Stolen Car Returned To Owner Totally Pimped Out (nice)

gothamist.com ^ | 4/25/2010 | Jen Chung

[Kimmers]

After three years, Amanda Pogany forgot about her stolen 1996 Honda Accord, assuming it was in car heaven. But recently the cops found it at a Queens chop shop, traced it back to her and called up the Brooklyn teacher. The Daily News reveals it was "returned to her drag-race ready, with a brand-new V-8 engine, tinted windows, oversized tires with special hubcaps - and custom valve stem caps shaped like bullet casings."

Pogany said, "When I first saw under the hood I thought it looked like, you know in the movie 'Grease?' Like the 'Grease Lightning' car." Further, the car's interim owner—apparently he bought from the thieves—also put "in a manual transmission and leather interior and [hung] a Dominican flag and a giant wooden cross from the rearview mirror." Pogany said, "I'm Jewish. and I don't even know how to drive a stick shift!"

Her friends are offering her stick shift lessons but the car is in her parents' NJ driveway, where it's the belle of the block (people have expressed interested in buying it). In other news, the NYPD is reportedly trying to crack down on auto thefts—they are down 14% over 2008 and 2009 but are up 27% this year.

[Hacklehead]

Highly trained “jounalists” in the media wouldn’t know a buick from a Honda, a 4 cylinder from an 8, or their butts from a hole in the ground.

[Hacklehead]

“After three years, Amanda Pogany forgot about her stolen 1996 Honda Accord, assuming it was in car heaven. But recently the cops found it at a Queens chop shop, traced it back to her and called up the Brooklyn teacher. The Daily News reveals it was “returned to her drag-race ready, with a brand-new V-8 engine, tinted windows, oversized tires with special hubcaps - and custom valve stem caps shaped like bullet casings.”

I’m amazed at people who will spend many thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of work to transform a stolen car but can’t be bothered to read a book or go to school.

[absolootezer0]

like fitting 10 lbs of paotatoes into a 5lb sack.

i imagine you’d have to remove the engine just to change the oil or plugs.

[SES1066]

(people have expressed interested in buying it)

DANGER Will Robinson, DANGER!

A car with "... tinted windows, oversized tires with special hubcaps ..." is liable to be somewhat "cop bait" in terms of attracting attention. If the windows are too dark, nobody can see that the driver is a Jewish school teacher! Pimp-mobiles attract anti-pimp squad cars just out of curiosity.

[IYAS9YAS]

Yeah, it's an in-line 4. It's a V-Tech Honda motor. They only come with four holes.

Honda made a few versions, some with around 200HP.

A co-worker was told by the local import repair shop to remove the badging that identified his Civic del Sol as having a V-Tech. They said the local car thieves seek them out, as they are the hot motor to have for the four-banger race scene.

I can't remember if the badge said V-Tech, or if it was some other identifier.

[CORedneck]

I have a 2006 Subaru WRX, very dark tinted windows. One time I got pulled over in Utah for the tint. I live in Colorado. I was told that my registration could get suspended on the car. As far as I know, vehicle registration suspension is not recognized from state to state unlike driver license suspension.

A car with "... tinted windows, oversized tires with special hubcaps ..." is liable to be somewhat "cop bait" in terms of attracting attention.

[cav68]

A friend of mine in 1970 had an old 64 Falcon, it was painted Plum Crazy. The motor was a 289 high performance V-8, the motor had been originally in a drag car from Richmond known as the Wild Pony. It would run in the 12 second bracket, we had lots of fun slicking fools, Vets, 442's,GTO's. Once we ran them collected our money then we let them view under the hood. Most could not believe their eyes, we laughed and moved on.

[Fresh Wind]

They said the local car thieves seek them out, as they are the hot motor to have for the four-banger race scene.

I know someone who had his Civic Si stolen right out of his garage. Hondas are always at the top of the "most stolen" lists.

[Fresh Wind]

I was relying on what was said in the news story.

It would seem that accuracy is no longer important to "journalists".

[Niteranger68]

Love a good sleeper!

[Cheburashka]

Sell it and pocket the difference between what you get and the money you have to refund to the insurance company to reimburse them for the settlement they gave you. If you had insurance and collected on the theft.

Of course if as part of the settlement you signed over title to the insurance company, then the car belongs to them. Unlikely, since the police tracked title back to you, but...

[Western Phil]

Our local tv just showed a blue car for this story.

[calex59]

Maybe she wasn’t insured for theft, many people aren’t.

[Dem Guard]

Interesting? Who would know the difference? lol

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

LOL!

[Kimmers]

Thank you for posting the direct link...it was early and I could not find it.....

[bert]

The consensus is that the writer meant v6 however...

“if its the 2.4 liter V8 that Arial use in there new Atom 500 yes.
iits made from 2 v4 motorcycle engines i believe.
nut if ur talkin but an ordinary v8, no”

Yahoo answers....

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080315183653AApSYaK

[mnehring]

That doesn’t look like a V-8 stuffed in there- more like a tricked-out 4 cylinder.

You are right, that is a Honda VTEC engine. The largest engine Honda makes is a V6, although they do have plans to release a V8 in 2015.