64 cpe original owner 64-03936

[Bob B.]

white/red cpe original owner

[Jim P.]

Re: 64 cpe original owner 64-03936

I HAVE YOUR CAR!!!! Are you the original owner? I have owned the car since 1977. White with red interior, a/c coupe. If so, can you supply any info or pictures from its early days? Thanks, Jim

[Bob B.]

Re: 64 cpe original owner 64-03936

Jim- well, I'll be. YES, I am the original owner on that car. If you run a NCRS history you will most likely find the actual selling dealer was Frank Groth Chevrolet in Deluth, Minnesota. My Dad started General Auto Leasing back in 1959- we brough a LOT of cars from the snow country of Michigan and Minnesota to sunny southern California all winter. My Dad found the coldest spot in the country that year- Deluth,Mn and ordered 6 1964 Corvettes for delivery- probably to Ostrum Chevrolet in Montebello CA. He took a 8x10 piece of paper marked it in half, then thirds six slots. He and I sat and ordered 6 Corvettes. Dad loved white with red, most fleet cars were white/red back in that time. Our original Leasee was a James Magner 9940 So Orr and Day Santa Fe Springs CA ( a attorney if I remember) He got car 11/21/1963 leased and returned 9/24/65 $ 139.00 plus $5.56 tax per month.
Probably sold car in summer 65 to LA Dealers Auto Auction (now closed I think), as were most of our lease returns.
I have no photos but I MAY have dealer invoice etc, long ago boxed and put in storage. More than happy to look for it. IF you ever want to sell the car, I would sure like to have it. THANKS, Bob #967
You are welcome to the original ledger card we tracked payments and customer info on. Where are you ?

[Jim P.]

Re: 64 cpe original owner 64-03936

Thanks for the reply, Bob! I hadn't been looking for the original owner. After all, what are the odds? I just wandered into the orphan section on this site and there, in the first post, was 64 corvette #03936. I am in Aurora, IL. The NCRS history stated that it was sold by Frank Grohe Chevrolet in Michigan. But, they added that the paperwork was barely legible. Therefore, I guess it was Frank Grothe in Duluth, MN. I traced the car back to the early 70s. It was owned by a Mr. Don Gage who owned Don Gage Chevrolet in Jamestown, NY, which, oddly enough, was my hometown. Mr. Gage has since passed on and my search went cold until tonight. It must have spent some of it's life in CA because the frame was completely rust free.

I purchased the car in the summer of 1977 in Pittsburgh, PA at an auction at the Butler County Fair Grounds. I think I paid $5900. I was a recent graduate of the United States Naval Academy and I was headed down to Pensacola, FL for Navy flight training. I was looking for a car with air conditioning. This was my first car and it would be a good match for my gold wings!!

I recently performed a complete restoration on the car and it has a Bloomington Gold and an NCRS Top Flight. During the restoration, it was discovered that it had been in an accident sometime early in its life and repaired with a one piece front end and painted red. We replaced all of the front fiberglass correctly and repainted the car the correct ermine white. When I bought it, it had 59,000 in 1977. It now has about 80,000 miles on it. Would you like to see some pictures? I'm not sure how to post pictures here but if you send me your email I'll send you some photos. My email is jprop1@comcast.net.

Would I like to have some paperwork? You bet I would!! Anything!! I would gladly compensate you for your time and effort.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. This is really cool. My corvette buddies won't believe me!

Jim

[Bob B.]

Re: 64 cpe original owner 64-03936

white/red cpe original owner

You say the front was wrecked at some point, well I didn't have the heart to tell you but YES, but most of them did get smacked.
Drum brakes in the rain, California drivers in the rain crappy tires and well heck it was a Corvette in the 60's. Funny story, remember we ordered 6 at a time, I was 14 when these Vettes were new they all went on 2 year leases at the end of two years 5 of the 6 had been stolen, stripped or wrecked some more than once ! The only one that made it 2 years was the Daytona blue Coupe leased by George Kardashian of Montebello, a friend of our family. On my 16th birthday (10/66) my Dad gave me that "64 Daytona blue coupe vin 105847 as my 16th birthday present. Needless to say growing up in Southern Calif in the 60s I did everything but sleep in that car I loved it so much. About 6 months later my Dad took the car away and in no uncertain terms said if I was going to get average (mabie a bit less) grades I was going to drive a average car (mustang) Needless to say my next report card showed my born again love of study. Dad kept his word and the day after report cars he bought a 66 Corvette coupe A/C big block leather blue amazing I made it out alive.
If the nose was replaced in the 60's in So Cal it was probably by J&D
Corvette Bellflower, they also leased from us , a El Camino I remember. The spelling on the original dealer is Frank Groth (spelling?) in Deulth,Mn they were open a couple years ago but now seem to be gone.
I will look for more paperwork, I saved a lot of the old Corvette stuff and as promised it is FREE to you.
Get me your address and I will get you the original ledger and a short note and yes, I would sure like a couple current photos. IF ever you want to sell her, give me a call. Bob #967

[Jim P.]

Re: 64 cpe original owner 64-03936

Great history Bob! We figured that the car was hit early in its life because they replaced the damaged headlight buckets with fiberglass buckets from a 63. It had a few other 63 parts on including the seats for some reason. I'm currently in China on business and I have a very poor internet signal. You'd think it would be better since they make all the equipment here. I can't even read my emails so I will wait and send you some pictures when I get home this weekend. I have no plans to sell it anytime soon but I would certainly give you the first shot. I've had the car for nearly 40 years. My wife and I drove away from our wedding in it. It has certainly become part of our family.

You are very gracious for offering me the paperwork and I thank you very much.

By your NCRS number I can tell you've been a corvette guy for a long time. If I do find a strong enough signal I'll try to send the photos out sooner.

I will send you my address in the upcoming email.

Thanks again,
Jim

[Bob B.]

Re: 64 cpe original owner 64-03936

IF J&D did the body work in 63-64 I am not surprised to see the 63 headlight assemblies on your 64. Lets just say auto theft was VERY common back then, remember 5 of the original 6 were stolen, stripped or wrecked some more than once in 2 years. Slightly used front end parts were worth quick cash because SO many went to the body shop pretty quick for drivers tying to defy the laws of physics - crashing. And it is very possible your original red seats ended up in somebody elses car, it happened ALOT back in the day. There just were not that many body shops that could hang a entire front end on a 64 at that time- Watsons Body shop was also in our area, but very expensive then, mostly customs.