Calling all kiwi cruiserheads - Help find stolen BJ42

[lostmarbles]

Thanks to the organisers of kiwi 4x4 challenge & all the local clubs involved

BTW - many thanks to the fellas (and ladies) at the Kiwi 4x4 challenge yesterday.

What a great bunch to be a part of

They allowed a stranger into their midst to experience the fun. (And they don't really know me from a bar of soap!)

I'm sure (because they don't know me or know of my past involvement with the "Wgtn Cross Country Vehicle Club" and before that the "Auckland 4WD Club") that when I was taking closeup pics under "the Team Fugly forty" some of them even thought I was perhaps trying to identify stolen parts! Ha ha ha.......

Anyway - we now have more people on the lookout (and of course being all keen 4x4 enthusiasts strongly attached to their own vehicles .... they're more than keen to help Bart).

 

[lostmarbles]

Brilliant news everyone.

Hohepa has been recovered by Wellington police.

It was is one of our suburbs under a tarpaulin (and is still in pretty good shape apparently).

This news is so "hot off the press" that we have yet to determine the situation as regards her precious contents (ie the korowai).

I understand our combined pressure resulted in information landing in the hands of the police.

Well done everyone!!!!!!!!!

I am ssooooooooooooooooooooo pleased.



More info will follow .... but I'll have to be careful on the timing etc because police charges are obviously in the pipeline.

 

[amaurer]

WOOOHOOO!!

Can't wait to hear the story!!

 

[TOBASH]

Brilliant news everyone.

Hohepa has been recovered by Wellington police.

It was is one of our suburbs under a tarpaulin (and is still in pretty good shape apparently).

This news is so "hot off the press" that we have yet to determine the situation as regards her precious contents (ie the korowai).

I understand our combined pressure resulted in information landing in the hands of the police.

Well done everyone!!!!!!!!!

I am ssooooooooooooooooooooo pleased.



More info will follow .... but I'll have to be careful on the timing etc because police charges are obviously in the pipeline.

Good Show!

Nice to finally hear a story with a happy ending.

Will you export the thieves to Afganistan for amputation of their hands?

Perhaps to Africa for genital perforation?

Maybe an American prison for a meal of tossed salad and tube steak?

I really hope your friend considers a GPS system and a proper alarm and a few hidden cut-off switches.

Best,

T

 

[skidplate]

Hot diggity dangit! thats Yank for "Whoo hoo!" Hope all ends well and the thieving bastards are dealt with. Let us know the rest of the story.

 

[4x4 Station Wagon]

Awesome!! I will be honest I was nervous and started to doubt the outcome but THANKFULLY we again have a happy cruiser owner.

 

[yohavos]

This is awesome news! I've been following this since the beginning...

I'm even more excited now to hear the whole deal, see some reunion pics, hell maybe even some mug shots of the slimey bastards!!

 

[Snailtrail]

Thats bloody good news!

to all those that helped out.

Im sure everyone knows that this outcome is rare nowadays. It would have been a shame to see such a mint 42 parted out, especially since 40's of any kind are getting thin on the ground here in NZ!

Hopefully his other possession's are located as well.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

I am glad to hear Hohepa is back home with its rightful owner.

Good news to close a rather complicated day.

This thread made me think how Cruisers become part of our lives, how much we care about them, and how good it feels to see them find a caring home.

Congratulations Tom for a job well done.





Juan

 

[Bret]

Very good to hear a little good news for a change!

 

[cruiserjunktion]

This is GREAT...

Whoot Whoot!!

 

[herbs]

That's great news, quite often stolen cars here end up stripped then burnt out, or just pushed off into a creek. Hopefully it's all fixable and old mate will be back on the road.

 

[lostmarbles]

Hi folks.

I'm not stringing you along here.

I just can't update you much on this until the police release more information. We're still in the dark and must wait till investigations are completed.

I can say that entry was gained by forcing the lock on the passenger door. Hohepa had not been refueled and had driven less than 100kms. The ignition barrel was smashed out too.

 

[romegadave]

Great GREAT news.....glad I read this updated thread tonight!!!!!!!

