A little something EXTRA from the Factory...

[2 doors]

This past Friday I had to remove the passenger seat from my Mazda6. The cable that adjusts the seat back popped out of the lever bracket. (This was the second time this happened). Once I had reattached the cable, I bolted the seat back in place. When I was putting the rear floor mat back in, I noticed a lump under the carpet. I thought I had dropped a tool or knocked something loose. I took the seat back out of the car, rooted under the carpet and found this:


It’s an antenna base. It’s been hiding under the passenger seat for the last 5 years.

This was the second time something like this happened to me.

My MkIV GTI was the victim of clogged sunroof drains. I removed the seats and various interior bits. As a buddy and I were removing the water logged padding, we saw something. I said, “Did you put that there?” and he said the same. We saw this:


It’s a 17mm magnetic tipped nut driver. It was half stuck in the rubber floor liner. It too was hiding under the passenger seat.

That was the second time this happened to me.

I had to pull the carpet out of my ’85 K5 Blazer to fix some rust. When I pulled back the carpet, I found an empty cigarette soft pack. It wasn’t for good smokes, either. It was a generic white package with “Cigarettes” in black letters. Sorry, I don’t have any pictures of that – this was before digital cameras and the internet was invented. That was the first time I found something extra from the factory.

The cigarette pack was certainly put there intentionally by one of the fine members of the UAW (stay classy, Flint MI). The nut driver may have been left there accidentally. The only thing near there that I can find that is 17mm is the seat belt bracket bolt. Dieter may have forgotten about it after installing the seat belt bracket, but what puzzles me is how the guy installing the carpet didn’t notice a green and chrome tool laying on a red floor. At least that’s something I can use. The antenna base may have been dropped and missed. That’s a dark colored part lying on a dark gray floor.

So I’m 3 for 3 at finding souvenirs when removing the carpets from my cars. Maybe I should pull the carpet out of my wife’s ’99 Civic to see if I find anything.

Anyone else find any treasures in their car?

[Knock Sensor]

Haven't found anything yet.

But that's pretty awesome you've had 3 cars with gifts.

[l88m22vette]

I was hoping you'd say the "cigarette" pack was full of 1985-vintage weed

[A.Wilder]

.when i was 16 me and my dad pulled some Recaros out of a mk2. When we got home and put them on the garage floor, a sack of weed fell out

[l88m22vette]

[Art Vandelay]

I know of a few different Mustang guys who found joints under their carpet. They were the original owners so it had to have come from the factory.

I'd be pleased to find a build sheet, which is a common find, but I don't have the time to look.

[htownkid]

I found dead hookers and bagel crumbs under the carpet of my car.

[konkomania]

I found dead hookers and bagel crumbs under the carpet of my car.

You must drive a TCL darling... 4.0 I'm guessing?

[htownkid]

You must drive a TCL darling... 4.0 I'm guessing?

Nah, this is what I drive

[DedRok]

Glass under the carpet of the rear seats. I'm assuming the rear window was broken in my old GTI from the previous owner(s), but thats not really form the factory i'm hoping.

[compy222]

You must drive a TCL darling... 4.0 I'm guessing?

could have been an e30. depends on how the hooker was sliced.

i've found remnants of previous owners in many of my cars. i once even found a still valid checkbook from an owner two before me that left it buried under the seat/carpet of a miata. i've found lighters, cigarettes, key chains and other fun items too. but nothing from the factory...

[DedRok]

This Camaro had a bunch of wheel weights stuck onto it's brakes from factory.

[John Lee Pettimore]

.when i was 16 me and my dad pulled some Recaros out of a mk2. When we got home and put them on the garage floor, a sack of weed fell out

f'n eh!

i'd love to find some free doobie snacks.

[Peloton25]

This Camaro had a bunch of wheel weights stuck onto it's brakes from factory.

For good reason (apparently):

http://jalopnik.com/5222908/2010-che...-brake-weights

>8^)
ER

[jpr]

Somebody in southern illinois bought a brand new 2005 fully loaded suburban pewter color back in 2004 with aftermarket (factory but not so factory installed) tv's and wireless headphones. Under the carpet infront of the rear seats they'll find a 24" long nice stainless steel handy hand grabbing tool. Id like it back if your reading this...

I was working on a van once. Fairly large 5 figure stereo system and the owner came up to me wondering if I found a stash anywhere in the van yet. He said it was goooooood stuff. I told him nope. Which I didn't

Couple other cars over the course of 10 years or so has a few tools from me in various places I never could figure out where they went.

