we need to get one of these stolen cars back..too many in such a short period of time..these thiefs have to slip up sooner or later.
Close...It belongs to Paul Balash and his Wife Pam. Paul is a retired Marine Col., and I believe he saw action in VietNam. Traveled extensively overseas for Uncle Sam after that. He's retired from the US military but still at it...he works in the Pentagon for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
It was probably pros and the car will never be recovered. A big dollar car - Brown Thunder - was stolen here last year or so and has never been recovered. But it has been rumored to have been seen in south america. I hope they catch the bastards and they get whats coming to them.
What about cameras from the motel/hotel security? Man I hate a thief just like most everyone else on this board!If he/they get catch ,we need to cut their hands off ,in public I live at the junction of interstate 40 and 95 in North Carolina,I 'll keep an eye out for going NORTH ,SOUTH , EAST or WEST
If I were lucky enough to to find them, the rig would be returned and they would never find the bodies.
I would NEVER letter up a trailer or put racing logos or decals on a trailer. It just makes it easy for the crooks to figure out where the good stuff is. ( exception is a pro team semi trailer ) ... I do not understand every Harley Davidson trailer you see running down to Daytona or Myrtle Beach having the HD stuff plastered all over them either. It's like saying " I have a Harley in here ... STEAL IT IF YOU WANT TO " I have a friend who bought a 24 foot enclosed with barn doors ... to haul his car. His reasoning was that crooks would not think there was a car inside because all car trailers have ramp doors. On my last enclosed car trailer I lettered it in small print at the door ... " In case of ememgency ... please call Smith's Produce Company Columbia SC 803- xxx - xxxx And the number was my cell number. I used the enclosed trailer in my Fireworks business.
sorry to hear its gone missing - not sure why everyone assumes these cars are going overseas though, I for one dont think there is a big enough market over here for these cars and given the cost of fuel (gas was $20 a gallon at one station today, thats right twenty dollars a GALLON - no you read those figures right), the hassle of getting these cars registered etc. etc. there is very little even selling here for less than half what the willys would be worth. we are getting quoted three months before they can get a container to get a car out of the states the shipping folks are so busy and then its got to have paperwork to the hilt to support it or they dont move it. if folks think they are going overseas why not contact the shipping agents and ports around the area? there arent that many different shipping agents and im sure they all work together to move freight about.
It's already been proven that cars have left the states through illegal means, therefore they don't worry about paperwork. These aren't average Joe's taking the cars, There is a lot of arabian royalty building all out drag cars and the such and with them owning all of the oil they don't worry about gas prices, and the same goes for a lot of wealthy people in South America.
yep its possible they will get out without paperwork, still dont believe they are going out though. what members of the arabian royal family do you know then that are building all out drag cars?
I dont think he was implying that any arabian royal, or other wise were "Building" cars..I think he was making mention that this might be where these already built cars may be going..although he did say "building"...hummm things that make you go..hummm
maybe us HAMBers need to start lobbying to get shipping anything like these cars out of the country a bit more difficult?
Here is the rest of the details from the owner himself. I lifted this post from the Gas/FX board. -Scott Byron and all our other friends in the Gasser Community, Appreciate the assistance and thank you. Attached are three photos, one of the coupe, one of the truck and trailer, and one of the golf cart. The truck is a burgundy Ford 2005 F-250 diesel supercab with a matching ARE truck cap, license JRD-9121 VA; the trailer is a 2005 26ft Haulmark Edge, white with no lettering, license 804534TR VA. Here are the facts: The truck and trailer were taken from the Springhill Suites parking lot, Knoxville, TN sometime between 1130-1145 PM, Sunday, 15 June. Dave Hales and I were parked in parallel adjacent to the right side of the front of the Springhill Suites, I was in front, Dave was parked behind me. When I went out at 0600 AM the following morning, the truck and trailer were gone. The Willys coupe is a 1942 steel coupe painted PPG lemon chrome yellow with a stock frame, stock plated Willys front axle and a Currie rear end. The license plate of the coupe is LOW ET VA (Antique plate), the interior is black, chrome window trim, yellow dash with original speedometer. Also inside the trailer was our EZ-GO golf cart which is painted the same color as the coupe and has white upholstery. A police report is filed, the number of the Knoxville police auto theft division is 865-215-7324. My home phone is 703-690-9706, pbthird@verizon.net. Request all gasser family member's be on the alert. I just installed a new 572/720R Chevy crate motor and a new M-22 Muncie 4-speed and Lakewood bell housing. Stay on the alert for any Willlys parts or 572/720R Chevy crate motor for sale. PB ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gasser Madness" <BYRON@GASSERMADNESS.COM> To: ; "Paul Balash III" </P>Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 11:39 AM Subject: Stolen Property > Paul, > Barb told me what happened. Really sorry to hear about it! > I have pix of the car that I'll send out and put up on GasserMadness.com. > Do you have any photos of the tow rig...truck & trailer? > > -- > Byron > GasserMadness.com > > </PRE> <STYLE type=text/css> .tnail { height: 240px; width: 320px; position: relative; } .tnail img { height:240px; width: 960px; position: absolute; } </STYLE> DSCN2638.JPG DSCN1761.JPG DSCN2665.JPG <IFRAME class=AttachmentDownloadIframe marginWidth=0 frameSpacing=0 marginHeight=0 frameBorder=0 scrolling=no></IFRAME>
