Help finding my Dad's car!!

[A12pilot]

Just got a bit of news in the snail-mail that may help me track down my Dad's old car! When he got out of the Airforce, he bought a 67 LeMans with a 326HO, 4speed, bucket seats, console, Mariner Turquoise with a White Vinyl top and a green interior. I thought to myself, "Self? How cool would it be to find my Dad's old car?" Now, that would be pretty cool! The best source for anything related to that car would be my uncle who bought it from my dad. It then went to his oldest son, then youngest son. Now, my uncle keeps everything and anything in the attic. He has his kidney stones in a jar up there! But does he have an old insurance car with the VIN of the car on it? That's a "NO":frown: I figured as soon as that search started, it was over, and I just continued to scour Craigslist and eBay looking for the car with a hope that it was still out there.

I got a letter in the mail yesterday that was from my cousin who was the last owner of the car, with an old insurance policy with the VIN on it!! Freakin' score!!! So now I'm on the hunt. Any idea what to do next? CarFax? Can the VIN be run through the DMV? It was in NJ (Cinnaminson) but not sure where it might have gone. I guess I'll get the PHS on it too, that would help. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'd love to find this car and buy it back!

Thanks guys!!!

Cheers:beers:

[JRC99]

Private investigator. They can run it for $50. I did it for Dad's '84 Bronco, though I eventually found out it'd been scrapped.

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

PM sent.

I hope to help.

Ryan

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

In addition to my PM, get "Pete Leathersac" in on the search he is a blood hound!!

Ryan

[ssl78]

I wonder if PHS knows who else would have sent in a PHS request for that vin

[A12pilot]

Thanks Guys! Email sent Ryan. Hopefully I can find it.... and find it not cubed up!

Dave

[DW31S]

I'd think a car with those colors would be easily remembered by anyone closely associated with it. CARFAX will be of no help. The police can run a VIN search and depending on the state, so can that state's motor vehicle administration office. The problem is unless you get lucky, a normal employee will give you the "we don't do that" line. Good luck in your quest.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Besides searching for the car, best would be lay the whole Vin out here now so this thread becomes the result for anyone ever Googling the Vin online and they can find you.
It could be years from now so consider including a # to reach you that will still be the same, not a cell # that may change.
Best of luck finding your Pop's ride!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[69hurstSC]

Feel free to post it here too.
https://www.facebook.com/lostmusclecars/

[Jonesy]

Dave, I see alot of resemblance of you in your father. I almost thought that was you!!

[Mr. Chevy]

Dave, I see alot of resemblance of you in your father. I almost thought that was you!!

Ditto that!!


Rich

[A12pilot]

Ha! Yeah....I know one thing.... no mailman involved on that one!:smirk:

The search is on..... I'll keep you all posted.

Cheers

Dave

[m22mike]

Your Dad was better looking...:naughty:

[scuncio]

Good luck! Boy is that an odd color combo. I'd love to see it.

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

A friend had a bite:-)

Previous owner and location..... check your email:-)

Ryan

PS: SYC is such a fun place to play:-) "Our Sandbox"

[A12pilot]

Got it. Thanks, Ryan. I'm starting down the road with that contact since it's the only one I have that's not my relatives. The car is last registered to a 75yr old woman in Burlington, NJ. That's only a few towns over from my Uncle in Cinnaminson. They also make really good coats there!:hmmm:

The hunt is on!!!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

OK...I found the only address with the name given to me who lives in Burlington, NJ and just sent out a snail-mail letter. Man, and the timing on that was perfect! I typed it up, dropped it in the mail and went back inside. About a minute later, I realized I forgot to put the flag up so I went back outside and BAM!!!! Mail had just ran! Now that's serendip...serradipitiy....ser....pretty friggin' cool!!!!:eek2: Also got the PHS ordered today.

Tic....tock......:biggthumpup:

Cheers

Dave

[flyingn]

good luck Dave. Ill take a ride over there soon and report back

[A12pilot]

Thanks Frank. I'll keep you posted too! :biggthumpup:

Cheers

Dave

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Cool updates and best of luck w/ your lead!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[A12pilot]

Just to update the thread......I got nothin'......:frown::frown:

No reply from my letter, so either it's not the right person or she sold it a while ago and no clue as to where it is, so no reply. Might have to get a Private Eye involved. I believe the car is still in NJ so maybe I need to befriend a State Trooper to do a search. Wonder if the NJ DMV can help?:dunno: BWAAAHAHAHAHA:haha: DMV....help.... boy....I sure is funny today!

Cheers

Dave

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

The NJ DMV will not help, even law enforcement is unable to pull the info for you without a legit case file - my BIL is a NJ officer and could never get a thing.... :(

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

I would still visit and look for the brightest and best DMV Person to ask if they can support your search in some way.

I have learned with 100% confidence that if you do not ask (or share your story) you will not receive.

I don't know how to say this politically correctly..... so I will just say it..... you could lie:-) report the car stolen and see what happens..... I will put a smiley face at the end so you know I am joking :-)

Ryan

For example Al and I were refused the option to keep his 1973-1976 ownership card for my car so I could have it.... we went to my hometown MTO and told her the whole story and she says, go next door get an appraisal for $15 and give that document to me and you can keep the ownership:-) MTOWTSAC

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

All good advice, until you see the stare of a NJ Officer....

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

All good advice, until you see the stare of a NJ Officer....

You won't believe me.... but in Ontario Canada I can take a VIN number to the Ministry of Transportation and get the history of a car all the way back to 1973 for $20.00 CAD.

Ryan

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Sorry to hear your lead was a no-go but keep trying.
As mentioned earlier, best may be lay the whole Vin out here so this thread becomes the result for anyone ever Googling the Vin.
Again, it could be years from now so consider including a # to reach you at that will stay the same.
Best of luck!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[A12pilot]

I'll keep trying. The Car's number is 237177P182159. I just got the PHS on it too. As remembered by my Dad and backed up by the docs , its Mariner Turquoise, Ivory Vinyl Top, Turquoise (greenish) bucket seat interior, console, Ralley gauges, 326-H.O., 4-speed, H.D. suspension, A/C, 3.23 Safe-T-Trac. Pontiac made 2,032 of them. A sharp color combo, and I'd love to find it. Might have to do the P.I. thing if I don't hear anything from the first lead.

The hunt continues.....

Cheers

Dave

[A12pilot]

The owner that I thought the car had is not the current owner. But, she lead me to another person whom she sold the car to. I'm working on contacting him. Updates to follow!

Cheers
Dave

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

I assume the next owner hasn't registered the vehicle yet....... that is the point it gets a little difficult to track US cars :-(

Keep on it, this is fun!!!

Ryan

[iluv69s]

i am a land surveyor in NJ, so we use the county real estate /deed records alot. You can go on Burlington County website and see who lives at that address. You can also look up that person's name in almost all counties of NJ to see if they own property in that county. (in case they moved nearby)

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

I believe you Ryan, and am quite jealous!!

[A12pilot]

Good Morning:

This is the hotline update for May 18th, 2017. In my most astute and proper vocabulary...."I dun gots my peeps on it!":headbang:

I should have some info today or tomorrow. I'm close.....veeeeeeerrryyy close! If this come to fruition, the South Jersey Pontiac Club is going to have one heck of a fully catered summer BBQ in me!:burnout:

Cheers

Dave

[Chazman]

Good Morning:

This is the hotline update for May 18th, 2017. In my most astute and proper vocabulary...."I dun gots my peeps on it!":headbang:

I should have some info today or tomorrow. I'm close.....veeeeeeerrryyy close! If this come to fruition, the South Jersey Pontiac Club is going to have one heck of a fully catered summer BBQ in me!:burnout:

Cheers

Dave

Awesome!

[The Boss]

Great news!

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

We are all rooting for this to work out!!!!

Ryan

[DW31S]

That is very cool!

[442w30]

I'll keep trying. The Car's number is 237177P182159. I just got the PHS on it too. As remembered by my Dad and backed up by the docs , its Mariner Turquoise, Ivory Vinyl Top, Turquoise (greenish) bucket seat interior, console, Ralley gauges, 326-H.O., 4-speed, H.D. suspension, A/C, 3.23 Safe-T-Trac. Pontiac made 2,032 of them.

I don't know where the 2,032 comes from, but I have numbers from the GM Heritage Center that show 395 LeMans ragtops were built with the 326 HO. 234 of those had a manual tranny, which includes 3-speeds.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

I sincerely hope you get something from the NJ DMV!! Between NJ and NY, they are some of the most difficult states to run title search requests....

[A12pilot]

I don't know where the 2,032 comes from, but I have numbers from the GM Heritage Center that show 395 LeMans ragtops were built with the 326 HO. 234 of those had a manual tranny, which includes 3-speeds.

Carr is a hardtop, not a ragtop. And the numbers are from PHS for 326HO Lemans, manual cars is 2035 (whoops! ). Are these not right? :hmmm:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[442w30]

Oh, duh, a hardtop!

In that case, I show 2,709 LeMans hardtops with the 326 HO. Of those 1,415 had a manual tranny.

The 2,035 is from the number of cars built with the WR engine code, which is for all A-bodies.

[A12pilot]

Well, RATS!!! Just got the call I didn't want to hear. The last owner got in touch with my friend in NJ that wrote him a letter about the car. Yep....he owned it.....and sent it to a junkyard in 1985:frown::thumbsdown: The car was pretty far gone he said. :mad2:

I guess the search is over, and it was fun and exciting along the way with the anticipation I could have found it. Amazing the power of the Web!!:burnout:

Cheers:beers:

[Postsedan]

Dave,

So sorry she`s a goner...."The car was pretty far gone he said", but not by your hand....you would have done your Magic.

Perhaps you`ll find one similar and do a "Dad Tribute" :D

Dan

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

The web is powerful but need a 1.21 Gigawatt flux capacitor for this one.

Bummer.

Ryan

[Woj]

Dave,

So sorry she`s a goner...."The car was pretty far gone he said", but not by your hand....you would have done your Magic.

Perhaps you`ll find one similar and do a "Dad Tribute" :D

Dan

Dave,

Sorry to hear the car is gone. A good friend of mine from my area recreated the 64 GTO convertible that his Dad bought new. He is having a ball with the car. It was a Lemans that the previous owner had put on GTO trim. My buddy did a few other mods and the car turned out beautifully.

Phil

[A12pilot]

Thanks, guys..... appreciate the replies. Meh..... tribute would be OK, but it's "Dad's" car I was after, not a look -a-like no matter how exact I could have made it. Oh well...it sure was a fun chase!

Cheers

Dave

[442w30]

Bummer but an awesome story nonetheless.