[KahviVW]

For good reason (apparently):

http://jalopnik.com/5222908/2010-che...-brake-weights

>8^)
ER

They don't still do that... do they?

[Peloton25]

No idea - I just recalled seeing the story before and wanted to point out it wasn't an isolated case.

>8^)
ER

[surfinsk8r]

My friend that works at a Chevrolet dealer detailing brand new cars found a decent amount of high quality coke while detailing the interior. Keep in mind this car had sub 100 miles, it was fresh from the factory.

[trb02jtta]

I've seen people with messages written on the inside of body panels from assemblers in the factory.

[ThatsGoodT]

I picked up an old 1970 VW Squareback for $300 from a guy out in the boonies about 15 years ago and it had a hornet nest in the engine compartment. Nothing like this yellow jacket nest though, yikes!

[konkomania]

I would be both in awe and scared out of my mind after seeing that.

[arozanski]

I picked up an old 1970 VW Squareback for $300 from a guy out in the boonies about 15 years ago and it had a hornet nest in the engine compartment. Nothing like this yellow jacket nest though, yikes!

What car is that?

Gonna need a whole lot of Benedryl

[Toaster29]

After a service on my 335, one of the BMW techs left me a REALLY nice LED pen light. The body is stainless steel and it's bright as hell. I love it and use it whenever parts go missing in the engine bay. I found it during my return to stock before trading. I visited multiple dealerships for service, so I have no idea who or where it was when they lost it.

[Das Borgen]

could have been an e30. depends on how the hooker was sliced.

i've found remnants of previous owners in many of my cars. i once even found a still valid checkbook from an owner two before me that left it buried under the seat/carpet of a miata. i've found lighters, cigarettes, key chains and other fun items too. but nothing from the factory...

[cityjohn]

I heard about a motorhome that was built with a cat inside the ceiling.

No, not Ceiling Cat, just a regular cat. The owners heard noises and ending up finding the trapped feline.

[feels_road]

.when i was 16 me and my dad pulled some Recaros out of a mk2. When we got home and put them on the garage floor, a sack of weed fell out

That's what you told your dad when it slipped out of your pocket, so you wouldn't get busted...

[Internal Combustion]

My dad's best friend in high school's dad bought a Cadillac in 1971. There was a terrible rattle in the passenger door. They couldn't figure it out and the dealer kept ignoring him. When they finally said screw it and took the door panel off there was a beer can full of pop tabs wedged in the door assembly that had a piece of tape and the inscription "Enjoy finding this, you rich bast*rd". Oh the UAW.

[03_uni-B]

I'd be pleased to find a build sheet, which is a common find, but I don't have the time to look.

came in here to say i found the build sheet to my dad's 03 mustang cobra up in the rear end above the IR suspensions dif. its been there for 5-6 years of daily driving. thought that was really cool.

[Cedric_s]

We found some parts from the previous owner in the back of an audi S3.
He apparently lost his head, or at least part of it.

[Tornado2dr]

We found some parts from the previous owner in the back of an audi S3.
He apparently lost his head, or at least part of it.

Eww.

[TheTimob]

When I cut my first 1984 Scirocco in half, I found this coin inside a unibody void between the firewall and the front suspension frame horns:





Guernsey is an English Channel island country and British Crown possession, off the coast of Normandy. It was occupied by Germany in World War 2.

My car was built by Karmann, in Osnabrück, Germany.

[IntrstlarOvrdrve]

What car is that?

Gonna need a whole lot of Benedryl

55 chevy bel air

[surfinsk8r]

We found some parts from the previous owner in the back of an audi S3.
He apparently lost his head, or at least part of it.

I kinda want details...I think.

[Notch__Johnson]

.when i was 16 me and my dad pulled some Recaros out of a mk2. When we got home and put them on the garage floor, a sack of weed fell out

Thats probably the ONE time the line "but dad its not mine!" worked!

[Northern RD]

My dad's best friend in high school's dad bought a Cadillac in 1971. There was a terrible rattle in the passenger door. They couldn't figure it out and the dealer kept ignoring him. When they finally said screw it and took the door panel off there was a beer can full of pop tabs wedged in the door assembly that had a piece of tape and the inscription "Enjoy finding this, you rich bast*rd". Oh the UAW.

Another common urban legand,..