Original Owner Interviews.

[njsteve]

My original owner story involved a little detective work: From speaking with the guy I bought the car from he believed the car was sold new in Virginia, Maryland, or DC back in 1969. I did title searches in all three areas and the only one that retained old records was Maryland. They sent me the microfiched copy of the title transfer from when the original owner sold the car to owner #2 in 1977. BINGO! Unfortunately the original owner's name was essentially the Hispanic version of John Smith and there were literally 10,000 of them in the area I was searching. I made a list and started calling every one. The first question I would ask when they picked up the phone was: Hi did you own a 69 Indy 500 Pace Car back in 1969?

On the second call down the list, I hit the jackpot: It just happened to be to the original owner! He was more excited than I was and invited me down to visit and even had his son scan in all the photos of the car from when it was new, on his honeymoon, when they brought their first child home from hospital in the car, etc. He also told me where he bought the car new: Bob Peck Chevrolet in Arlington, Virginia. (They've been in business for over 60 years) I went there and they actually still had the original sales invoice on file in their attic archives.

The lesson is: Never give up!

[P.J.]

and sometimes you must be persistent,when contacting the previous owners.the second time I called the house of the second owner his mother still lived there and would not give John the message. So I told her 6 months latter that I was an old shool friend and had lost contact with him
Bingo gave me the numer. It did not produce the results I wanted in the end OH well it was worth it. maybe John E.
will some day change his mind and send me some copies of the info.
Peter

[mockingbird812]

I bot a car that had been bounced around pretty frequently that was quite well documented and had a copy of the original title. I decided to track down the fella and started with directory assistance with the name and address on the title. First # I got his mother answered the phone and said wait a minute and next thing I am talking to the original owner. Noone had bothered to contact him since he sold the car in the eighties. He was delighted to talk about his old ride and provided vintage pix, repair manual, speed parts, stories, and time slips. You never know...

[P.J.]

Sam
thats great, too bad that all people are not the same. If it was my car someone called me about i would bend over backwards to help him or her. The refusal to help someone
find the history of the car speaks volumes about what kind of person he or she is, that would refuse to help.
There is a name for someone like that. I will not lower my self to their standards.
Peter

[Rick Cell]

What about this one
Bought a car last year from a broker not a muscle car but one of those expensive Crew England built cars. The car came with all the proper books which included the service book which they stamp at the dealer when they take it in for service but no owners name. The original selling dealer left the spot blank. The problem I had is I got one valet key and no remote controls and the broker was also at a dead end with it so I started trying to locate the previous owner. The service department where the car was serviced said they knew the car very well but could not help me because of the privacy act. Well one day when I was getting the car cleaned the detailer came to me and said that he found a black pen under the front seat that has Peninsula Hotel Beverly Hills on it and he peeled off a name that was stuck under the gas cap door like the tape they used on the protect o plates. I then called the dealer back and spoke to the same service adviser and told him why I needed to find the previous owner and as soon as I gave him the name we had on the tape he told me that yes he owned the car and that he lived at a hotel but would not say which one and that the car was always serviced there. I then called the hotel that was on the pen and spoke to the head parking attendant and asked him if he knew the gentlemen and the car? His reply to me was that he knew the car very well and also the owner and that he arranged numerous times for the car to be serviced. Then he told me that the car was sold and the gentlemen bought a new one of the same make. I thought great let me call the hotel and speak to the previous owner. So I call and get him on the phone and tell him who I was and that I needed his assistance in the car he previously owned and his response was that he never owned the car. I apologized to him but said his last name was on a piece of tape stuck under the gas cap door. He then said a relative owned the car and was out of touch with him and did not know where he was. I am still scratching my head on what to do next. Wonder what he would have said if I told him that I found an expensive piece of jewellery under the front seat?

[P.J.]

Rick
I am surprized that you did not tell him about the jewelry "Necesity is the mother of invention" Sounds as if this person is one of those you would not want to be your friend.
Peter

[327fan]

One thing to remember when doing any type of interview, is that most people enjoy talking. And their favorite subject is usually themselves. It's always a good idea to have a list of questions handy to prod the conversation along if it gets stale. However, the best stories unfold all on their own with a light touch here and there from you to guide it along. It's important to establish "trust" early on in the interview so the previous owner will really open up to you. Good luck, and I definately want to read what you come back with!