

xe351 · 20-08-2007, 02:54 PM

not good news, hopefully they will be storing your coupe in a safe, undercover facility

on a side note, is there a website or agency you can contact to see if an engine has/is stolen?

4Vman · 20-08-2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by conordec

i had a scare with my gt, i registered it in vic, but when i moved to qld, they said i didn't own it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
was STILL in the old owners name!!!!

took a day, but was ok in the end.

had me sweating!!

ALLOT of people buy and sell unregistered cars without doing the proper title transfer.... then when it comes time to rego it they realise they don't legally own it!! Can get messy when you've spent $100K on a resto of a car you bought unregistered cheaply...

Fev · 20-08-2007, 03:31 PM

that sucks, i hope you get the babe back, and that you dont have to pay for impounding it either

**Falcon Coupe** · 20-08-2007, 03:40 PM

Thats crazy, all that work for the car to go sit in a yard ?
They should have let you take it home.

apolloxbgt · 20-08-2007, 04:22 PM

Very sad to hear this,I imagine it's going to be a stressfull 10 or so days.

I'm going to play devils advocate here,but say someone still has an intrest in the engine,will the get all the accsories etc that youve added to it'?

montyv8 · 20-08-2007, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apolloxbgt

Very sad to hear this,I imagine it's going to be a stressfull 10 or so days.

I'm going to play devils advocate here,but say someone still has an intrest in the engine,will the get all the accsories etc that youve added to it'?

technically the only thing I have from the stolen car is the block.. I have receipts for everything on/in it. so if they want the motor hopefully thats all they'll need. but If it came to that (which i doubt) I'd try to come to some sort of an agreement that included a cash payment.

but really, like i said I only have the block from the car that was taken 25yrs ago, hopefully they'll put it into the "not worth the hassle" basket..

will have to wait and see i guess

Dezza · 20-08-2007, 04:39 PM

That's terrible luck. Hopefully they all sort it out soon, and you can get it back.

XCSEDAN · 20-08-2007, 04:55 PM

damn... that really sucks monty... :(
hopefully you will have it back soon mate...

Dean · 20-08-2007, 04:56 PM

That sux Phil, don't know what I would have done if it were me. Hopefully it is undercover down at the impound yard

sintx3 · 20-08-2007, 05:19 PM

That seriously sucks Phill sorry to hear it im sure ill go through a similar thing with my engine as it came out of a car that was stolen and burnt out but thankfully i have the receipt from the owner who kept the wreck as he didnt have insurance on it. I hope everything goes ur way as uve been too so much trouble to get everything done im sure they will look at it that the block isnt worth that much and not worry about it or a small cash adjustment might have to be made.

LUXO_8 · 20-08-2007, 05:28 PM

that sucks phill..........though i had much worse fears when i saw the thread title....

hope everything works out for you....

conordec · 20-08-2007, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

ALLOT of people buy and sell unregistered cars without doing the proper title transfer.... then when it comes time to rego it they realise they don't legally own it!! Can get messy when you've spent $100K on a resto of a car you bought unregistered cheaply...

in my case 4vman, it came down to the muppets in vicroads not putting in all info.

FDG 220 · 20-08-2007, 05:58 PM

i'd take an engine crane down there and take motor out and leave there and bring rest of car home

Walkinshaw · 20-08-2007, 05:58 PM

Bummer to get that SMS from you today!! I have a sneaky feeling it will all pan out. market value of 30thou Cleveland block $150. Cost of insurance to muck around chasing a reimbursement would be over the top. Even if it was still privately owned, would you fork out transport of a 30yrold block that someone has used?? Not likely.

Best of luck with it mate.

montyv8 · 20-08-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TickXR

i'd take an engine crane down there and take motor out and leave there and bring rest of car home

after spending around $8k on that motor? not bloody likely...

thanks for the support guys, I'm trying to be optimistic but it's hard when the cars somewhere else, and not knowing whats going on...
the inspectors said they take photos of everything on the car, including the odometer, before it goes on the truck, so they know if anything happens to it etc.. and it gets a police escort to the impound yard.
I rang the impound yard and asked if it was going to be stored inside or out, they said they werent sure, they said ring back tomorrow, if its outside i'm welcome to come down and put my cover over it..

I'm hoping the police i have to deal with are as helpful as everyone else i've dealt with so far..

ZA-289 · 20-08-2007, 06:45 PM

Sorry to hear that man, hope it comes back soon and just as you left it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

ALLOT of people buy and sell unregistered cars without doing the proper title transfer.... then when it comes time to rego it they realise they don't legally own it!! Can get messy when you've spent $100K on a resto of a car you bought unregistered cheaply...

How do you do a proper title transfer? I've just bought an unregistered car from interstate. How do I check the engine\chassi numbers do see if its stolen?

(should have done this first, I know.)

: