Merollis ZL1's

[69hurstSC]

I'm currently working on a book project here at CarTech. We're looking for someone who's well schooled and interested in writing a short piece on the "missing" Merollis ZL1's. The story will be appearing in the upcoming book, "Lost Muscle Cars". Please feel free to reach out to me if you're interested in lending a hand.

Much Thanks.

Wes

[bigsixman]

Wes, I hope that you are able to team up with someone that is able to help you on the Merollis ZL1 Camaros. I have been fascinated with that incident since I first read about it on this forum and I hope that you can shed more light on that in your book. Good luck on this and the book.

[chevyman0429]

Yea I grew up next door to this dealership and recently learned of these ZL1'. Has anyone of these cars surfaced. There's 5 of correct? Are the vins known .

[Tracker1]

The five (5) VINS are registered to one person in Ontario, done at a time when it was pretty easy to transfer a car into your name. One of these cars, or at least its remnants, has surfaced I believe...so , yes, all VINS are known - as are the VINS of the other 64 ZL1s.

From knowledgeable yenko.net member William:

"The Merollis ZL1s were re-distributed Gibb cars: #11, #24, #32, #37 & #50. I ran the VINs several times back in the ‘80s and none of them were registered to insurance companies. Indications are all of them were recovered and sold at insurance auction. #11 has been in Ohio with the same owner since the ‘70s; #24 was on file as have been junked in MA in 1973. The others could have been junked, used up on the street or may survive as cut up drag cars with no tags. Be aware that the VINs are registered in Canada."

[jimbo]

If #11 is in Ohio, how can it be registered in Canada too?

[PeteLeathersac]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jimbo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If #11 is in Ohio, how can it be registered in Canada too? </div></div>

May be best ask fraudster James Boag of Owen Sound Ontario Canada how it's possible including how the reported/taxed purchase amount was arrived at?
Here's a link to the pertinent thread...
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&amp;Number=177998&amp;page=all

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/dunno.gif
~ Pete

[69hurstSC]

I'm still looking for someone to assist in this project.

[iluv69s]

William would probably be the one to talk to i believe... Id reach out to him

[William]

Journalism is &quot;...writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation.&quot; Well I don't have any facts. Like everyone else I heard the legend of the Merollis ZL1s. And that is all it is, maybe true, maybe not.

When Super Chevy published the ZL1 Camaros VINs 33 years ago a number of people, myself included, began to search for the cars. Merollis was listed as one of the selling dealers so someone, probably Ed, called the dealership. That is most likely where the story came from and it was old news even then. The legend has grown over time; last I heard the cars still exist and are stored in a trailer in Detroit.

What I do know is I checked all the VINs through NCIC back when it was easy. None of them were titled to an insurance company so either they were not stolen or they were all recovered. #11 has been with the same owner in Ohio for many years. #24 was recorded as being junked in MA in 1973. None of the others had any registration history. If they were stolen from a dealership GMAC would have been the legal owner. If recovered they would have been disposed of at a salvage auction while still on MSO. They may have gone to a salvage yard and eventually been destroyed; maybe one became a race car. The three unknown cars may have never been titled or registered.

The Merollis ZL1 story is legend, not fact. Maybe someday.

[RPOLS3]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: William</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> #11 has been with the same owner in Ohio for many years. </div></div>

I don't have a horse in this race and enjoy hearing the history and what various people have to say about what may or may have not happened.

In regards to #11 then - does that mean it has a legitimate title, registration, paperwork, etc. and is considered a legit car?

Jake

[68l30]

I've spoken with the owner of #11 many times, I would say yes.


BIG

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Regarding #11, from what I've been told by the owner's brother - yes, it is currently titled in OH.

Several years ago a bunch of us were congregating at my trailer in the Holiday Inn parking lot at the SCR, and a guy had looked out his window and saw my Deuce fender inside the trailer. He proceeds to come outside and we got to talking. He was from OH and is a lawyer for MTD Equipment who was in town for a legal case. He tells us that his brother has had a silver ZL1 for decades, and then says the car was sold new at Merollis! We mentioned the 'stolen cars' story, but he was sure that his brother's car had a clear title. Talk about a small world!

[68l30]

I remember that conversation well...I even offered to give him a lift back home if he wanted to stay the weekend. I spoke to the owner (his brother) about this same story this past summer. He laughed and said yep, that's my brother. Small world indeed...


BIG

[69hurstSC]

So how does the person in Canada who applied for title on the 5 cars fit into this?

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

It doesn't fit very well.

[m22mike]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 68l30</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've spoken with the owner of #11 many times, I would say yes.


BIG </div></div>

X2 what Big said here, I know the owner also, car has been off the radar since about the mid 70's ? From what I recall being told.
So if they ever clone #11 that might prove interesting.

[iluv69s]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It doesn't fit very well. </div></div>


LOL <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/haha.gif apparently someone in Canada took it upon themselves to somehow create fake docs and register these stolen cars in Canada.... I think they call them 'air' cars in the Ferrari world if I remember correctly.... correct me if I am wrong.

there is a thread posted here about them.

[earntaz]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It doesn't fit very well.</div></div>

I would believe that's why we refer to these as stories ... maybe tall tales would be a better description. TAZ