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Just some information
Posted: February 27 2008 09:45 AM
 
Tommy CHOO CHOO (aka TYCHOOCHOO) [ View ] [ tychoochoo@optonline.net ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ]
MT. SINAI, New York
(631) 476-8881
 Tommy choo choo
 
Just to give everyone an update on Steve Lawing owner of Specialty Autoworks and Specialty Autosport of Knoxville TN. He was to appear 2/26/08 at a trial to answer charges from a past arrest for Theft. He was arrested again on 6 more counts of Theft including my case. My attorney spoke to Mr. Lawing's defense attorney, Mike DeBusk about Mr. Lawing's plans to resolve these charges and he stated Mr. Lawing "hopes" to repay the people he defrauded. From what I'm told by the attorneys, this is the only way for Mr. Lawing to avoid serious jail time. Even if he repays us he should still serve serious jail time just for the fact he did it.


My thoughts are, if he had to defraud people for money, how will he ever find the money to repay us?


So for all the builders out there that cheat and defraud clients be careful. From what I'm told the Feds are building cases against these builders and the builders don't even know about it until they show up at their door to arrest them. There is too much of this behaivor going on mainly because us as street rodders let them get away with it thinking it's too expensive to follow through with it. Don't be affraid to report it to the proper agencys. One thing I learned in life is if you are willing to take the time to f___ me-- I will take the time to f___ you harder anyway I can under the law unless of course it was unavoidable and not all the persons fault.
 
 
Comments
 
Posted by ol bear  -  02/27/2008 09:52 AM
I LIKE HOW YA THINK TOMMY , TO MANY ROLL OVER AND PLAY DEAD ,,,, I WONT TAKE A BITE OF THE SHI- SANDWICH EVER ,,,,,,,OL BEAR
OL BEAR [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] crown point, Indiana
 
Posted by EZRodder  -  02/27/2008 10:24 AM
I wish you luck, Tommy. Unfortunately, I wouldn't hold too much hope of ever seeing money from a fraud and a cheat. I hope you get lucky.
EZRodder [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Bernville, Pennsylvannia
 
Posted by q1ap  -  02/27/2008 10:36 AM
You've already won! I do hope you get the money back that you lost, but on principal alone you made your point on this scumbag!
q1ap [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] St. Augustine, Florida
 
Posted by TYCHOOCHOO  -  02/27/2008 11:56 AM
Your right Al. I don't expect to see anything, but as q1ap said, I already won. Maybe this will be enough to shut him down for good but I don't really believe that. These guys just open up in another town under another name and screw the next guy. Maybe in this case having him look through bars for a length of time and dropping his pants and bending over for his cell mate everyday will discourage the next guy. But then again, he may be into that.
Tommy choo choo [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] MT. SINAI, New York Charter Member since June 2007
 
Posted by iajonesy  -  02/27/2008 07:18 PM
Here's a little more info I came across yesterday after reading about Boyd being in failing health. (since passed) I googled B/C to find more info about his health and came across a bunch of info about a Fed/Investigation into a large number of hot rod and custom car builders. The Feds are looking into allegations that many of these guys have issued phony titles for the one-off cars they built over the years and this investigation is still growing. It makes for some interesting reading and serves notice to all of us to have the proper paper work for our cars,because this could get clear down to the home built cars.


freezin my gum drops off,

Mike
iajonesy [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Lisbon, Iowa
 
Posted by dixie  -  02/27/2008 07:51 PM
YEA IT'S REALLY BAD IN FL TOO 60 TODAY BACK UP TO 78 FOR WEEKEND,SORRY ABOUT THAT.
jim grace [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dade city, Florida Charter Member since January 2006
 
Posted by Starfire  -  02/27/2008 07:55 PM
The Federal investigation is over using old titles, which had previously been used to register legitimate vehicles of the 1930's, 1940's, and 1950's, for basically newly created cars and/or kit cars . Yep the investigation is still going on since as a newly created vehicle they would have to meet Federal and/or State Emissions equipment standards and would be subject to the same emissions testing as any vehicle made by production auto makers like GM, Ford, and Chrysler.

