RE: torsion bars & stolen cars

[Darryl Tinnerstet <darryl@xxxx>]

> What is even more important is that there is a "left" and
> "right" hand to torsion bars. If you were to put it on the wrong side
> you will also break it so to anyone who buys it be careful!

Dave, you surprised me with this one. I've always been very impressed with
your dead-on accurate tips. I figured you would know the torsion bars do
not interchange - the forward ends are different.

I know mainly because I have parted out 6 cars over the last 15 years. I
gave some thought to whether someone, especially the neighbors who saw me
dismantling them, might think they were stolen. Some were incomplete enough
to not have VIN numbers, but I did have receipts for all of them. None were
repairable. And not once in all those years has anyone (at least to me)
wondered if they were "hot". Two came out of junk yards, one from a body
shop, one from a person who bought it at auction, and one from a dealer in
CA with a weird story. They said they had posession of the car when the
factory folded, but no title. The dealer figured he had lost so much money
he would just keep it, but he couldn't sell it. So he dismantled this brand
new car, down to the smallest bolt. By the time I found it around 1988
about 25% was gone, and I acquired the rest along with his new parts
inventory. The seats and a few other parts are in my blown car. The VIN
was in the 700's, and at the time I reported the car to DOA as having been
parted out.

-- 
Darryl Tinnerstet
Specialty Automotive
McCleary, WA