STOLEN!!! 1967 Chevy Nova - "Novastar"

[Bruning Auto Design]

Maurie & Lynne Hoover's "Novastar" was stolen while at Hot August Nights in Reno Sunday evening.

Lynne's email -


To those of you who don't know yet, our Nova was stolen this last weekend while at Hot August Nights in Reno. Naturally we are devastated and confused and still shaking our heads.
I did not go with Maurie to Reno and at approx 2am on Sunday morning received a phone call from a police officer in Vacaville asking if we owned a black Mirage car trailer. After getting my whits about me answered "yes, but that it should be in Reno with my husband". I immediately called Maurie he had to throw on some clothes and go look. The trailer was gone.
The Nova had been at an indoor venue there in Reno since Monday. Saturday evening around 6 pm Maurie drove the car out of the building and down to the fairgrounds where our trailer and motorhome were parked. He loaded up the car, strapped it down and locked up the trailer. The car trailer was not hooked up to the motorhome because of the parking situation at the fairgrounds, but it was near by.
He then proceeded back to the building to help some of the 18 other car owners with their displays and such so they could head home that night. Around 9pm he was given a ride back to the fairgrounds and he headed straight for the motorhome so he could eat and go to bed.
Naturally, Maurie was in a state of disbelief when I called him and then the Vacaville police officer called him. Fortunately, we were able to recover the trailer, though stripped of everything inside of it, but most importantly our car.
Vacaville police did put out a national bulletin which I have attached. I know it's probably fruitless, but keep your eyes and ears open. It could be anywhere.
Naturally we have filed a claim with our insurance company and they will be investigating and working with the police hoping to recover the car.
So along with us, please say your prayers.
Lynne and Maurie "Novastar" has a lot of one-off features -2" Chopped top, Cadillac Northstar engine, Colorado Customs rims, Arc Audio Stereo Components, '61 Impala trim, etc....

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdMJEQQtqJE

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Super Rod Magazine feature -
http://www.superrod.com/Media/PublicationsArticle/SR_0809_NorthstarNova_2.pdf
Contact the Vacaville Police Department with any information - 707-449-5213. Case #09-6666

[1badchevelle]

to many cars stolen in a very short time period.

[Dayton]

Very sorry to hear about your car. I was at H.A.T. on week and was always nervous whenever I had to take my eye off my Camaro. Hopefully you have agreed value ins on the NOVA.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

whooooaaaa.... that sucks.. dude.. hearing too much of this stuff lately.

check the docks..

[Bishop73]

That is terrible news, hopefully you are able to get the car back as it was and they catch the scum that stole it.

[novanutcase]

Hate to hear this type of thing!

I can't imagine that whoever stole it will make it's presence known here in the states so, unfortunately, it's probably on a slow boat to China by now!:crying:

Hopefully that's not the case!

Good Luck!

John

[street3285]

I hope the police catch those :machine: f***ers.... hopefully they locate it and you get it back in decent condition.

[smhigh]

Sorry to hear of the loss of your fantastic car. Everyone should take a close look at your car and the one of a kind parts and keep their eyes open at swap meets and for car parts listed on craigslist and ebay

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Damn...that's terrible. Hopefully this story has a somewhat happy ending and they recover the car.

[Chevrolaine]

Ugh, that bites big time. Insured I hope!

[Jeff70]

I hate to hear things like this, when you put your heart and sole into something a some jerk decides they want it more and rather than work for it they take it!

On another note I live in Vacaville Ca and will keep my eye out if they found the trailer in Vacaville im betting its here in town since they wouldn't want to drive it to another city from here.

The car is very unique car so its not like they are gonna be able to switch the vins and drive it. Hope things turn out for you.




Jeff

[dadto2jays]

What an awesome vehicle, it totally sucks that it was stolen I hope it turns up somewhere for you guys.

[class67]

I've seen this car in person and it is a work of art!!

Sorry this happened and I (unfortuately) doubt that it will be recovered but good luck. Looks like somebody was watching this one.

[Boatmark]

I guess you cannot disect the mind of a lowlife, but like Jeff said above, what are you going to do with such a unique art piece. The car, and most it parts are unique, and would be spotted by someone in the rodding community in a heartbeat. If they wanted turn an easy lowlife buck they should have left the car and kept the trailer.

I truly hope they find it.

[moreHP]

I think I am going to be sick. I have seen that awesome nova before at shows and just saw it last week at hot august nights. I cant believe it got stolen.

I sure hope and pray that the police can find it in one piece and catch the miserable *******s who took it.

[TonyHuntimer]

Bad news here is that Vacaville is half way between Reno and Oakland container-ship yard and not much further is the San Francisco container-ship yard. This whole car theft business is getting worse as the economy gets worse.

There has to be something we can do to protect ourselves. I wonder if LoJak would work in a case like this. Is there a better alternative?

I hope you get the car back and it's not on a container ship in the middle of the ocean by now. Maybe it's stuffed in a warehouse in Vallejo or somewhere else. Good luck.

[MrQuick]

sad news, hope you get these guys.

I will keep my eyes out for any parts that they might try to circulate.

Another reason why I don't go to hot august nights anymore.

[TonyHuntimer]

I've never owned a trailer, so I have to ask... Would it be a deterent to run chains through your trailer wheels or lock the wheels somehow with sliding bars that you can't unlock without gaining access to the trailer and knowing how to unlock them?

