Cookie

Hey guys, what's up! Sorry about the long story in advance --

I have been away for quite a while. Longtime member. I pretty much ran under the radar. This place and others have always been good to me. Good peeps here for sure. I have learned a lot.. and then some. I have had a number of things happen through the last five years of my life, some not so good, as I am sure others can relate. I had to leave the area and store my one owner 1993 Si at a friends dads house, with his permission, parked on his decently sized property because I couldn't take it with me. As time evolved, all seemed to be cool until I heard Pops needed it cleared because "people/neighbors or random wanderers" were starting to ask about it"

Without any warning, my "friend" and his Dad decided to tell me that they had it towed off property. And even though, before this time, I had returned to the Seattle area and they refused to accept my phone calls and others futile attempts to pick the car up. Their stories were mixed. Pops said Son came and got it, Son said Pops had it towed. Great. No one is one the same page. Liars! Something isn't right and smells funny. I had nothing except what they were telling me. I started calling wrecking yards and they told me that if they were to take in a vehicle, even randomly, they would have to register the VIN with the state. Okay, I say and further my frustrations with no resolve. X-friend and Pops not giving any info on "who" "towed" it, nor did either of them step up, even when King County Sheriff's interviewed them asking where it went.

Also left in storage with friend was NIB Mugen Twin-Loop exhaust, Black Racing 'Phantom' wheels on brand new Bridgestone Potenza S02 tires, GSR front & 22mm ITR rear Sway bar. X-friend said Pops sold stuff. When I was finally able to speak with his Dad he told me he, "Never saw any of that stuff!" I actually believe X-friend sold the parts to regain lost money he felt I owed him. And even though I had repeatedly offered to pay for storage on property to him or his Dad AND pay for anything else I owed, he refused my offer... each and every time I did.

I pretty much gave up on its existence until around a year ago a true friend of mine, who is a psychic, insisted I look for it, told me that it was on the roads and still in good shape. This is when I called the state and they told me that it was newly licensed and registered in MY NAME with a new 7 digit plate ..and it was good until 1st week of February 2015. Someone had forged or spoofed my name and the licensing agency signed off on it. Great. There goes my trust for the system. I meet with Sammamish Plateau Sheriff's department and file the report.

Anyway, psychic friend tells me 2 weeks ago, that the car is stored outside next to a house with a nice engine in it. It's possible, he said, that when they discovered the car was reported stolen, they freaked and covered it trying to decide what to do. He said, "Whomever has the car is nervous about it being reported stolen and feels the perp is going to remove the engine and toss the car.

Fast forward to Thursday night. I get a call from the King County Sheriff's Department, they say that they have recovered my car and to please call. Imagine my immediate thoughts, My mouth hit the floor... I said, "What? Are you kidding?" I had to listen to the message again I was like - "No way!" I picked up the phone and called, Sure enough, they had it in impound, recovered less than 4 hours earlier.

The story the people at this address (pic below) told the Pierce County Deputy Sheriff was that, and get this; they bought the car off of some guy of Craigslist knowing it had no engine, he showed up with the car in tow, and they paid $500.00 for it he rolled off without so much as giving them a bill of sale, no title - because he didn't have one to give... and they can't remember his phone number. They apparently didn't even ask for his license to prove ownership. Evidently, the water down there is tainted or something since the level of intelligence wasn't running to high that day. (no offense to anyone living there). To many holes in this rolling story.

Deputy said, "They let their kids play in the car making vvrrmm vvrrmm sounds for a year before they tried to file for, maybe a loss of title". He said, "dusting for fingerprints would be a logistical nightmare." I could see that. I don't know what they were thinking. Likely story though, right. Or at least this was the story the Deputy was giving me. Truth was however, someone had licensed it a year ago using my name, set for expiration on February 5th.

Theft Report was filed inside a year and when the thieves or whoever tried to re-license this Feb., they were blocked by DOL and said, "Oh, no!" and turned it in to the cops. Deputy says the people checked out, they cooperated by providing a physical description of the seller and they are going to come down to look through some glossy photos to possibly pinpoint the guy that sold it to them. I did check the weather for this next week in Hell and it is forecast to freeze over, so I have a really good chance here! lol. In all seriousness, the circle is broken between my X-friend and how the seller got the car before he "sold" to the people in Parkland. Unless the buyer actually comes through and ID's the seller thru mug-shots, the chances are as remote as my forecast.

Buyers vague description of the CL Seller , 'White Male, 30-40's, medium build, blond hair'. That just about describes a half of everyone in the South Sound area, right?

If anyone has any info that you think might help, PM me. If it works out toward finding the thief that will bring this around full circle, I will happily work out a bonus or something for ya.

Oh well, what are the odds that I would have gotten the car back in the first place. Probably next to zero. So, I will cut my losses, learn from the lessons and move on. The one thing I have learned through all of life's devastation's when they get thrown at you is that - Life is too short! Make the best of what you have! And if you don't like what is happening, make it better!

I haven't seen this car in almost five years exactly, stolen for over three, filed for theft just over a year ago and now it is back, tucked in a warm little secure storage garage. You can't imagine how excited I am to actually have it back in my hands, engine or not. It's a great platform. Kind of a clean slate to do whatever I want to it! Honestly, I just can't believe it. I sincerely thought I would never see it again.

So here I am, going over every aspect of what it needs and where I need to go to make it one hell of a stand out project! Honestly, thinking in simplistic terms, I might just go with the typical "K20" or K24" swap, less impact, right? Then I think, no... why not just blow it all out, get together with a savvy tech fabricator/friend of mine, do the math and pencil out a full S2000 RWD swap. Now that sounds like fun! 23 years as a Civic owner. Some of you guys weren't even born when I bought this thing. But who cares about age, right. These Honda's are insatiable. I have never had any other car in all my life... where time after time I have had more fun in than my Civic.

What a ride ... and it ain't over yet! Who'da thunk!

joey1320

Crazy story bro. Glad you got the shell back. I would just keep it somewhat era correct and swap in a b18c, but that's just me.

Cookie

Thanks for the response, Joey. You know, that is probably good advise. I guess I am just over excited about having it back. Being robbed is never fun. maybe when I get to the part of seeing how much one of those extreme build costs, it might just be good enough to just have it running again more than having it sit waiting for funds and new parts. thanks again, Chris.

gking2

woah bro glad you got it back regardless of engine being pulled still in great shape

Cookie

Yeah, I know, huh. Thanks for the good words, bro. It looks like they nabbed my D16Z6 with 275,000+ miles on it.
Trying to figure out if they took the whole wiring harness. By the battery, it looks like they unplugged a bit.
I can't figure out why in the hell they would want that and not take other stuff off the car?
But, oh well. It does still look real good.

I hate thieves!

Cookie

Anyone? Does it look like I still have the most of the harness enough to go to a Hybrid Racing (or whichever) harness for a K swap?

joey1320

Are you talking about the two plugs by the battery area? If so, they just unplugged the engine harness only. The eg's didn't have the harness that snaked into cabin.

Cookie

Thanks, Bro! For whatever reason, they were conscientious thieves and did a good job of disconnecting.