"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
11/11/2020 at 23:15 • Filed to: None
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"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
11/11/2020 at 23:15 • Filed to: None | 14
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Around 1968 a young industrial designer with a knack for fiberglass graduated college and began a business of making aftermarket parts. H ood scoops, vents, and spoilers primarily for corvettes and other domestic cars , but also for a hot new ride, the 240z. Though fun to drive, the corvettes and z had a bad habit of overheating in tri- sta te area traffic, requiring drivers to pop their forward swinging hoods for more airflow. Being the first to make parts for the Z, he managed to corner the (limited) market for drivers who wanted to accesorize. B usiness was tough, running around all week organizing the shop , to get parts made, to then take off friday with a list of car shows to hawk his wares . Though money was good he was killing himself with all the travel.
It was then he made a contact with an import dealership on L ong I sland, who wanted to be the exclusive distributor for the Z parts. Given that he was spending all his life, this was a welcome respite. It was around this time that he went and ordered his 1973 914.
Things were going well, the 260 came out, he started making air dams, sending out crates every week to the distributor in New Jersey.
However, all of a sudden the checks stopped coming. This had been a good punctual customer so no need rush. So after a couple weeks he called, number was dead. Called the dealership they had no idea who he was talking about. The next week he drove the multiple hours to the dealership to ask what was going on. He gets there, the receptionist has no idea who hes asking for, the salesman has no idea who hes asking for, the manager has no idea who he asking for. He asks about the warehouse hes been shipping parts to, again no idea of a place in J ersey. Getting nowhere he heads home in defeat baffled at who he has been dealing with . The next morning he gets a call “Yo u’ll get money right away . We’d like to double our order”.
Again things go back to normal, orders come in, trucks roll up to pick up the crates . But he began to notice something missing , he was shipping hundreds of these parts, but rarely ever saw them at car shows.
It was around 1981 that his checks suddenly stopped coming. given the long history he kept shipping parts . But after being unable to contact anyone, he decided to take a long drive to Jersey to the warehouse to get his money. Upon arrival it was a tiny shop, with a barb wired fenced- in lot filled with Mercedes, Lincolns, Cadillacs, and Jaguars. A tiny generic sign along the lines of “Import Cars LTD” on the side. The gate open and the front door unresponsive, he walks in to try the back door. Upon knocking a little I talian guy angrily comes out demanding to know who he is. . Explaining himself and showing t he inv oices, he’ s told to wait, as the Italian guy goes back inside. he comes out with a check for $ 60k to cover the previous bills and an advance for the next few months and again an they’ d like to double their orders. Terrified at what he gotten himself into he takes off.
It was a couple weeks later as pulled into work, he saw car parked across the street with two men in suits . It was then he’ d only park inside the shops yard, or inside his garage.
So 1983 comes along and with it the end of the 280zx. Speaking back and forth he had notified them that he didn’t have anything for the 300z, and was mostly out of the automotive accesories business. He decided to drive the last token shipment down himself. It was a rainy Friday night. Upon arrival it wasn’t just the contact from all those years earlier, but the Italain guy and two others. Trying to leave on account of this raggy att ire t hey insist they go out for dinner. They all get into a Lincoln and head off into the rainy evening . Unknowing where he is being taken he gets bit of rel ie f as he sees they’ re driving towards Manhattan. After another eternity they pull up to Sparks Steakshouse. Trying to get out due to his attire, they respond “dont worry you’re with us.” He wa terrified all night that any moment could be his last.
Two years later he was then home watching TV when Sparks made headlines as the site of the Castellano murder. And few years after that when TV news showing a large group of mobsters arrested, in the back was the short guy from the auto yard.
Longtime Lurker
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
11/11/2020 at 23:21 |
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Who is this guy?
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gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> Longtime Lurker
11/11/2020 at 23:26 |
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An industrial engineer who found out his business was almost certainly being used as a front for the mob. names retracted to protect their safety.
Jb boin
> Longtime Lurker
11/11/2020 at 23:29 |
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Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
11/11/2020 at 23:58 |
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Is this a true story?
I am trying to figure out how they were laundering money through this scheme and I can’t figure it out.
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gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
11/12/2020 at 00:05 |
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No t money laundering. By the end he was shipping accesories for @ 1/5 of all z cars but rarely see any of his product at car shows. S hipping body kits, that at the time were in giant crates. crates that would then be forwarded around the country with who know what in them.
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Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
11/12/2020 at 00:12 |
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Ah, I see. Slipping in some illicit goods with the vast quantities of loosely packed bulky car parts.
Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
11/12/2020 at 00:42 |
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That explains the cocaine that came with the air dam kit I ordered. Also note that one of the business that sold those parts is still in business.
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gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
11/12/2020 at 00:47 |
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What year was that?
ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
11/12/2020 at 07:43 |
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This is excellent Oppo!
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
11/12/2020 at 10:38 |
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Of coarse I’m being sarcastic but motorsports auto has been in the business of selling Datsun and Nissan parts since 1979.