 

[skidplate]

Lets hope thats all of the mechanical damage.

 

[lostmarbles]

Lets hope thats all of the mechanical damage.

Yep. Bart's very lucky. ---- No mechanical damage other than "breakin damage" and "registration plate removal".

I had the pleasure of driving "Hohepa" yesterday and have to admit that it pulls much better than my BJ40.

The engine idles and runs absolutely beautifully! And the transmission feels great too (although I've never driven it off-road .......YET).

It feels/sounds just as I remember when I drove a mate's brand-new BJ42 back in the early eighties. (I was jealous back then too.)

And I took lots of photos yesterday that I think I'll post up in the "diesel section" soon in my "cruiser porn" thread relating to Hohepa.

The body condition of this vehicle is amazing and clearly one of its previous owners has been a true enthusiast!

(BTW - I talked to Bart as he lay in the back of Hohepa somewhere near Hamilton earlier this morning.)

I'm actually surprised he hasn't been pulled over (having no number plate on the front)! But apparently it's been p#ssing down for the entire journey so perhaps the cops can't see for the rain. Or - more likely ....they know of the vehicles recent history, that it's back in proper hands now, and are turning a blind-eye.LOL. (The cops are great ......in all of this.)

Bart tells me he is becoming engaged in conversation at many of the traffic lights he's had to stop at on his journey home.

Cheers
T

 

[lostmarbles]

Folks in the diesel section know me (I think) for rambling on and on ... till I simply run out of stuff to say about a topic. So that's what's happening here in this thread.

I'm told overseas people can't access "TVNZ Closeup" footage so unfortunately this link may be only for the kiwis here:

Good news for stolen truck owner | News Video

And in case anyone is giving me credit for getting this TV coverage .... I can assure you I had nothing to do with it.

(And for overseas people - No! It is not normal for a stolen vehicle story to gain prominence on national TV here. --- Even once ..... Let alone twice!)

The video covers Bart climbing into "Hohepa" (which incidentally Riatana - a workmate - tells me is the Maori word for "Joseph") and firing her (or I guess that should be "him") up. I understand the police had had it (yeah ...I'll use the gender-neutral term "it") towed to a storage facility at that stage.

And here is a pic of "Hohepa meets Tojo". (Tojo is the name my awarded to our cruiser.)

 

[lostmarbles]

And this whole episode has made me think much more about the security of my BJ40.

Here's what I use right now:

Steering lock:



BTW - Someone (and I won't name the person, he he he) had one of these in the back of his wagon when it was stolen and hadn't bothered fitting it!

Hood lock:



Alarm light (blinking LED) with associated hidden surprises:



But I'm going to try another DIY thing. I'm going to acid-etch my number plate (licence plate) details on every window (except possibly the windscreen).

I got this idea from Hohepa. Sure - It didn't stop Hohepa from being stolen but it would have represented a PITA for the thieving scum who took it (once they noticed it ... which I'm not sure they did .... cos all criminals are basically dumb!).

Anyway ...I plan on posting up info here on this "acid-etching process" some time in the future (and hopefully the "near future").

Oh...Some may ask why I say all criminals are basically dumb!

Well they've missed the most important thing one should learn in life. That is ..."If you choose to do harm to others .... you yourself will be harmed through "low self-esteem" whether you realise it at the time or not. And this usually manifests itself in things like "depression", "poor physical health" and (thankfully for the rest of us) - "early death".

Obviously criminals (of the type I'm referring to . cos the justice system doesn't always convict people that are worthy of this title) are not intelligent enough to figure that one out.

The people who do charity work (like delivering "meals on wheels" for instance) aren't simply good samaritans ya know! They know full well that they get an immediate payback in "feeling good about themselves" with all the associated benefits of that!

end of yet another rant........

 

[pbgbottle]

great news

and great video clip

the video worked for me in Canada .
it was cool to here Barts enthusiasm and excitement in his voice while he thanks everybody and fired up his rig ,he sounded all giddy .
the smile on his face was priceless

. truck sounded nice. great work Tom

 

[skidplate]

No matter where we're from we all feel like mates tonight! Good on ya!