There's a reason car thieves prefer run of the mill vehicles like the Honda Accord over flashier metal. With thousands of the things running the roads of every city in America, it's nearly impossible for law enforcement to track down one car out of the masses. And that's nearly exactly what the NYPD told Amanda Pogany three years ago when her 1996 Accord was stolen. Then something unexpected happened. During a recent raid on a chop shop, the police turned up Pogany's car, though it had changed somewhat from the last time she saw it.

The individual who bought the stolen Honda from the thieves had completely worked it over. Not only did Pogany find a new engine under the hood and new wheels on each corner, the car had been converted from an automatic to a manual transmission. Police estimate the car is now worth quite a bit more than when it vanished back in 2007.

Sadly, the Accord's rightful owner hasn't taken it for a spin just yet. Ironically, Pogany doesn't know how to drive stick, and she's currently fighting through the mountains of red tape involved with getting a new VIN and re-titling the car.

drag-race ready, with a brand-new V-8 engine