Smith: Father and son's pride and joy stolen

The sweet, black 1968 Camaro ripped off from Sonoma on Thursday leaves a hole the size of a five-car garage in the hearts of dad-and-son Doug and Nathan Sanders.

The Rally Sport was tired and yellow when Doug, an auto repairman, bought it a decade ago. He and Nathan worked on it and off, accomplishing most of the restoration two years ago as Nathan's senior project in high school.

It's been even more recent that the car has been running well and nearly finished.

Said Nathan, now 20, 'My dad and I always agreed we would never sell the car or trade it for anything since we had put so much heart into it. It was to be passed down generation to generation.'

Nathan said his dad parked outside the Safeway on West Napa Street and ran in for a few chicken wings. Exiting the market to find the Camaro gone, Doug hoped his co-workers at nearby Pacific Rim Auto Repair were messing with him.

They weren't.

Should you see the Camaro, which wore old American Racing five-spoke grey wheels, father and son would appreciate a quick call to the Sonoma Police.