68 camaro L78 at St. Louis Raceway Park

[L34Pace]

I'm hoping someone here might be able to help me find the original owner of my L78 camaro. It was ordered at Bill James Chevrolet in St. Louis. I have the original POP, window sticker, and dealer invoice but the problem is this guy put everything in his mothers name, Ruby Helnike, for insurance reasons. The car is cordovan maroon w/a black vinyl top. It is a factory M22, BW 4.56 and was known to race the 1/8th mile at St. Louis Raceway park from 68 to the mid 70's. His first name might be John with possible last names of Helnike or Morgan. If anyone can help put a name to this car I would appreciate it

Thanks
Pat

[notstock71]

This is the only Helnike I came up with on a US search. You could try calling and see if he is related.
Lewis
Helnike, Milton B
5361 N Us Highway 183
Gonzales, TX 78629-5137
(830) 672-2977

[L34Pace]

disconnected....but its a lead anyway. Thanks

[notstock71]

Do you have any other information that could help? Any old addresses on receipts or anything? Any tip bits with names or addresses could help. Do you know where they were from? The car was bought in St Louis but but do you know if that is where they were from?

You could try a title search on the car from the state of MO. In Kentucky a title search can be done but you need to fill out a from showing you are a current owner and will not release any of the information. It is for research purposes. Maybe MO has the same policies.

I actually hired a private investigator to look for the original owner of dads L79. The original owner was deceased but I did talk to his widow. She knew nothing, it was bought and sold before they married.

The protecto plate should have their city under their name. Dads 67 had it. It is the only way I knew where he lived. Does yours have their home city? You could try contacting public records in that city.

[notstock71]

Here is a link to the Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles. This page is their forms and manuals. Go to form 4803, request for information. This is the form for a title search. Hopefully this will turn something up for you.
Lewis

http://www.dor.mo.gov/mvdl/motorv/forms/

[Kim_Howie]

First you have to fill FORM 4678 to obtain a security access code in order to get personal info.

[L34Pace]

I got the POP out last night and it seems I made an error with the last name, its Helmke not Helnike.

Ruby Helmke
6874 Elm Point Lane
St. Louis, MO.

I guess I'll have to tell the long story regarding this car so you can get an idea of what I'm trying to discover. I bought the car from Ruby's daughter Donna Morgan of St. Louis. It had been in storage since 1978 with 15k miles on the body and the original engine missing. I have since transplanted another MQ block from 8N391270 and am putting on the finishing touches. I was told by her that the brother was into racing in the local area and hung around with Dick Harrell. Dick had a shop in St. Louis in 1967 that was located next door to the selling dealer, Bill James Chevrolet. Jeff here on the site and Dave Libby helped me with that information last year. Since Harrell moved his shop to K.C. by the time this car was delivered in 1968 it is pure speculation if he had anything to do with it other than help a friend spec it out. Dave does not remember the car being at the K.C. shop and was not with Harrell in St. Louis. Here is the brickwall I'm facing. Ruby is deceased and the daughter ends up with the car titled in her name and sells it to me after it basically sits for 30 years (stored indoors). She will not even give me the name of her brother although she did tell me he is living and "its one of those family things". I would guess its over money and maybe the car? So I'm looking for Ruby Helmke's son as he is the only person who knows what was put under the hood and by whom. the car did have an alarm system and a chain and padalock wraped around the core support and attached to a bracket under the hood! Something was under that hood of value!! Who knows maybe the guy still has it

[COPO]

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[/ QUOTE ] the car did have an alarm system and a chain and padalock wraped around the core support and attached to a bracket under the hood! Something was under that hood of value!! Who knows maybe the guy still has it

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I think that might have been more common than you think. In fact, I did the exact same thing in 1980 when I bought a '70 Z-28 as my first car.

It does sound like an interesting car and if it does in fact have a DH connection that would be awesome. Good luck with the search. The state DMV's are pretty tough now getting info. Several years back I did have luck with the Missouri DMV on a car I was researching.

[markjohnson]

Bill James Chevrolet(now gone) was another performance oriented dealership here in St. Louis. I used to know a mechanic that worked in the service department there in the sixties. He'd tell some great stories. Once told me he that the demand for 409 cars was so great, that they were converting six-cylinder cars off the lot into '09's. Want a car with air conditioning? Him and another mechanic could add that under-the-dash air conditioning unit in 45 minutes. This is the first I've heard of Harrell having a shop next to Bill James though. Anyway, I'm in St. Louis and actually work pretty close to the old dealership and anything I can do to help, just give a holler. By the way, there's a book out at the larger bookstores that specifically focuses on old Chevrolet dealership photos and there happens to be a great photo of the Bill James lot in the sixities.

[L34Pace]

[ QUOTE ]
This is the first I've heard of Harrell having a shop next to Bill James though. By the way, there's a book out at the larger bookstores that specifically focuses on old Chevrolet dealership photos and there happens to be a great photo of the Bill James lot in the sixities.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, I'm small town Harrells shop was nearby...maybe on Chippewa? I would like to know the author of that book if you know it? If you could circulate the Helmke name for me I'd appreciate it!