[David Pozzi]

Step one would be to lock the hitch in some way if it's not attached to the tow vehicle. If attached to the tow vehicle, lock the hitch to it, but most hitches can be pulled out of the receiver unless you also lock the pin. Of course they can take the whole rig if they are good at it.

I made up a piece of pipe that slides over the hitch and locks to the trailer, but I avoid leaving an unhitched trailer with car inside it just sitting around.
Chaining the wheels together is a good idea, hardened chain that is difficult to cut with bolt cutters would help. There are round padlocks that have larger shackles that are difficult to get at with bolt cutters.
David

[John Wright]

Hate to read these stories, gets my blood pressure up. I can't stand a thief.

[JEFFTATE]

Damn a car thief !!!

I'd like to kill all car thiefs !!!

[texasdvldog]

that sucks! hope you find them low life's

[Boatmark]

We left raceboats in hotel parking lots for years and never thought twice about it, but times have changed, and we've had to get defensive.

We no longer leave a trailer overnight that is not attached to a tow vehicle, if possible backed in front of a wall, median, tree etc. so the truck has to move so the trailer can get out. It takes up space, but the hotels get over it.

Use a locking pin on the trailer hitch ballmount. Use the "dog-bone" type. The pin with the padlock can be cut too easy. Tack weld the nut on the ball itself to the threads, or they can just unbolt the ball and bypass any lock. Grind it later if you need to replace the ball.

Use a hardened cable or chain lock to lock the trailer tongue to the truck. The lock on the trailer latch is useless . . . one nut underneath pops it off, and if you weld the nut there is no access to grind it later for replacement etc.

If you have surge brakes, drill a hole through the coupler and slider when it is compressed. When you park block the wheels, back up to apply the brakes, and insert a hardened padlock into the hole.

Last but not least, pop the hood on your truck and pull the maxi-fuse out and stick it in your pocket overnight.

Nothing will stop a truly determined lowlife. The last person in our group who lost something left a new 60k fishing boat overnight in a motel on the way to a boat show. Did everything except pull the fuse. They dragged the boat down a sidestreet with the brakes locked, unbolted the trailer hitch off the truck, and stole the truck! Police found it a few miles away missing only the wheels and tires. And they were the stock P.O.S. factory wheels!! Go figure.

Man I hope that Nova turns up.

[stage2ROUSH]

Damn a car thief !!!

I'd like to kill all car thiefs !!!
+10000000000000 on that !!!!! why can't everyone get a job and build a their OWN car?? lazy ,sorry ,no good,@#@#**&#@ !!! very sorry to hear this. love that car. and this is what they really need:machine::hammer:

[TonyL]

Bad news here is that Vacaville is half way between Reno and Oakland container-ship yard and not much further is the San Francisco container-ship yard. This whole car theft business is getting worse as the economy gets worse.

There has to be something we can do to protect ourselves. I wonder if LoJak would work in a case like this. Is there a better alternative?

I hope you get the car back and it's not on a container ship in the middle of the ocean by now. Maybe it's stuffed in a warehouse in Vallejo or somewhere else. Good luck.

dont forget about the GPS Snitch. http://gps-snitch.com/

Frank sells them. It'd have saved that car if it had one.

[BonzoHansen]

What about one (or more) of these?

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/08/1808lockingcartireboot6-1.jpg

[Yoda4561]

Great for the unprepared theif or honest person, they used em at USF and I think my high school a few years back for people who tried parking without a pass. I don't recall any ever being removed sucessfully. The biggest reason is that they took down the vin and License plate when they locked the wheel so it's not like you're getting off easy anyways. The good ones are hardened steel so it's not like it'll take 30 seconds with a hacksaw, but if they really want it even hardened steel is no match for an abrasive cutoff saw. I think the hidden gps (don't put stickers anywhere that tell anyone else you have one, lots of jamming products these days:banghead: ) is the best post-theft solution. An alarm system that rings your keychain would be good too.

[g6t6o]

Hope you get it back, that is awful.

[BossaNova]

Do you own this?


dont forget about the GPS Snitch. http://gps-snitch.com/

Frank sells them. It'd have saved that car if it had one.

[MIGOAT]

First sorry for your loss.
On lowjack those items work if the LLEO are using lowjack in their jurisdiction. While in the military we had them in DC but that was due to the big city and many stolen MV's.
I think you def. have to keep the trailer secured with a vehicle and I like the idea of the GPS. If you can put it in the dash or somewhere inconspicous area because the car is going to be chopped or the pieces will be donated to a new ride.

There are so many POS people in the world today. I won't get started> I had taken a report last yr where a guys 69 SS camaro was taken in the same manner, we never recovered it. sorry again Good Luck

[Jims78elky]

Hey..did anybody ever hear about what was up with this awesome car?

Any recovery?


-Jim

[MonzaRacer]

one other thought is trunk monkey,,,sorry trying to bring a little levity to a bad situation.

[MIGOAT]

I never heard back. I always look into these stolen cars because my Fathers 65 Blk on Blk GTO with a red pinstrip was stolen in late 80's.

I'm having a tough time getting a trunk monkey..... Seems there in much demand and hard to ship..LOL

[Project Cortez]

Sorry to hear, thats going to be a hard car to move in one piece.