At least they could have mentioned that it was the WCC '04

[Paul_Heery]

No rumors or slander here.

From the San Bernardino County Sun...

http://www.sbsun.com/Stories/0,1413,208~12588~2733412,00.html

TWENTYNINE PALMS
Magazine helps sheriff's case

Sheriff's investigators connected a man to the stealing of a rare Porsche after he posed with the stolen vehicle in a magazine.

Brad Roberts, 34, of Fremont was arrested Thursday on suspicion of stealing a 1969 914-6 Porsche. The vehicle is an extremely rare model valued at $150,000. Only three such vehicles exist. Officials said the other two prototypes are housed in a German museum.

The Porsche was not running at the time it was stolen. It was being stored next to a home in the Twentynine Palms area when it disappeared May 2, 2003.

Detectives who tracked the car through nine counties and 17 months later identified Roberts, an active Porsche racer and owner, as a suspect. In October 2004, Roberts appeared in photos with the stolen car in Excellence Magazine taken during a Porsche show in Northern California.

Roberts refused to cooperate and was moving the vehicle to different locations to avoid authorities, detectives said.

[Bleyseng]

Hmm, how come I have heard that there is another prototype in Germany other than these. Shoot, these old cars are a dime a dozen. I wouldn't give $150k for any of these rusty pieces crap.

Lots of lies and BS flying around on this story. Big deal. its old news to me.
Last I heard Miles was driving around with it painted like a Grasshopper.

Geoff

[widebody911]

There was some rusty 914 at the last PartsHeaven swap with some allegged rareness, and the owner was making quite a show of telling it's tale, with a microphone and boombox. Real "step right up!" kinda stuff. I smelled BS and kept on walkin', so I didn't get the whole story, but it kinda sounds like this one.

[bpgreer]

I have a rusty chunk o' 914 in my garage right now. Maybe it's was worth $150,000. Sweet! Man that whole thing went south. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out.

[Jim Chambers]

The article in Excellence was based on that showing at a 914 Club gathering held in conjuction with the Parts Heaven meet last June. How many car thieves show their score to a crowd of people with a mike and boombox? I for one do not believe the man is a thief.

[Bleyseng]

If you have enough money,time and lawyers you can sick the police on anyone. I don't believe he is a thief.
Yep, I saw the car in question too and its one rusty piece of crap and isn't worth no $150k in anyones dreams. The last 916 that was sold for around $100k and that was a complete car in better shape.
Geoff

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

It floored me when I heard about this. Not a happy situation at all. (Pardon my understating.)

Actually, I do think the car could be worth $150K. But it will probably take somewhere between $100K and $200K worth of work to get it into that kind of shape... Have you seen the pics of the rust? And since the panels were visibly different from stock, you'd have to hand-fabricate all of them.

--DD

[Bleyseng]

I think its a rust bucket car that has been claimed "its a rare prototype worth $150k". It would take as you say $100k to fix it up as whoever had it didn't take care of it at all. I sawzall cars up in that kind of condition.

[Jim Chambers]

I have seen the car up close, as has Dave. It is a rare prototype, no question. Its value is another question. Whoever sent the police after Brad has been led to believe it is worth big money.
The sad thing is that Brad is in a big mess and will pay dearly for legal help, not to mention the emotional trauma, even if he is eventually determined to be innocent of stealing the car.

[kellzey]

Yes... very sad.

Whatever the story is behind the car...

Maybe the guy had "owned" it one time in the past, lost interest, abandonded it, whatever. Now it's possibly worth something and he's like... mine, mine, MINE!

Sort of like the kid with lots of toys... some of them never get played with... then some other kids wants to play with one of the unused toys and the first kid throws a hissy.

Of course... I don't know what I'm talking about, and I have no personal knowledge...

Where's a dancing banana when you need it?

[Jim Chambers]

My guess is that Karl has it figured pretty well.

[rich]

Brad is a stand up guy.

[Paul_Heery]

I don't know exactly what has transpired. But, I consider Brad to be a friend.

I'm hoping that he is taking this well. Or, as best he can.

Good luck!

[914/6]

Does anyone have more pictures of this rare car ? the 2 in excellence just dont cut it. Curious about the car Not the incident.

Hope it works out for everyone involed.

[Bleyseng]

Sure I have a few. Also lots of them in the old 914/6 ads as its the signal yellow car in the ads.
We did have alot of pics on the other site but they are pulled right now.

[Bleyseng]

here

[Bleyseng]

another

[Bleyseng]

another

[Bleyseng]

try again

[LarryP]

Paul- That is brutal. I do not know any of the parties except on reputation but arguments over the tracing title to old show cars and race cars are legion. Even among people of good reputation.

So it will almost certainly be an ugly process for Brad, unless one of the sellers was a car dealer (buying in good faith from a regular seller of like kind, IIRC, is plenty helpful under the UCC). Even so, the legal bills are going to be tough.

The $150K figure is simply myth, designed to spark interest among newspaper readers and the cops. No one is tracking down a 36 year old tub worth $2K, especially if it is not clear who has the title.