Death of a Van Diemen

[bhamfal]

So early last week (tues or wed) my trailer and car were stolen. I noticed thursday morning (trailer stored in a lot not at house) and reported it then. Police located and recovered the items friday morning. However by then the thieves had already stripped all the shelves, lights, etc out of the trailer. They had also managed to cut the RF93 in half trying to get the 'high performance' 2l pinto engine out of it.

I think the LD200 is ok and most of the engine except for pan. Needless to say they destroyed most of the body work, radiators wings, diffuser, suspension arms are bent from them sitting on them, hell they even removed the reservoir from one of the penskes for some reason. It is a disaster. RIP s/n 1970.

[HazelNut]

that is brutal. so sorry man.

[BURKY]

Absolutely heartbreaking! So sad to see this.

[EricP]

Damn. Just...damn. So sorry.

[stonebridge20]

Makes me sick seeing this.

Sorry you have to go through this nightmare.

[DaveW]

Geeeez....

Awful!

[marshall9]

Really hate to see this.

[BorkRacing]

You don't have an ex-wife or gf that you pissed off?
Looks more like a revenge job than theft...IMHO

Sad non the less. What are your plans?

Robby

[bhamfal]

You don't have an ex-wife or gf that you pissed off?
Looks more like a revenge job than theft...IMHO

Sad non the less. What are your plans?

Robby

Yes plenty, but none are that mean lol.

I have an FF RF85....and strangely this episode has inspired me to get it and myself back out on track

[Purple Frog]

Oh boy... those pictures really made me mad.
I would have to be restrained.
Hell, i'm feeling i still need to be restrained even down here in the Swamp.

[Garey Guzman]

Yes plenty, but none are that mean lol.

I have an FF RF85....and strangely this episode has inspired me to get it and myself back out on track

Lemons can be made into lemonade - stay positive!

If you want to come to the HMSA event at Barber, it's May 17-19 and I have always had spare crew spaces available!

(And hopefully the police find them before you do because like others, I might act harshly toward these effers....)

[TimH]

Looks more like a revenge job than theft

Looks like a bunch of idjits to me...

So sorry for your loss.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

There is someone on the site seeking an RF93 bellhousing/tank if you're thinking messing with parts.

[Stan Clayton]

Lemons can be made into lemonade - stay positive!

Exactly...convert it to an F-1000!

[hdsporty1988]

Oh boy... those pictures really made me mad.
I would have to be restrained.
Hell, i'm feeling i still need to be restrained even down here in the Swamp.

I think a trip to the swamp with the perps would be about right!

[bhamfal]

There is someone on the site seeking an RF93 bellhousing/tank if you're thinking messing with parts.

Actually trying to work out a deal involving a bellhousing and a slider already lol

[bhamfal]

this about sums it up...Dzus fastener but we'll just rip the bodywork off anyway.

[DaveW]

As I said - low-life idiots!

[Steve Demeter]

WOW what a loss. I would love to have you catch them and see that they get what is coming to you.

But that would not bring your car back.

Nothing is sacred anymore.

Best of luck with the slider deal and your FF resurrection.

[tige00]

If you find them. You wouldn't even have to pay me, just call and the ass whoopin would start. These people have no idea what they steal or how to use any if it, absolutely idiots.

[EYERACE]

1. are the thieves smart enough to know what a dry sump engine is vs. wet sump
2. maybe you can get some numbers from your engine builder to help trace it
3. if they think it was some super trick engine, will it end up at the local drag strip

[Purple Frog]

EYE,
You are giving those low-lives way too much credit.
They are so F$$king dumb that they have no concept of what they were looking at.
The Captain and I are irrationally mad tonight.
Pissed off in the Swamp.

[Mike Holland]

Also try the metal recyclers in the area. Even though steel is not as much as aluminum, as heavy as that motor is it would bring some $.

[T-Tom]

Mike,
You're assuming that they actually care from where the materials came. Most don't!
Locally, we've had people stealing manhole covers. To get away with it, they simply load them in an old vehicle. Who looks there. All the recycler cares about is the weight. I believe that the going rate for steel/iron is $60 per 1000#. I've heard that the city has now gone to using plastic manhole covers.

[Beartrax]

That's pretty gruesome. I'm sorry about your car.

[jaweakley]

As others, this sickens me, and not sure what I would have done if I ran into the individuals responsible...

[EYERACE]

Well, I generally give most everybody a little credit.....but I'm with you.. .P-eye-$$-ed

[tdf4golf]

Oh boy... those pictures really made me mad.
I would have to be restrained.
Hell, i'm feeling i still need to be restrained even down here in the Swamp.

I have to agree with PF's feelings! What the hell is wrong with people that do stuff like this. Probably drug addicts or who know what kind of person thinks like that. If the perpetrators are ever caught I suggest they get the same treatment the car got, CUT IN HALF!!!

[Ralph Z.]

My condolences. Such a act of disrespect for another person.

[Rick Iverson]

Philistines.

Send the chassis to Jay Novak in Michigan. He specializes in converting mid year Van Diemen chassis to F1000. Sell the gearbox and engine to finance the rebuild (with money to spare), and lets go racing.

V/r

Iverson

[tim gaffney]

That is a grim crime scene there! One might ask if this is a mercy killing as the 93VD was not the most loved era, however.....as a guy who had someone steal his trailer I am pissed. They stole my trailer and in it was all of the stuff I pulled off my Ralt F3000 so it would fit in the garage as I did some work on it. Front nose and wings, rear wing, side pods, engine cover, exhaust headers, wheels. About $45K worth of stuff if you have to make it (and I do have to make it). All that so they could steal a $5k trailer and use it carry lawnmowers. The police never found the trailer nor my parts. I am sure the delicate carbon fiber parts parts ended up in a dumpster somewhere. It kills me how selfish and thoughtless that act is. I am sorry someone destroyed a perfectly good race car. I feel you pain. Tim

[tdf4golf]

I hope that they are caught and something is removed from the thieves and cut in half also.

TDF

[t walgamuth]

Looks like it may be repairable.

Sorry for the loss.

Best wishes.