Trying to find my old car

49fordman

Thanks Mike for your help, all good ideas.
I'll let you know what happens.

MyPony

I'm trying to locate my first car, a 1980 Mustang. Any ideas? I do have the VIN #, I know it was impounded in Provo, UT and never re-registered so my guess is it's sitting in a salvage yard somewhere. All I have called don't seem to be willing to work with me. Is the only way to find it going to be through hours and hours of walking junkyards?

Mr_Shiftright

It's not a car that a wrecking yard or a collector would be likely to save unfortunately, so if it was junked some years ago, it's probably gone. But there's always the one in a million shot of calling the yards in Provo and asking if they even HAVE a 1980 Mustang. They should be able to check inventory pretty easily. Most wrecking yards don't want 80s cars, as there is little profit in keeping them.

Just for fun, I looked for a fender for an '80 Mustang in Utah by using www.car-part.com, but there was nothing. Maybe you could search for a hood, or other large body part, and see if any '80s come up in Utah.

spazzman

im in the same position= im looking for my first car,,1967 SS 396 chevelle, yellow org paint w/ maroon front end off my malibu i had but with SS hood,,it was a real 138 vin SS......it was sold in the L.A area in 1988...i believe the person had a second 67 that him or his wife owned

spazzman

looking for my first car=1967 SS 396 chevelle....my dad bought me the car in 1984 from a junkyard on alameda blvd in carson ca..it was yellow with a smashed front end...i fixed the front end and put it on a 67 malibu..in 1988 my dad sold the SS..damn him...at the time it had a 454 in it,,it was yellow with a maroon front end off my malibu but with the SS hood..it was sold too some that had a 69 el-camino.... he sold to a couple that had a second 67 chevelle..i think he painted it black and i seen the pair at ascot in gardena,ca.....it had a salvaged title

daviscamaro1

I'm looking for a 1977 Camaro v8 305 ci engine
Vin# 1Q87U7L626223
any1 know how i can find it.
We've been looking for years i'm desperate to find anyway of tracing it.

Mr_Shiftright

Well it could be anywhere in the world and sadly, chances are good that that car is already recycled, as these are not highly collectible. However, you could take a long shot and advertise the VIN # in an ad in Hemmings Motor News, and also check the registry of any Camaro club you can find online.

daviscamaro1

OK Thank You i'll try that and yah i fear that it has been recycled we need to preserve our history!

uplanderguy

The original owners of my '63 Studebaker Lark Daytona found me and we met late last summer. I have production paperwork I got from the Studebaker Museum which showed the owner's name and that the car was picked up by him in person at the South Bend plant. I posted this information on a Studebaker website and the original owner found me by googling his name and coming across the website. It can happen. The story, and some photos, were told on page 42 of Feb. 2011's 'Hemmings Motor News'. I think with a high-volume car like a Camaro, it will be a harder task for you. Good luck!

troubadour87

If you're trying to find your first or favorite car, try First Car Reunion

This guy has a good list of resources and information. He might even let you put an ad up for you on his blog.

Mr_Shiftright

I think he was looking for the car, not the previous owners though.

troubadour87

If you find the previous owners, you have a good chance of finding the car.

savethecars

I'm in the restoration business here in West Palm Bch. Fl., and I have been collecting old cars for many years. Hemmings Motor news is a good source, along with other websites. I just recently found this website called the Lost Car Registry. This is the best resource info I have found so far. The site is about 5 yrs old and growing... Abc news also did a story about this site. I attached both links at the bottom for everyone to share. On another note post your information on facebook.com on what you are looking for and join some of the clubs on there... Good luck

Website info
http://the-lost-car-registry.com/

ABC news story
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4232618

Mr_Shiftright

I wouldn't say a "good" chance at all. But at least you have a chance. Also you were incredibly lucky to have even found the original owner's name--this must be unique to Studebaker because all the factory build sheets I've seen just list the DSO or perhaps the dealer it was shipped to.

