'64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

[Bill M.]

A red '64 convertible was stolen from Birmingham this past Saturday during the Woodward Dream Cruise. The owner (from Ontario, Canada) left it parked on the street near Woodward for about half an hour. When he returned, the car was gone.

Last year, a green '66 convertible was stolen, also from Birmingham.

Birmingham, MI is a very upscale community. I would pick Birmingham as the safest town of all the towns the Dream Cruise parades through, but it's apparently not safe enough to leave your Corvette parked on the street.

[Joe L.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

A red '64 convertible was stolen from Birmingham this past Saturday during the Woodward Dream Cruise. The owner (from Ontario, Canada) left it parked on the street near Woodward for about half an hour. When he returned, the car was gone.

Last year, a green '66 convertible was stolen, also from Birmingham.

Birmingham, MI is a very upscale community. I would pick Birmingham as the safest town of all the towns the Dream Cruise parades through, but it's apparently not safe enough to leave your Corvette parked on the street.

Bill----

Old cars are VERY, VERY easy to steal. They always were and in today's world they are absolute "child's play" for modern day car thieves. When one has an old car PLUS one that's worth a lot of money, that makes for a VERY attractive target for thieves. You can be sure that an event like the "Dream Cruise" is going to have a bevy of professional thieves prowling for potential "scores".

[Bill M.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

Bill----

Old cars are VERY, VERY easy to steal. They always were and in today's world they are absolute "child's play" for modern day car thieves.

Hi Joe:

Literally child's play! When I was 15 in 1961, I used to "borrow" my dad's '59. Once the key got hidden, I figured out how to break into the car through the soft top, and hot wire the ignition. I did no damage to the car.

I "inherited" the '59, and the thief who stole it out of a guarded Chicago lot on August 30, 1970 butchered the wiring harness so badly that I had to completely re-wire the dash once I got it back. The Chicago cop who called me to tell me they found the car said I was very lucky to get it back. I figure what saved it was the locking gas cap...and it was running on fumes.

I proceeded to install an electric fuel pump in place of the mechanical. I had a hidden switch for the pump. With the switch off, the car would start and run for about a minute, then die. Luckily, I never found out if that worked as a deterrent to theft. (It could be embarassing if I forgot to flip the switch on!)

I thought I'd post about the Dream Cruise incident as a warning to those who haven't lived through the nightmare of having your baby stolen.

Bill

[James W.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

Hi Joe:

Literally child's play! When I was 15 in 1961, I used to "borrow" my dad's '59. Once the key got hidden, I figured out how to break into the car through the soft top, and hot wire the ignition. I did no damage to the car.

I "inherited" the '59, and the thief who stole it out of a guarded Chicago lot on August 30, 1970 butchered the wiring harness so badly that I had to completely re-wire the dash once I got it back. The Chicago cop who called me to tell me they found the car said I was very lucky to get it back. I figure what saved it was the locking gas cap...and it was running on fumes.

I proceeded to install an electric fuel pump in place of the mechanical. I had a hidden switch for the pump. With the switch off, the car would start and run for about a minute, then die. Luckily, I never found out if that worked as a deterrent to theft. (It could be embarassing if I forgot to flip the switch on!)

I thought I'd post about the Dream Cruise incident as a warning to those who haven't lived through the nightmare of having your baby stolen.

Bill

Here in Dallas they prefer to use a tow truck. Bump, hook up and gone

Jim

[Valeria H.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

It seems as though theives have become desperate. My practice years ago was to remove the distributor cable from the engine, place it in my purse and go shop. It sounds like this is not a deterant anymore. Are there any suggestions out there on safeguarding our "children" from kidnapping?
Valeria

[Bill M.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

It seems as though theives have become desperate. My practice years ago was to remove the distributor cable from the engine, place it in my purse and go shop. It sounds like this is not a deterant anymore. Are there any suggestions out there on safeguarding our "children" from kidnapping?
Valeria

Hi Valeria:

I used to pull the coil wire when I had to park my '59 on the street in Buffalo (Tonawanda) NY in the summer of '69. I didn't pull it when it got stolen Aug. 30, 1970 (see above). That might have saved it then!

Today, I just won't walk away from a classic Corvette parked in an uncontrolled area. (I will leave one at a car show where other owners know that it's my car.)

Jim's right about tow trucks!

If you want to leave your car unattended, LoJack may be the best deal.

Bill

[Chuck L.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

Too bad he didn't belong to the Michigan NCRS Chapter and parked with their cars. Always had a great reserved spot in the old days. I guess they still do.

[Stuart F.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

I used to have a key switched electric solenoid valve in my gas line. The switch was hidden under the dash and the solenoid valve was just back of the fire wall (out of sight) in a gas line splice. I figured that there was no way to stop a hot wire pro, but once he got it running and drove away to a point where the float and short gas line ran dry, he'd stall in an intersection and would not be able to restart it again - and, hopefully abandon it there. Never was tested.

Kids at my son's high school were always trying to steal the fog lights off the bumper of our 72 Nova SS until I mounted razor blades slipped under the brackets - then, it was just a matter of cleaning off the blood.

Stu Fox

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

When I first got my '69 in Queens in '71 The insurance agent told me the life of a Corvette parked on a NYC street was about 1/2 hour. I installed a coil ground switch that I just stuffed under the dash. I still use it when I go to a restaurant or leave the car at a show unattended. Seems to have worked.
Jeff

[Valeria H.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

Thanks for the suggestions. I just heard about LoJack today and was going to ask if anyone has it installed on their vehicle. I'm going to talk to my mechanic and discuss the other options you suggested. You can't be too careful.
Valeria

[Clem Z.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

here is a tip to help get your corvette back quicker. go to the police station and offer $1000 reward for any cop who finds the car. every cop in town will be on the lookout for the car.

[Pat M.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

Kids at my son's high school were always trying to steal the fog lights off the bumper of our 72 Nova SS until I mounted razor blades slipped under the brackets - then, it was just a matter of cleaning off the blood. Stu Fox

WOW Stu! Remind me not to get on your bad side!!

[Jim T.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

I would like to read next year that at the Woodward Dream Cruise that a group effort was enacted to catch a Corvette thief in action.
My 1964 convertible was stolen in June 1969 in Dallas, TX. About 4-5 days later a Dallas police officer spotted my 1964 being driven. The thief stopped the car and ran , the police officer pursued him on foot and tackled him.

[Edward M.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

Ypu guys all need to go to the Dale Pearman school of auto theft deterrent.

[Randy S.]

Re: '64 Stolen at Woodward Dream Cruise

A red '64 convertible was stolen from Birmingham this past Saturday during the Woodward Dream Cruise. The owner (from Ontario, Canada) left it parked on the street near Woodward for about half an hour. When he returned, the car was gone.

Last year, a green '66 convertible was stolen, also from Birmingham.

Birmingham, MI is a very upscale community. I would pick Birmingham as the safest town of all the towns the Dream Cruise parades through, but it's apparently not safe enough to leave your Corvette parked on the street.

Bill,

Keep us posted on how this plays out with the insurance company. Lots of threads re agreed value and stated value and I am curious if this total loss is resolved satisfactorily

Randy