Hot Rods Bad Decisions & The Curse Of The Mailbox Bandit

Just kids? Don't think so. Tweaker kids more likely. Check FB marketplace. They want money for their poison of choice. Doesn't take a genius to realize that big chunk of vintage gear is worth something to somebody..
Andy

 

I can just picture a claim going down at the P.O.:

POSTAL INSPECTOR - "What was stolen?"
R.C. - "An irreplaceable piece of hot rodding history that will keep me up at night until I make things right in the universe."
POSTAL INSPECTOR - "Here's $50. Go buy a new one"

Not trying to make light of the situation, just trying to inject some humor - really feel for you man. As hot rodders we get it.....the best way to describe it to an "outsider" is it's like losing a family heirloom....

 

Don't give up. I had a bicycle stolen along with a Honda rototiller. About 3 months later saw the bicycle on offerup, called the guy but he said it had been sold. Somehow I got his name, through the ad or somewhere and gave it to my daughter who's detective with the local sheriff's dept. She said the guy was a tweaker scumbag but had moved to Oregon. About 2 years later, beginning of spring, decided to get another bike. Opened up Craigslist and bam, the first bike that pops up is my stolen bike. Went over compared the serial numbers and told the seller I was taking the bike and if he had a problem we'll let the sheriffs office handle it. He said no, take it. After I got home to absolve himself of any responsibility of the theft of the bike, sent me the ad of the seller that he bought it from.
So don't give up hope, it could pop up at anytime.

 

Sorry this had to happen for you.

 

Did it have a serial number stamped on the tag?

 

I had that happen to me with a 53-55 Olds Fiesta hubcap. Not nearly as desirable or rare as a fresh mag, but still really frustrating and I know whoever got it just chucked it or hung it on a wall as a decoration.

 

Send yourself a couple shoeboxs now that You have surveillance...
Guarantee You'll know..

 

I think the part that especially stings is when something which is essentially unobtainium gets stolen and the thief doesnt otherwise know what it is, and, like others have said - probably ends up in the trash.

Similar thing, a friends Hearse - Sister to mine, an Aussie customline was stolen back in the 90s, never seen again - but i have reason to believe it still exists in the countryside..

Same deal, probably stolen to be cut up as parts for a run of the mill sedan (No offence to sedans) and the non flogged motor probably ripped out too cause odds are it lived a cushy life being a hearse.. But otherwise, the point remains, an artifact of history gone due to some junkie - or just a pos decided they deserved it more than the owner..

It's times like these i think the 'Make my day' Law in i think Arizona? Should be worldwide. Hopefully by some miracle you get the piece back!

 

That small of a town. I bet you know them. My son had an OT car stolen from our driveway years ago. He always blocked the car in except for that night. Pretty sure some derelict neighbors tipped somebody off, and they heisted it. Found it months later in a salvage yard, partially stripped. Turns out the salvage yard was involved. He still has the car to this day. Road races it! Karma caught up with the neighbors as their house was raided for dope months later!

 

Stephen King has a lot of shit to answer for.

 

Unbelievable.

 

That's a bummer. I hope you find this part!

We live on a few acres in Driftwood. Our mail box is at the end of the driveway. 1/2 the time, packages are dropped on our front porch and the other half of the time, the items are set on the side of the road next to the mail box. Seems like anything that could be damaged by rain/water gets left on the street and everything else is dropped on the porch...go figure!

 

Talk to any other locals that are old car guys. Especially if they are active resellers. The drug people seem to find them to sell stuff to. I get a few a year trying to sell me stuff. I do not buy from them because I do not want them on my property. I know they will steal from me to sell to the competition. I know this because the competition has called me to return my stuff.

 

Maybe another shoebox with old crappy part only with a Apple Tag or Tile enclosed left in mailbox as a package might get stolen and lead to the magneto.

 

Any chance it has a tracking number? I had some parts for my distributor machine delivered to the wrong address. I flagged down the mail carrier the next day and he was able to determine it's location through some kind of GPS monitor linked to the tracking number.

 

I had a member on here, Bostoncamaro, sell me a stolen krag magneto - I reached out to krag for the specs and any recent service - found out it was stolen - surrendered it to the police and owner got it back - sent the hamber in question a pm on here.....he offered restitution via other parts - told him I needed a carb or some other parts I knew he typically had.....ghosted me since - one of those people that only comes on here to sell stuff or starts a thread for us to id something he wants to sell

 

Sorry to hear this. I'd set up a trail cam. If it is local dip shits that did this they will figure it was easy pickings first time and will probably be back for a second go around.

 

Even though I live in a small development (12 Homes) outside of a town of 2500 I am in a constant battle with UPS/Fed X and USPS about where to leave my packages. They all have instructions to deliver to the shop. USPS just doesn't deliver and I have to go to the PO, Regular Fed X guy is good and drives down to the shop, the dam UPS driver of the day has instructions not to enter my driveway because on the satellite view it shows the hill down to the shop which is deemed to dangerous by the UPS big dogs so I never know where his deliveries will end up. Several years ago USPS tried to discontinue delivery to our personal mailbox and install a cluster box at the highway. We banded together and put a halt to that. I have had a few things snatched from the front porch. I feel your pain.

 

"If by some rare chance it ends up online and for sale, I'll find it. Trust me on that one."

Hope that happens. It did for me.
I have a 57 T Bird. I had the hardtop stored in a friend's rented barn in a semi rural location. It got stolen. About 18 months later it showed up on Facebook Marketplace. Went along with a couple of handy looking mates and got it back. It was a super rare 57 only optional NON porthole top and the chances are it is the only one in the UK.
So I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Mart.

 

I know you said you have the use of cameras now, but still, it's too bad there isn't some way you could set up a bait package with an exploding bright red dye, like banks use in some of their money packets. You might not catch the thief that stole the mag but you would definitely know what a thief looked like and so would everyone else that saw him, or her, whatever the case may be.

 

Don't be too hard on yourself Ryan. Thieves will be thieves and kids will be kids. I would make copies of the magneto and plaster them everywhere. It might help to give some to the city and county workers who maintain the streets, parks and along the roadways. Of course, a reward would be in order, and I would like to contribute the first $50.00. I know that that magneto means more than it just being a magneto.

 

Man, when you put it that way it is kind of funny.

 

Do you have a scrapyard locally? If so stop in with a photo and tell them to be on the look out for your Mag.

Our local yard is family owned and worked (race fans/car guys too), they very good if they have anything that comes in that looks out of place they notify law enforcement, refusing to accept it and "stalling" until law enforcement arrives

 

Hope the mag turns up! I don't know how a smartphone works, but there is some deal where you take a photo of something (like your Mag) and you get a feedback of description and value. If the dirtbags that stole it know it has value it may show up online.

 

Man, I hate thieves. I hope you can locate the mag, that's painful to lose it like that.

Our subdivision of 33 lots of 3+ acres each has a community mailbox in one corner as you enter the subdivision, which is about 400 feet from the only nearby house, as it also services nearby places not in our subdivision. A few years ago there were a ton of mailbox break-ins in our area. Eventually, 2/3 of the banks of boxes at our box were broken into. Ever since, I religiously check my mail every night. When we're away for an extended period, I pause our delivery. I hate thieves and theft so much I'll go way out of my way to try to make sure they can't take anything from me.