What the Fed's are basically saying is: "Just because it looks like a 1936 roadster, doesn't make it a 1936 roadster." The kit car producers and rod shop assemblers of kit cars may have one hell of a problem on their hands as theoretically there is no way of building a true old fashioned street rod with a normally aspirated engine using a kit car body that can be legally put on the streets anywhere.

If I recall correctly Boyd Coddington got nailed and paid a huge fine not that long ago.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by pooch  -  02/27/2008 09:27 PM
Print this Don and read it often!!!!
pooch [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] albany, Oregon
 
Posted by TYCHOOCHOO  -  02/28/2008 10:45 AM
As far as the Federal investigation goes it's a different one from the one I'm involved in. The one I'm involved in is due to theft of funds provided by customers. The other case I'm involved in is on hold until April. I have an appointment with the District Attorney on Long Island for the guy in St. James Long Island. It appears he may be the next one behind bars. I haven't received my funds back nor have I received the parts he stole. He did send me an E-mail stating he would refund the money but nothing so far, so I guess I have to follow through with the charges.
Tommy choo choo [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] MT. SINAI, New York Charter Member since June 2007
 
Posted by TYCHOOCHOO  -  03/02/2008 10:26 AM
Check the Knoxvill TN court web site for more info. I heard his first arrest was also on the TV news. Didn't see it but heard it was on.
Tommy choo choo [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] MT. SINAI, New York Charter Member since June 2007
 
Posted by Starfire  -  03/02/2008 01:46 PM
Plenty of information on this guy Steve Lawling can be found at:


http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?s=7159386


and


http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=7845917


both are Web pages for WATE, channel 6 in Knoxville. It appears this guy was doing a brisk business in selling Repli-cars over the Internet and had no customers in the immediate Knoxville area.


Then there is: http://www.kitcar.com/home2.html Which has nothing to do with Mr. Lawling but illustrates a long legacy of wannabe street rodders allowing themselves to be taken.


I'm beginning to think that a great number of wannabe street rodders may also be the proud owners of Turnip Trucks!
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by TYCHOOCHOO  -  03/02/2008 08:21 PM
Starfire

Can't seem to open any of the web sites you gave me. How did you find them? I really would like to see them.

Tommy
Tommy choo choo [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] MT. SINAI, New York Charter Member since June 2007
 
Posted by Starfire  -  03/02/2008 08:39 PM
Just copy them and paste into your web browser URL address space at the top of the screen. I just checked all of them doing that and they work just fine.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by TYCHOOCHOO  -  03/02/2008 08:54 PM
I went at it a different way and was able to open it. I just sent an E-mail to the reporter that reported the stories letting her know I have some more information on it. Some of the facts she reported were not total. Thanks again for the infor. Tommy
Tommy choo choo [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] MT. SINAI, New York Charter Member since June 2007
 
Posted by TYCHOOCHOO  -  03/02/2008 08:58 PM
It almost sounds like you had some dealings with this jerk. Did you or do you know anyone who did?
Tommy choo choo [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] MT. SINAI, New York Charter Member since June 2007
 
Posted by Starfire  -  03/02/2008 10:37 PM
Haven't had any dealings with Mr. Lawling. Out of curiosity I just did a couple of quick searches to see what I could come up with on the guy. This hobby/industry seems to be a haven for scam artists. But it appears there are also just those who start out having good intentions but are really bad businessmen which leads them to eventually be seen as really bad guys. I suspect betting they can make it all work out with a couple of more deals. Unfortunately that appears to be about like trying to borrow one's self out of debt. Looks good on paper but usually just doesn't work out, and only adds to the original problem.


Of course I really do have trouble in coming to grips with the fact people who have $30,000 to $50,000 they've manage to save can be so gullible; or seemingly lack basic common sense when it comes to giving someone big chunks of their hard earned money. Someone they don't know, have never seen, and probably checked no references about. I truly do not understand how emotion over any car can be that over powering. I've bought and sold many vintage cars, engaged in buying services including engine machining, upholstery work, body work, etc.; and I've never been bitten except when I let my guard down, and that happened only once and for a lot less money than I see people complaining about having lost.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by heya  -  03/11/2008 09:02 PM
Wow...sounds like you've had a bad experience with him...what's the story?
heya [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Nashville, Tennessee
 
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