A very sad Datsun spot first thing this morning - Recovered!

[RedSparrow]

Its things like this that stop me using the Metro as a daily driver. I would have to park it on street in the town centre near my flat. The Fiesta I have outside has had its mirrors broken off 3 times in the last year (I know this is nothing compared with the subject of this thread). So me old motors are safely locked up in my dads garage, but I don't get to use them half as much as Id like, purely for fear of them being vandalised or nicked. I hate this country.

[vicsmith]

Gutting, hope they get them but I hold out little hope. The damage looks so deliberate too, at least they were thick enough not to burn it out so it will have DNA all over the place and there'll be stuff to salvage.If it helps, I know someone who has one of these which they have said they may sell and I don't think they would want an absolute fortune for it. It's nowhere near as tidy as this was formerly and is currently SORN, but it would be a good base for restoring this one via a reshell - it is complete and drives etc. though I imagine it will need a bit of welding around the bottom - I've only seen it in the dark and on some small pics. If they want me to get more details or a contact number give me a shout.Could someone pass this onto the Datsun lot? I can't seem to register on their forum.

This man speaks the truth, the Datsun in question would be the perfect "one really good one out of two not so good ones" companion. It even used to be the same colour. And to the best of my knowledge, there is little in the way of structural rot, its mainly confined to panels. Worth looking into when the dust settles.

[MrRegieRitmo]

This has officially ruined my mood. I'm going to have to have a couple of drinks to make me feel better again. I knew clicking on this thread was asking for trouble Why why why why why!?!?!?!

[The Main]

Me too. I just don't know what to say. This is so unnecessary and pointless. What satifsaction can anybody possibly get from doing something like this?So sorry to have read this

[aled]

cut the little barstewards hands off to stop them holding any tools or a steering wheel ever again.

[Mat.T]

horrible

[Guest]

These people need to be taken out the gene pool.

[Father Ted]

The bummer is that the police now have it "recovered" to one of their rip off merchant "secure pounds" - this in itself can be enough for the insurer to write it off and keep the car owing to the fanatically high storage charges - I know as I lost a Plack-90 that way. Police recovered it (via a firm called Millers) from the farmers field it had been twatted about in, took all of 5 minutes to decide they couldnt get any prints off it of any use, by the time they notified me it had been away for 5 days, insurance gave me a cheque and said owing to cost of storage they would be keeping the bike. I saw some pictures of it and it looked perfectly repairable for very little outlay.Needless to say when the fiesta went walkies and we recovered it i sat in the damn thing and refused to let them take it away. Police even had the damn cheek to say bloke whos car it had been driven into (by ex patient of mine) could claim off my insurance. Sorry, this stuff just makes me angry as its mindless vandalism. Crushing their gonads in a christmas nut cracker whilst forcing them to watch Noels House Party is too good for them.

[FredTransit]

Well my personal proposal is to track the little bastard till they get thier first car. Then send 2 uniformed policemen out with a baseball bat and a sledge hammer. Knock on the door, and request the scrote come outside. While they look on, the police proceed to trash the perp's car, leaving not window intact, no tyre with air and no panel undented, garnish with some paint stripper. The replacement car can see the same fate it they are repeated offenders. NO insurance claim can be entered, as this is a punishment, not vandalism. Perhaps victims of vandalism could be licensed as private contractors to save the police some time......

[STUNO]

Sort of in this vein.In our paper today the story of a 76 yo lady who was woken by a teenager breaking into her house. He had smashed the glass door and had his head and arms inside trying to unlock it. She had a wooden rolling pin. "I just let fly, hope I didn't break his teeth or nose". When police arrived the kid was sitting on the front step crying and holding his face and very keen to be taken away! their comment to the paper was "he had had a WEE accident".Good on ya girl

[j-j]

Wonder if she has agreed value?

But the money won't bring back a rare car. Really, I often used to say " but who'd nick this" - but every year I hear of old rides being stolen because they're easier.I now have an immobiliser.

[Mash]

Wonder if she has agreed value?

But the money won't bring back a rare car.

True, but it helps to replace or restore it if the unthinkable does happen.

[FredTransit]

Wonder if she has agreed value?

But the money won't bring back a rare car. Really, I often used to say " but who'd nick this" - but every year I hear of old rides being stolen because they're easier.I now have an immobiliser.

Shit I forgot to take the king lead off the hippy bus.

[TheScrapman]

*** Update ***

 

Well, Deb tracked the car down at a salvage yard. We went and picked it up last night, gaffa-taped a new windscreen in, then towed it to SpottedLaurel's for safe keeping. Good mission towing the car right through Norwich in rush hour, then out to the middle of nowhere in the dark.

