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MosportGreen66
04-13-2012, 04:30 AM
Hi Guys,

I wanted to share another chapter in the story of our 1966 Corvette Coupe. Since purchasing the car in 1998, we have performed a frame off restoration of this beautiful original born with motor, trans, rear, fiberglass and interior Corvette. The car has been awarded with 2 Regional Level NCRS Top Flight Awards, 2 National Level NCRS Top Flight Awards, an NCRS Performance Verification, NCRS Duntov Award, Bloomington Gold, MCACN Triple Diamond Award, and it even won the Greenwich Concourse in Connecticut. We have the NCRS Shipper data stating the car was originally delivered to Beach City Chevrolet in Beach City, California, but other than that and a dry title search to Pennsylvania, we had no other documentation.

Fast forward to first quarter 2011. In speaking with a friend at an NCRS event, he mentions that Bill Gould of Auto Ancestry [http://www.autoancestry.com] was able to locate and purchase all of the original paperwork from his '66 427/390 Corvette and he suggest we reach out to him. We send Bill all of his requested material and we wait. 2-3 months later Bill reports back that he located one of the prior owners and this owner believes he has the original Protect-o-Plate but currently cannot find it. Correspondence droughts until one weekend Bill emails with excitement stating the previous owner has located the Protect-o-Plate! I spend the next several weeks emailing back and forth with the owner and we agreed upon a price for the Protect-o-Plate and some other items he has.

Sunday the previous owner comes to the house and we spend a little less than an hour discussing the car, how it was found, what was original, what was changed, his experience in ownership, etc, etc. Not only did the owner bring with the original Protect-o-Plate, but also he provided the original owner's manual, original radio tuning guide, a complete list of owners from 1966-1998 (when he sold it), every service receipt from 1968-1988 (when he bought it), photos of the car from the 1980s, and he even provided a news paper clipping showing the car was for sale. All in all there are 50+ documents.

We always knew the car was in an original state of its own but to finally marry and reunite the paperwork with such a magnificent car is truly special. Not only is the car fully original, but now it is fully documented! This act speaks volumes to real car guys helping other real car guys. Moral of the story here gents - patients prevails and PLEASE go after your previous owners for all documentation!

A special thank you to my friends Steve Barmati, Adam Tuckman, Bill Gould, and Larry Sachs for the advise.

Regards,
Dan

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/P1010044-3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/P1010046-3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/P1010045-3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Slide1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/Slide1-1.jpg

And the group shot...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/IMG_2129.jpg

MosportGreen66
04-13-2012, 04:38 AM
Oh and I neglected to mention...

Car was ordered to Beach City Chevrolet but sold from Hal Wakin's Chevrolet.

The car was unearthed by total mistake. The previous owner went to look at a 1955 Corvette in Altoona, PA (in 1988). When he walked in the poll barn he saw a mid year under a car cover. He ended up purchasing both the '55 and my '66 and drove the '66 home.

The day it was discovered

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/1966Corvette1.jpg

And some place on the PA Turnpike

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/1966Corvette.jpg

bergy
04-13-2012, 01:25 PM
It's great to hear these stories of how tenacity in research pays off! Many owners just "give up" after the DMV tells them that there are no additional records available. Previous owners love to talk about their old cars - finding them is the excitement of the "hunt". Great story Dan - the value of your car just increased & it looks like you made some new friends to boot!

1969z280
04-13-2012, 02:46 PM
Dan,

Congratulations to you and your dad! Ed

mockingbird812
04-13-2012, 03:36 PM
Wonderful news Dan. Big CONGRATS. That really tops things off!!! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

Xplantdad
04-13-2012, 05:04 PM
Very cool Dan!!

elonblock
04-13-2012, 07:25 PM
Congratulations! Good job on following through.

Elon

RPOLS3
04-13-2012, 10:27 PM
Congrats Dan - great story.

markinnaples
04-14-2012, 05:00 AM
Nice car. I love the '66 Big Block hoods.

Atuckman
04-14-2012, 03:24 PM
Big congrats to the whole family. So happy for you all

Verne_Frantz
04-14-2012, 03:46 PM
I love the outcome of that story Dan. IT adds so much to the excitment of ownership. I have all that and more for my most recent '62 but I'm still trying to find the original owner of my 44 year owned '62.

Verne <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

SBR
04-15-2012, 01:11 AM
That is an incredible find! Congrats!

COPO PETE
04-15-2012, 03:35 PM
Nice! I love those kind of stories.
Peter

MosportGreen66
04-15-2012, 10:03 PM
Hi Guys,

Thanks for your support! This has been a real treat and I'm happy to share it all with you.

Regards!

njsteve
04-16-2012, 12:26 AM
I know exactly how you feel! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
My Charger originally came with nothing but a broadcast sheet and the old title and then out of the blue, My Fairy Car-Fathers (John and Larry Ehnat) sent me the entire dealer file folder.

K code Mustang
04-17-2012, 03:21 AM
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know exactly how you feel! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
My Charger originally came with nothing but a broadcast sheet and the old title and then out of the blue, My Fairy Car-Fathers (John and Larry Ehnat) sent me the entire dealer file folder. </div></div>

I wish I kept all the folders from Suburban.I was shocked with the amount of '68 thru '70 R/T cars and Superbee's, GTS Darts and 340 Swingers and Challenger R/T's...But as I said before, yours was the only Hemi.

Stefano
04-25-2012, 04:15 AM
That is truly amazing.

Congrats!

TimG
04-26-2012, 03:15 PM
Dan, that's a great story. What a wonderful car, I'm glad that the paperwork made its way back.

MosportGreen66
04-28-2012, 05:01 AM
Thanks a lot guys! I do plan on posting some detail scans of the receipts from its past. You'd really enjoy them - I just haven't had time.

Regards

black69
04-28-2012, 05:43 AM
what a great outcome! congrats!

RM Schimel
05-04-2012, 11:02 AM
Very interesting…congratulations! RM