Lost your original Chevrolet paperwork? You can find it!
There is still hope! NCRS offers a paid service where they might be able to tell you the name and basic information about the Chevrolet Dealership where your car was delivered. This service costs $50. The NCRS ChevyMuscleDocs.com 1965-1972 Chevrolet Shipping Data Service will provide the Dealer Code, Dealer Zone, Dealer Name, Dealer address (if available) and the date that the car was built. This information can lead you to your original Chevrolet paperwork! Click the image of the website below to visit ChevyMuscleDocs.com.
Searching for original documentation? You have Corvette friends you don’t know
Once you know the original dealer (from the NCRS website or elsewhere), the real investigative work begins. Google is the most comprehensive internet search engine- start there. Search with Google using the dealership name with the city and then using nearby cities. If there is a reasonable variation of the name, be sure to try that, also. When you locate the original dealership If you are having difficulty establishing the dealership, they could have gone out of business or merged with another dealer. Don’t give up!
Corvette friends in clubs will help
If you still come up empty, call a “Corvette friend.” The National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC) is composed of hundreds of local Corvette Clubs across the US. The Western States Corvette Council (WSCC) as its name suggests, consists of local Corvette clubs out West. Both of these organizations can point you to a club in or near the city where your dealership was located. Contact one of the club officers and ask for the name of a long-time resident. Since they are a Corvette fan, it’s very likely they will know what happened to your dealership. You might need to contact a few “friends,” but (again) you will be talking to fellow car people, and that always helps.
The Chevrolet Dealer is your friend
If you are extremely lucky, the dealer could still be in business. Your best bet then is to gently and carefully contact a long-time employee and determine if any records still exist. Tact helps as does the observation that every Chevrolet dealership owner that I know is a “car guy.” You cannot be in the business for decades without developing a love for the cars and usually a collection of classics.
Another way to locate your Chevrolet paperwork
The NCRS 1965-1972 Shipping Data Service will provide the dealership name, city, and Zip Code. You obviously know the year that the Corvette was delivered. The library is your friend, now. Contact the public library in the dealership’s city and ask for the “Reference Desk.” Again, tact and a pleasant demeanor will take you far. The library will have archived versions of local phone books in microfilm, microfiche, or even digital formats. The librarian can use the archived phone books to determine when the dealership was actively in business.
The library has an even better tool available- archived copies of the local newspaper(s)! You (or the librarian) can use them to search for news about a new dealership opening or a merger. Advertisements will also appear- maybe with YOUR CORVETTE! How exciting would that be and how much would that aid our search for your Corvette’s history? It’s obviously worth taking a look. If you are lucky enough to live near the city, you can undertake the investigation yourself.
Think of the time that you spend searching as making an investment in your car. Any paperwork that you locate will considerably increase the value of your car.
As always- post any questions, and I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction!
The next blog article will discuss the importance of proper preservation of the paperwork that comprises your Corvette’s history.