The rarer the car, the better your chances, oddly enough. Case in point, the story in the link about a lost car found---it was a very rare W code Fairlane.

People tend to hold onto, or at least preserve, rare and unusual cars. But as you say, a mass produced Camaro with the usual options is not likely to survive. And old 4-doors, practically never.

It really helps if you had the VIN. This allows you to check club registries and auction archives.

uplanderguy

Here's a copy of the "Drive Away Shipper" for my old Lark:

http://www.studebakerskytop.com/jtskyktopShipper63V5224.jpg

The original owners found the car, and me, not vice-versa. In fact they wanted to buy it, but I wasn't ready to sell then.

Also, the 'drive away shipper' showed the original owner's name only because it was a retail delivery at the plant. However, for Studebakers it is possible to determine name, address, and occupation of the original owner, and what he traded in, for Studes bought from Sept. '63 through after the end of production in March '66. This info is on file at the Archives of the Studebaker National Museum. Covers the production years I like best, but certainly not enough!

codanfor

Austin Area, Texas. I grew up learning how to drive on my family's ranch in this truck. It was a 1992 k2500, long bed, Silverado extended cab that my dad drove every day and towed the horse trailers with. It is/was white with tan interior and a wood center console. The rims were painted black and it had a ranch hand brush guard and tool box at the time. I believe it had duel exhaust, but I was young and I just remember my dad telling me "I tell your mother the glasspacks are for gas millage, but I just like the way they sound." The original stuffy tbi 350 was stroked out to a 383 for towing, and it was sold shortly after. I loved this truck and it was a part of my childhood anyone with any tips would be of great service. The defining characteristic is the non-original 383 stroker and newer model leather interior.
PLEASE HELP!
much thanks Colton

suej1

I bought a 1974 Dodge Challenger new, had to sell it around 1995 (divorce!), and I'm trying to find it. I know it initially went to NJ, and it was being restored. I have the VIN #, original window sticker and spare set of keys..plus lots of picts.
It was a 360 4 BBL, rally, 4 speed....
Last digits if VIN are: 279629...would love to buy it back. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to find it? I did post on NJ Mopar club sites, but so far no results.

omarman

Ever look at the Hamtramck Registry site? May not have the VIN for your car in their database but lots of info for all Mopar including Challengers. If you click on the Found link on the left side of their home page, it brings up an interesting VIN search page. Apparently they even have a big collection of old build sheets, window stickers, etc. which can be claimed by the current owner of the car it originally came from! Looks like they update their site frequently and Mopar mysteries seem to be a serious hobby for these guys. If they don't have something useful there, maybe one of their affiliate links or direct contact with their site may help. Outstanding Library link by the way...I counted 19 categories of factory/dealer books, catalogs, etc. for the 1970-1974 section alone. Sounds like your car would be something special to Mopar fans so you're on the right track by hooking up with the car clubs.

passat40

We are looking to locate my Dad's first car a 1950 Oldsmobile Coup customized. A 3 speed 39 Lasalle transmission. A 389 cubic inch engine. Custom Green exterior, with custom leather interior. We have very little data however we do have an original picture we can send. The car was last seen in Libertyville IL back in the 1960's. Does anyone know how we need to proceed from here.

Mr_Shiftright

Pretty tough without a VIN or other data. You might contact the various Oldsmobile Club of America regional clubs in the Ohio area:

Olds Clubs Eastern Great Lakes Zone

richsheola

Codanfor

I have a 74 Challenger Rallye and have been looking for window sticker prices - are you willing to send a copy of yours so I can complete mine?

thanks!

