Older Corvette History Search

Vetman

CCCUK Member
Has anyone managed to research the early history of their car? Typing in the VIN seems not to work because the modern VIN has more characters, and other searches seem to run into legal issues of data protection. My 1975 car was five years old when I bought it in the UK and had recently shipped from Florida. I had the shipping papers and these listed the last Florida plate number, but apart from a screen tax sticker and white sand behind the seat, that is all I know. Idle curiosity only.
 

kentvette

CCCUK Member
I'd like to find out more about our '78's life before the UK. It came over in about 1989, stood in a dealership for about a year before we bought it 1990. I have the factory invoice, so I know it went to a dealership in Fort Myers (Bill Branch Chevrolet, now changed hands and name and the old building demolished!), but that's all.

I contacted a few Florida Corvette Clubs to see if anyone remembered the car (it was repainted over there in about '85 we think), but had no info. But one chap from Corvettes on The Gulf did say that the Florida Tax office handles registrations, so may have info. I confess I haven't pursued that yet.....

If you want to pay, there are people who will track a car, but it seemed a bit hit-and-miss to me - "pay me and I'll see if I can turn anything up...."

Funnily enough, ours had that white Florida sand in the radiator support when we took the rad out in the first year of ownership! At that time we didn't know it was a Florida car, but Tom Falconer had hinted it might be due to a few other clues....
 

Vetman

CCCUK Member
Great reply. I email’d a Florida private eye firm but got no response. Probably too dear anyway. I expect Florida tax office will claim the 5th and clam up.
 

antijam

CCCUK Member
From your C3's VIN The C3 Registry can sometimes provide some history and pictures. I found quite a few piccies of my car before it was imported ( not by me ) and eventually tracked down the last US owner on ebay.com (he was flogging the jack he 'forgot' to include with the car :oops:)
 

Vetman

CCCUK Member
I don’t see mine in the register but some VIN’s close before and after. Thanks for the Link.

At just 5 years old mine had different wheels, bronze paint below the factory gold to copy the 1978 Anniversary colour scheme of silver on dark grey, a distributor instead of HEI, no emissions gear, and an after market air cleaner. Mileage was about 40k. Otherwise good and original. No signs of crash damage or repair. It would be great to talk to whoever made the changes and discuss their reasons.
 

kentvette

CCCUK Member
Our '78 was older than yours when we bought it, at 12 years, but had had a similar assortment of changes made; colour change from Silver Anniversary to red (comprehensively done and certainly not immediately obvious without looking at the trim tag), dual exhaust with headers, much of the emissions stuff removed (a rather "bubba" effort as well), and a hideous set of very wide, chrome wire wheels with fake spinners! It was a bit "knocked about" in the luggage area, but still all there, roof strap etc. Oh and the centre console had been "polished" to an extent, so is no longer matt black, but on the way to being "piano black". Amazingly, all "matching numbers" except the alternator.

Like you, I'd be very interested to find out who and why....
 
Top