When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I woke up this morning and went out to the Olds to take a quick ride to the gas station before work.
One of my lovely fellow residents of chicago broke into the car last night to steal my radio. In order to do this they broke the lock on the driver door and also the small window near the rear driver's door. Which way got them in I do not know, but then to remove the tablet I had in place of the radio, they also broke the radio/control panel. The previous owner had already removed the speakers that were in the car previously so I didn't have an actual sound system but my car looks like holy hell.
So now that I've vented, a few things:
1) I've attached a link to ebay above which I believe is what I'm looking for. The seller makes notes that this is for a Royale without a defogger. I do have a defogger but I think he just means a separate button for that defogger. I've attached a picture of mine as well. Can anyone confirm I'm on the right track? Mine is a Royale (non brougham)
2) anyone out there have a factory radio? Thought from others if this is a good way to go or just get something more modern?
3) I'm assuming because the lock on my driver's door is punched in and damaged that the whole door needs replacing, but is this something that might be repairable?
4) no chicago/crime comments necessary. I've already been looking to move elsewhere and this is just another kick in the pants to say get moving.
Thank you to everyone. I know I could figure out answers on my own, but my head is not in the game today and for the immediate future..
The one from my car now in 2 broken pieces. It seems to match the one on the ebay link. The bottom of mine was cut where the radio would be to place the now stolen tablet by the previous owner.
Seller showed both a non-defog and defog trim panel. If yours doesn't have defog and you get a trim panel for a defog car, you'll have an unused switch opening between lighter and radio.
Sorry it happened. All that destruction and sounds like they didn't get anything.
There's something to be said for a meat cleaver to the skull. Buzzard has to eat too.
I had two stereos stolen from my Jeep Cherokee back in the late 80's. The first time they broke the passenger side window at the front of the door. Just a piece of glass that didn't move. Since I took cars apart and put them back together for a living at the time, it cost me $18 and some change for the window. They didn't break the dash so that part was fine. The second time the thieves punched a screwdriver through the door at the lock of the passenger door and damaged the sheet metal, like yours. I was able to straighten everything out and put the lock back in, but it never really looked right after that. Car thieves deserve their own special place in Hell!
I had that happen to my 76 Cutlass back on the mid 80's. The punched the driver's door lock, peeked the column, but couldn't figure out how to bypass the kill switch connected to the tach connector on the HEI. Dumb A****s. Had to console their ego and steal the radio, along with the entire panel including the heater/ac controls, all they got was a cheap $30 radio from Kmart with a busted tape player.
Long story longer. I cut the lock section out of junked and rusty 74 Cutlass and welded it in place, worked great and looked perfect after a little paint I had leftover from the repaint the previous winter. Thief left just enough of the heater controls that I was able to put it back together without pulling the entire dash using more parts off the 74 Cutlass - column, panel, and HEI coil got it back on the road.
You should be able to find a repair panel at your local crash parts supplier or body shop. It will have to be welded in, but still easier and cheaper than sourcing a door and having it painted
You should be able to find a repair panel at your local crash parts supplier or body shop. It will have to be welded in, but still easier and cheaper than sourcing a door and having it painted
The door will have to be painted either way, and frankly, a complete straight door will be less expensive than paying a quality shop to PROPERLY weld in a patch without warping the hell out of the rest of the outer doorskin.
The real question is, how badly bunged up is the door? You might be surprised at how the original metal can be put back to the correct shape.
Bastards. Man I hate theives. Had two bicycles stolen over the last year.
When I was a car stereo installer we saw so many break-ins. Worst one I remember was a 67 Corvette convertible. Someone cut his top. Trashed the interior. 67 Corvette is not an easy car to get to the stereo. Absolutely trashed the interior and top. Screwed up thing was the car was unlocked. No need to trash the top.
Sucks to hear your car got broken into. Like was said before. All that for a ten dollar hit.
Bastards. Man I hate theives. Had two bicycles stolen over the last year.
When I was a car stereo installer we saw so many break-ins. Worst one I remember was a 67 Corvette convertible. Someone cut his top. Trashed the interior. 67 Corvette is not an easy car to get to the stereo. Absolutely trashed the interior and top. Screwed up thing was the car was unlocked. No need to trash the top.
Sucks to hear your car got broken into. Like was said before. All that for a ten dollar hit.
Those types are vindictive & hateful of others who have more or are better off than themselves e.g. envious of those who have what they don't so they wreak havoc in contempt. They may very well have known the owner.
Fixing it is one thing but what will you do to make sure it doesn't happen again? If somebody wants in they'll figure out a way to get in but to break into an older car for the radio sure sounds like it was either random or somebody was desperate to put a few bucks in their pocket quickly. Do your repairs but I'd be real careful to have anything of value visible.
Fixing it is one thing but what will you do to make sure it doesn't happen again? If somebody wants in they'll figure out a way to get in but to break into an older car for the radio sure sounds like it was either random or somebody was desperate to put a few bucks in their pocket quickly. Do your repairs but I'd be real careful to have anything of value visible.
This is sometimes a controversial issue, but having an inexpensive car alarm installed with highly visible flashing LEDs, such as in the doors next to the lock plungers, works wonders. If a thief wants your car, they will take it but things like this are crimes of opportunity. If your vehicle appears less appealing than the next one it will usually get overlooked.
I am a strong proponent of on-the-spot executions of criminals of most serious crimes and subsequent key-to-the-city awarding to the citizen who stopped the crime. Wish I could make it legal.
I am a strong proponent of on-the-spot executions of criminals of most serious crimes and subsequent key-to-the-city awarding to the citizen who stopped the crime. Wish I could make it legal.
+1 There are so much crime here now , read that we have the most killed by shooting in europe.
The future looks very dark sometimes. One example of many :
A guy who sat arrested got 840.000 Sek from the state because they "missed" that he was
underage and the girl who was tied in a basement and raped several times got 275.000 Sek
And yes it´s true fact but i can understand that,s hard to belive.
I am a strong proponent of on-the-spot executions of criminals of most serious crimes and subsequent key-to-the-city awarding to the citizen who stopped the crime. Wish I could make it legal.
Easy there trigger. While I am a proponent of firm justice, there is no need for mob justice. AKA "on-the-spot executions". That could get messy and wrong very quickly. The biggest problem with our justice system as I see it is failure to apply the law equally. Proven guilt should require jail time. No exceptions. Guilt of a capital crime should also require capital punishment. Not street justice. Bring back public service punishments like road gangs and pretty soon criminals will not want to get caught anymore. Just my $.02.
FIXABLE, but everytime you lock or unlock with key and open and closing door will put a lot of stress on fiberglass they you will have to put on the two spots i see. buy used door will be cheaper in long run. just my opp.
You might not want to lead with "easy there, trigger" then end with a conciliatory "just my 2 cents." Either bull up or don't.
Since we have a ban on politics here (and, nationwide, EVERYONE has a ban on politics, so none of this can ever get discussed, anywhere, and it just festers instead of evolving), I will say that I disagree with your thoughts that working within the system is still possible and the right thing to do and stop there.
Fair enough but we do agree that the current justice system is broken quite possibly beyond repair. We certainly can't fix it here on a car forum. And I don't want you to get in trouble for promoting illegal activities. Punisher is still just a comic book hero.