classicbrad1

I'm trying to find a car that I ordered from Lyman Slack Chevrolet in Portland Oregon back in 1968. In the first week of September 1968 I ordered a 1969 Tuxedo Black with white stripes Z28/RS Camaro. The car was a special order with RPO code X77 with the following options,cross ram dual 4 carburetors, muncie M-22 4 speed close ratio, 12 bolt posi rearend with 4:10 gears, JL8 4 wheel disc brakes, NC8 chambered dual exhaust, ZL2 Fiber Glass cowl induction hood for cross ram and with pins, special tube exhaust headers, special instrumentation with 8,000 tach and 140 mile an hour speedometer, Deluxe Console with guages, Comfortilt steering column, Folding rear seat, Power windows, D-80 spoiler package front and rear, Power Steering, Black Custom Interior, AO1 soft ray tinted glass all windows, AM/FM Sterio radio with rear speaker. The car was ordered in september of 1968 so it was a sixty day order and was delivered early November of 1968 I don't have the Vin# or license plate. The car was delivered to David Slack who might be living in the San Francisco area. I know it's long shot but if you have any information on the car or how I could get a hold of David Slack I would love any help I can get.

uplanderguy

Your best bet would be to Google 'David Slack', which you've probably already done...then, besides your post here, I'd post your request on any national Camaro website as well as the AACA Forums.

I'll condense the story, but nearly a year ago a woman from Kansas wrote me asking if I could help find her '63 Studebaker Avanti. She was the first person in North Dakota (at the time) to buy an Avanti and she was written up in the Studebaker dealer magazine for it (I had a copy). She had no idea about the serial number. Production records for Studebakers exist at the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, and from her description of the car, a friend of mine was able to ascertain its serial number from the production records and the Museum even had the old computer card filled out with her name on it, for that serial number. I posted on the Studebaker and Avanti forums, and on the AACA Forum, and just TWO DAYS AGO a fellow from Ocala, FL posted on the AACA Forum that he owned it, although it had been painted a different color and had no engine or trans when he bought it in 1998--he's installing a '94 Pontiac Trans-Am engine. The original owner was disappointed but also glad it still existed. So....get your story out everyplace on the 'net that '69 Camaro owners and 'buffs' will see it. Good luck!

uplanderguy

I might also add that a couple years ago, the original owner of my 1963 Studebaker contacted me. I had production paperwork for the Lark from the Studebaker National Museum that had the original owner's name on it, since he picked the car up at the plant himself. I had posted that information and photos of the car online and one day apparently he googled his name and my pictures and info came up. So, it can be done, although obviously having a serial number helps.

Mr_Shiftright

It's tough enough WITH a VIN # (sometimes you can hit the number in a club's registry) but without a VIN it becomes close to impossible because you are dealing with such a huge database of cars with Chevy. (there were over 20,000 Z28s that year) It's much easier to trace cars that were made in small numbers because usually there are far better records.

Even if you were to find an identical car still existing, you'd still need ownership records to verify that it was yours.

Still, the cross-ram is pretty rare. If you had the time you might research Z28 cross-rams for sale and ask if they have any history on it.

Here's one like yours for sale:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuHVLvXB67E&amp

classicbrad1

Just would like to thank everyone for you help and comments. Every bit of information helps me get pointed in the right direction. I'm not going to give up until I hit a complete dead end. Hope that never happens though. Thank again for the Help !!!

mustangman97

I'm looking for my dad's 87 Monte Carlo ss with big block, as of now I don't have the Vin # still looking but any ideas on how to find it?

64t

I do have the vin for our 64 Tbird, but when I try putting it in to some of the search sites they say it has to be at least 17 digits and characters. It's only eleven. Now what do I do?

uplanderguy

Try the Thunderbird national club(s). You might also try the Antique Automobile Club of America website's forum. You are light-years ahead with the serial no. I found a friend's '63 Studebaker Avanti, still 'alive' but ratted out, by posting the serial no. and background info I knew on the Antique Automobile Club of America site's forum. It took a year though.

I had also posted info on the car in the international Studebaker Drivers' Club magazine, and online on the S.D.C. website forum and the Avanti Owners' International Association site's forum.

Good luck!

fintail

Standardized VINs didn't exist until like 1981 or something, I think, so those search sites aren't helpful for older cars.