 

Not sure if it can be rebuilt. She has a spare set of panels in her shed. The front looks like it will pull out easy enough, the back not quite so easy, but the a-pillar has definitely moved, as the drivers door has dropped quite a bit. If nothing else, at least it is safe to yield many a useful part.

 

Still at least the car is safe. Good to meet Deb too.

 

[AnthonyG]

At least she got the car back and it didn't just get flattened . Can it be reshelled using the one Hirst knows about?

[michiel]

Sad reason, but nice work there guys with the towing and storing.

[Ratdat]

Blimey, I missed this thread as it's happened while I was in France. Gutted for Debs That doesn't look like a practical proposition for repair really but if she wants to try I can offer a few bits. I probably have the glass and I think I have one new inner front wing. I may have one or two other bits knocking about. Shame I gave most of my F10 parts away.

[retrogeezer]

but the a-pillar has definitely moved

I'm sure a friendly local bodyshop would help by putting it on a jig and giving the front a tug....it should pull out easily enough. They might even do it on a sat morning for a drink if she asks nicely and explains what has happened.

[Guest]

Can it be reshelled using the one Hirst knows about?

It definitely would be able to, it is just a tad tatty-looking - has had a dodgy respray and a vinyl roof added at some point, sort of early 1980s condition. It had test on it at some point last year so it's not like something that has been stood in a field for ages. Meant to drive nice too.Like I say, can get details if wanted - obviously it'd be best if the existing shell could be saved, but if it looks unfeasible it seems a shame for her not to have a car when there's one sat around currently doing nothing.Good work so far anyway, things are looking up.

[seth]

Glad it's been recused so it can live on in one guise or another.

[Spottedlaurel]

It's shame, until last year I had a few parts that would have been useful too. Anyway, it can safely sit at mine for as long as it takes Deb to reach a decision on what's for the best, should at least give her some options without the thought of it racking up storage charges.

[Guest]

Well done everyone for banding together and getting the car to safety, great to see this sort of (online) community spirit helping the victim out. Next phase: track down the perps and insert a section of rusty Datsun exhaust pipe firmly and repeatedly into their posteriors. And then kick them square in the pods.

[Volksy]

And then kick them square in the pods.

Remove the 'pods' if you ask me, these lowlife scum should not be allowed to procreate. Glad its safe for the moment. And like XR says, its great that people are banding together to help each other out.

[VWPowered]

that a funny old pic being towed that that s class :?least its been recovered, stored and like you'll all said may yield to help another stay on the road, looked really tidy before too

[dollywobbler]

Gaffer taped windscreen FTW!Hope it can be salvaged. Keep me posted as frankly, there isn't enough J-tin in the classic press!Ian

[TheScrapman]

that a funny old pic being towed that that s class

What is funny is that the Datsun is worth more than the S-class!

[Anglevan]

Just read this and it makes me very sad To be honest if she goes through insurance I can see them putting a Cat B on that so straight away she needs to mention that either was it's going back on the road if she claims (if she then decides to break it so be it) That way they should put a C on it minimum if it's a friendly engineer !! Everything is repairable just needs time (is for me to say as I was a panel beater many moons ago)For my 2p worth I would defenitly repair it subject to parts for one simple reason and that it flicks 2 'V's up at the scum that nicked it. Just imagine their faces seeing it driving around again ... My girlfriend (now misses) had a Metro stolen and the glass smashed and interior set on fire. The car was worth nowt but it was hers and she liked it / trusted it etc. I went down the scrapper bought a complete interior for £40 spend 1 saturday stripping it / cleaning it and refitting the interior. On the Monday less than week after it was nicked she was back driving it. And it wasnt recorded as I told her not to claim. Loved to have seen the theives faces when it was back on the drive being used. Never got nicked again while she had Was fun trying to explain the burn mark on the roof when we sold it Back on track - I know info about insurance so if she wants any help put her in touch with me. I say put it back on the road ..

[Split_Pin]

Just clocked this thread.I'd be so angry if someone did this to my car I'd want to hunt the culprits down and make whatever I did to them look like it was an accident. However, at least it has been recovered and I hope some good will come of it. Good work to all involved in its rescue. Car clubs 'for the win' etc I suppose what would be even more satisfying, as was said earlier, would be to track the cuplrits down and turn up at their house in a fully restored example. Either that or lob a brick through their window with a photo of the car fully restored with 'remember me?' written on the back

[pompei]

Really heartwarming to see people clubbing together to save this car

[VWPowered]

that a funny old pic being towed that that s class

What is funny is that the Datsun is worth more than the S-class!

yep been eyein' up the prices ok S-Class's unbelievable