We got the call from pork zartman on our way home from B.G. that paul and pam's beautiful willys had been stolen. We are friends of theirs and part of the extended family of the S&S team as they are. This has made us sick. This car means the world to them. Paul made the first run in the car since the new motor was put in it and he was so happy with the way that it ran. Please help them and keep your eyes and ears open for anything. Our hearts go out to them as we know how we would feel if it was ours, as it well could have been. Gasser Girl
you need a good security system on a trailer that alerts you if it even moves. these can be done easy with a paging alarm system. you need to think outside of the box, thieves think an alarm system will be a certain way,throwing things at them they don't expect will stop even a pro. i always wondered why someone couldn't make a sytem with large locking pins for a towing trailer,to lock the axles. this would stop trailer theft in it's tracks. how do you tow something where the wheels don't turn? at least without drawing lots of attention. trailer also needs it's own alarm system with it's own concealed battery.
Wanda, I spoke to Paul today as Dave Hales was driving them home. Not happy to say the least, and yes the whole deal meant a lot to them...the car, meeting others who shared the enthusiasm, the shows, etc. I tried to get him to line up against me at Thompson but he had an oil leak and the car stayed parked. No more grudge racing for a while. Instead I spent most of today trying to post his info and get the word out, as were others. I think it's out there but now we'll have to see if anything comes about from it. I hope that if it does turn up...someone in our extended family can spend some quality time with the ones that took it... -Scott
Jesus, this is way past getting out of hand. I have a hotel room for Hot Rod Cinematic but I think I'm going to sleep in the car. Good luck to the owner, hope they get their car back.
I do not have the means, but, if someone could make up a poster for, oh say, 20,000 people to see at BTTF that would help....
Scott, I talked with pam as they were riding with dave and shared some tears. I also agree that we should spend some time with these theives. Wanda
You know I thought about doing just that the next time I am on an overnighter with my rig. Just my luck I'd wake up in the trailer and it would be moving. Then again, it would be neat to greet them with the .45 as the rear door went down. I could probably leave the bodys and be back on my way.
I think it is random. Every form of racing is hit at an alarming rate. We keep getting request for helmet invoices for helmets and paint that get taken with the trailer. All the same, overnight or hotel parking. Go kart trailers road racing you name it it is being stolen. Look at it this way the crook is stealing a truck why not get the trailer too. They bring big bucks and they all look the same! It is pot luck what they find inside. The fact that it is so rare of a car may mean better chances of recovery.
I can't be sure, but I think I saw the truck and trailer going through Jefferson City, Missouri this morning. It was headed toward Kansas City. Like I said I couldn't swear by it. When I see a good looking rig I always check it out. It was to clean to be a dirt track hauler and trailer. Sorry I'm not much help. Keith
I was pretty happy to get to see them make their first pass in the car at HHRR but did not get to talk to them. Very sad to hear this news....they really cared for their ride and rig....Don
I hope he finds it. Shipping cars out of the country has become difficult without proper papers, but not impossible. I know guys that ship out cars and although they do not deal in stolen merchandise, the customs paperwork is "ignored" to a degree, on their end due to having customs agents on the payroll. They do it to get a bunch of parts through without paying duty on each item. So it is possible for it to leave in pieces. I hope they were not pros, and just a few jackoffs looking for a few bucks. But I doubt it.
There are two posts going regardig this incident, so I'll copy this here as well-update: Ok folks a little good news: Two possible sightings (posted on the HAMB) have been passed on to law enforcement. One was of the rig, one of the car-separate sightings and locations Paul just called me and said he got a call from Knoxville P.D. They have recovered the truck. It was found...running...right in Knoxville on Rt. 40 East near Midway road. Lock appeared to have been popped out. No trailer or Willys, but it's something. Please pass this on to any other groups you were updating. Also Paul wanted me to relay to everyone his gratitude for all the help and extra sets of eyes out there. -SH
Well they must have been after the Willy's if they ditched the truck, I hate to say it but the Willy's is probably lost they most likely hooked up to another truck and switched the plate on the trailer making it unidentifiable to anyone looking for it.
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