Valuable 1932 Ford stolen before Goodguys car show, recovered the next day

Authorities have recovered a valuable Ford Deuce coupe stolen before the Goodguys car show last weekend in Indianapolis.

The 1932 Ford, estimated to be worth $300,000, was taken on Friday from a car hauler in a hotel parking lot, the Indiana State Police said. The car was found in the driveway of a vacant house on the city's southwest side after being spotted by a citizen who tipped off police. The spotter notified an undercover officer in the vehicle-crimes unit.

The car was featured prominently on an Indy news station, and the exposure might have led to the car being ditched, police said. The circumstances are still under investigation and the case it still active, state police 1st Sgt. David Bursten told Autoweek.

Jason Smith, a representative for the owner of the Ford, took possession of it on Saturday afternoon.

The 1932 Ford was supposed to have been displayed at the Goodguys event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last weekend, a first-year event that drew more than 2,500 hot rods and custom cars from around the nation. Michael Tarquinio of Pittsburgh won “hot rod of the year” honors at the show for his own 1932 Ford, dubbed the “Second Wind.” This creation was found after 40 years in the rafters of a Pennsylvania barn and then restored and souped-up with the engine of a 1957 Oldsmobile, the dashboard of a 1940 Lincoln and vintage Firestone tires.

The hot rod of the year award required entrants to drive a 150-mile reliability test, do a burnout and make a pass down a drag strip.

By Greg Migliore