STOLEN LOTUS 41C SUBSTANTIAL REWARD

[Valenz]

I'm glad to read that your 41 was found and on its way home. It's disgusting about the damage and I hope you will be able to return everything to tip top shape. The thief or thieves have well-earned whatever damages they received. Perhaps the repairs to the latter will not be so effective and they will live long lives with painful reminders of just what selfish, inconsiderate, low-life, idiots they are.

[apk919]

Originally Posted by ellaway

Hi everyone...

Glad you got the car back; very unfortunate about the damage. I certainly hope the idiot that stole it and drove it on public roads has worse damage.

In any case, I hope the car can be restored to its former glory.

[Cthulhu]

Originally Posted by ellaway

Hi everyone, Firstly I would like to say a massive thank you to all who have helped me fan this out across the world. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and touched by the huge support I was given by you all and of the Global Historic Motorsport community in general.

Yes the car has been recovered and for this I am truly delighted. It is however quite badly damaged, three of the four mag wheels are wrecked, as is the fibreglass body, the radiator, the gearbox casing (smashed) the engine /gearbox hewland spacer has a 6 inch piece missing- but worst of all the chassis is bent in six or seven places.

The Police received a call in the early hours of the morning, from a motorist travelling home in a built up area, saying that he had been passed at very high speed by a race car. Shortly after that the plonker lost it going into a roundabout, smashed the wheels and underside on the concrete kerbs then ended up sideways (hard) into a tree in the area of the roll bar.

Anyway, as I say, I have the car back, its going to be a long, hard and expensive winter but both it and I will be on the start line for the first meeting of the Paul Matty Sportscars Championship 2010 season, at Aintree (Liverpool) in April.

In the event, what seemed like an extremely professional hit now appears to be nothing more than a bunch of amateurs who couldn't even drive the damm thing let alone fence it. I would be very surprised if they were wearing the race harness or a helmet so they are, in all probability, nursing some pretty painfull injuries at the moment - unfortunately when I took the body off there were no limbs inside the car !!

Thanks again, a community that I did not know existed until a week ago is now in my favourites and I will visit regularly.

Greg Ellaway
Milton Keynes
England

I was so glad to hear that you got the car back, but then I read on. It sounds like there isn't much of the car left undamaged, that's horrible. Is there a hospital to which I can send a singing savage-beating-o-gram?

It's so disappointing to hear about the extent of the damage (especially the chassis and fiberglass). It's also disappointing to hear that you couldn't collect any body parts from the interior of the car. A human arm goes for a lot on the black market, it might even cover the cost of repairs, especially if you sell it back to the original owner.

It sounds like you're planning to rebuild her, if you are, please keep us updated on your progress. It would be amazing to see.

Thanks, and my condolences.

[Seb]

Oh I would kill.... and kill with no mercy.

[agirls]

Wow. Some people have zero respect.

[khamai]

Greg,
Good news on the recovery, but sad to hear of the damage. Hopefully the wheels can be repaired. Body damage can be repaired as well. And, thank god for Peter Denty, who'll most certainly be able to repair the chassis and other bits.

Please feel free to contact me if I can help with part sourcing.

Cheers,
Kiyoshi
Lotus 41C - TC w/ Hewland FT200

[pixieluv]

Are they at least going to have to pay for the repairs? I would hate that you have to pay, any more, for someones awful misdeed done to you

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

I think if the thief were still in the car when it was found, he would have mentioned it.

Was the thief found?

[GR82DRV]

If you want to catch the lowlifes your best bet might be to post the reward offer (with before and after photos), especially in any pubs near the crash scene and near your home. Trust me, this would get people talking.

People like this just can't wait to tell their "friends" about their exploits, especially after a pint or two. The chances are that he has already made quite a hero of himself... This is usually how these guys are caught. If there is a good chance that the thief is too young to hang in taverns, then take your posters to of schools, skate parks, or arcades.

I also hope the police checked the patient records of any emergency/urgent care centers in the area for suspicious visits.

[shay2nak]

Originally Posted by ellaway

The Police received a call in the early hours of the morning, from a motorist travelling home in a built up area, saying that he had been passed at very high speed by a race car. Shortly after that the plonker lost it going into a roundabout, smashed the wheels and underside on the concrete kerbs then ended up sideways (hard) into a tree in the area of the roll bar.

wow, I'm so sorry the Lotus was damaged by this knuckle. I hope you can restore the car to its former self.

[MyFutureSelfnMe]

Spoken like a true Wisconsinite... if you want to find someone, start at the tavern

Probably some truth to it though

[GR82DRV]

Originally Posted by MyFutureSelfnMe

Spoken like a true Wisconsinite... if you want to find someone, start at the tavern

HEY, I represent that statement! ...and pass the peanuts.

[MadMan Markiss]

Anyway the witness that called that in can provide a good enough description of the person involved? Maybe he/she was able to follow him/her for long enough to see whom it may be or have enough details?
Or if not, I'm sure someone else had to have heard and/or seen that car coming, and rubber-necked to see what it was. Put out an advertisement for that area and see if anyone else can come forward with info. Maybe there were other people around on foot or in cars that witnessed it passing them or ones that witnessed the accident itself. Any little bit helps.
Best of luck in the restoration, and sorry to hear about the condition it was returned to you in. Who knows, you could win the lottery tomorrow and it wont be a problem.
Cheers,

[Seb]

How is it that my property wasn't even damaged, yet I want to pulverize the chav **** that nicked it.

Did I mention I f-ing hate chavs?

[mikehall]

Greg -

I actually heard about the return of your car first from the people I contacted over here. It is a small world!

Great news that you have the car back, but what a shame and a waste.

[shokwaves]

I'd think insurance would kick in. But still, what a PITA. Find that guy and "take care of him".

[khamai]

Originally Posted by shokwaves

I'd think insurance would kick in. But still, what a PITA. Find that guy and "take care of him".

While race car / collector car insurance is available all the money in the world can not replace the parts that are made of "Unobtainium"... Keep in mind only 60 Lotus 41s were built, of which no two were alike. In this case the 6 bolt mag wheels are very close to that! On the good news side the chassis can either be repaired or replaced since the original jigs are still around.

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

[Cthulhu]

Originally Posted by khamai

While race car / collector car insurance is available all the money in the world can not replace the parts that are made of "Unobtainium"... Keep in mind only 60 Lotus 41s were built, of which no two were alike. In this case the 6 bolt mag wheels are very close to that! On the good news side the chassis can either be repaired or replaced since the original jigs are still around.

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

This kind of stuff makes me so mad. The guys that stole this car were probably oblivious to the fact that it was a vintage racecar full of irreplacable components.

I think all the members of Lotustalk need to show up at the court house when the case goes to trial and stone them to death with Exige rearview mirrors, battery covers, foot rests, and those stupid little covers for the hardtop bolts that you have to push really hard on to snap in. It would be gratifying AND reduce curb weight.

[DPM]

It might be a good idea to notify local hospitals as well as small clinics for someone to show up with injuries. A hit like that had to hurt. Could be something as simple as cuts but more than likely neck or rib injuries or headaches. He would probably show up at a small physician's office hoping he could slip through the cracks and not be reported.

[texige]

Can you imagine driving down the highway late at night half asleep and this thing screams by you at a high rate of speed? The sound alone would scare the crepe out of you.