RogerD's 1969 Dick Harrell Chevelle

[RogerD]

Don't recall for sure the colors or if the other cars were Camaro's or Chevelles. I do believe one (if not both) were Camaros.
My eye was taken by the brilliant orange Chevelle . . .

[Xplantdad]

Awesome Roger!

[SS427]

Neat story! Can almost picture the scene 40 years ago perfectly.

[RogerD]

To expand a bit on a question inquiring about an 'exact' accounting as to how this Chevelle made it's way back to me, not too short but exactly as it happened:

1. I located the last Missouri owner of record in November 08 via title search with MO DMV utilizing the VIN (off my original documents)

2. I contacted the last owner of record and traced the car (utilizing a single thread of information he provided) via public tax records and published obits to a farm in Independence, MO where the car was stored for many years.

3. I traced the car from the farm to the owner of record in Illinois who posted the car for sale on Craigslist via the unknowing help of an individual (Dan Palchanes). Dan emailed me out of the blue asking "By chance was your VIN NNNNNNNNNNNNN?" - I responded to Dan but never answered or confirmed his question. He never answered back and I intensified my efforts. I concluded that if he came up with the VIN somehow, the car must be out there.

5. I was checking google, eBay and Craigslists (throughout the US) trying to find any small thread or indication of where the car was located (I had never disclosed the VIN or any portion thereof on any of my posts at this point).

4. End of July, first week of August - I located an old expired add for a "1969 Chevelle- Project Car" on a consolidator's website - completed a 15 page survey before it displayed the old, expired add - my VIN number was posted in the body of the add and so was the Illinois location.

5. It's now the second week of August, I was up every morning at 5:30 (mi wife was ready to shoot me) checking all new "1969 Chevelle" listings, emailing, calling, eliminating them one by one.

6. On Aug 12th, a new listing from Aug 11 at 4:31PM popped up in the Chicago Craigslist - it had my VIN and pictures - looks very promising.

7. I emailed the seller three times before noon that day - he called me about 3:30PM, we talked and agreed to meet the next afternoon (may be a bust, may be a hoax, may be for real, please - a little prayer about now . . . )

8. Change of plans, couldn't find a flight Thursday morning - had to leave by 7:30PM that same day - called the owner and changed the meeting time to 7:30AM meeting the next morning (Aug 13, 2009)

9. Aug `13, 2009 at 7:30AM, when he raised the storage unit door I saw a chevelle with peeling white paint, bright orange peeking out from beneath and a very old Missouri inspection sticker on the lower left part of the windshield.

10. Aug 13, 2009 at 7:40AM - I asked the seller if he had title - he pulled out a Missouri Lien release dated 2005 that showed the same owner of record to whom I had traced the car as far back as 1983 - then he presented a lien free Illinois title.

11. Aug 13, 2009 at 7:50AM - We concluded our transaction and he signed over the title along with a bill of sale. My little prayer was answered at this point!

12. Aug 13, 2009 at 10:15AM - Pushed the car out of 3005 and into 3008 storage unit (3 doors down from previous owners unit) and secured it. First thing I did was to scrap a small spot on the driver's front fender - found a small quarter sized flat spot - I put the flat spot there in November 1969 when I clipped a construction barrell on the way home.

I've left off the trip back home and return trip to pick up the car but that's another story . . .

Roger,

This is indeed an exciting find. Can you please explain something for me? I would like to know the EXACT account as to how this Chevelle made its way back to you. I really am not interested in all the efforts you made over the years but, I already read that but rather the exact details about how the car made it back into your possesion (e.g. ran the vin, located previous owner etc.). I love these stories.

[427.060]

Great story Roger.
James

[Rixls6]

Definitely a great story.
C'mon, give us the rest of it now that you started.

[RogerD]

The rest of the story . . .

My friend, Ken H. was great company on the trip. A very long drive each way - McD's Expresso was just the ticket to give me that extra boost.

Each time we stopped for gas on the way home, someone would always walk up and inquire about the 'white SS' and the question would come up, 'want to sell it?'.

Killer trip, GREAT trip, an abundance of memories came flooding back on the way home. Just couldn't resist contacting old friends from back in the day and family to give them the news - what a trip . . .

[jeff morocco]

OTTAWA ? ARE YOU KIDDING ME ?
just my luck ! awhile back my old company was building a walmart store on rt23 and i80. some local guy saw the chevy emblem i have tattooed on my leg and asked if i was into old cars. i said yes and he then asked if i was interested in a white 69 SS chevelle that his buddy was thinking about selling. he said its in storage now and has been sitting for a long time. i said that i already have a chevelle, maybe in a couple years when my kids get old enough i'll start looking for something. this has to be the same car. that was probably the only time i will ever come close to owning such a rare and cool car. just my luck. i guess if that happens again, it just may be worth looking into.

congrats on finding your old car !!! an awesome story and by far the coolest car to be found in some time !!!!

[RogerD]

Could have been the very same car but . . .

My '69 would most likely never have been anything other than a misidentified SS396 car to anyone other than me. My original Dick Harrell 'MSRP' and Bill Allen 'Customer Invoice' prove my car was a KAN COPO and that Dick Harrell modified it while 'new' in 1969 from a COPO to a "Dick Harrell Chevelle".

The new DHPC org checked their archives from the original Dick Harrell org but found nothing on my specific car. Apparently, there are gaps in the document archives or their search failed to find the corresponding documents. At least they gave it a try and I do appreciate their efforts . . .
My guess is that documents will be found some day but perhaps not in my lifetime. . .

The new DHPC org (along with former employees of the original Dick Harrell org) have stated publicly on several occasions 'no 69 Dick Harrell Chevelles' for several years. The documents I have along with my found '69 COPO/DH Chevelle proves otherwise.

[JChlupsa]

[ QUOTE ]
My guess is that documents will be found some day but perhaps not in my lifetime.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your DOCs are the only ones needed to prove what you have, why bother with asking someone else to see if they have anything when yours Show without a doubt what the car is

Neat story on how you got the car back by the way, congrats