Reunited with original owner after 41 years

**Donald S.** · June 29, 2009, 09:07 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Craig,

Great story! Gosh that old key tag brought back some memories too.

Don

**Steven B.** · June 29, 2009, 09:08 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Craig, congratulations---a really fantastic story and experience! I remember Mahlon Maxton's store. My aunt and uncle lived close by in Worthington. Some years later we moved from Ohio to a small NE town in Indiana called Butler where CJ, Mahlon's brother, owned Maxton Motors which is still there on Main Street. A few miles north in Angola, Indiana, Mahlon's and CJ's brother owned another Maxton Chevrolet. Jack, CJ's son, owns Jack Maxton Chevrolet in Columbus now.

**James R.** · June 29, 2009, 10:04 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Great story. Thanks for sharing it.
Jim

**Richard P.** · June 29, 2009, 10:05 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Wow, what a great story!! Has anyone seen my first new car?? It was a 1967 Chevelle Malibu convertible. 275HP 327 with 4 speed transmission, 3.08 positraction, Butternut Yellow with Turquoise interior. A very rare combination. I sold it for $1400. in Newport News, VA in 1969 because it was my time for active duty in Uncle Sams yacht club. Let me know if you see it!!!!!

**M W.** · June 30, 2009, 06:34 AM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Originally posted by Steven Brohard (5759)

Craig, congratulations---a really fantastic story and experience! I remember Mahlon Maxton's store. My aunt and uncle lived close by in Worthington. Some years later we moved from Ohio to a small NE town in Indiana called Butler where CJ, Mahlon's brother, owned Maxton Motors which is still there on Main Street. A few miles north in Angola, Indiana, Mahlon's and CJ's brother owned another Maxton Chevrolet. Jack, CJ's son, owns Jack Maxton Chevrolet in Columbus now.

Steven, thanks for the stroll down memeroy lane. We did go by Jack Maxton Chevrolet while we were there. No one in the showroom really cared at all about the car. All they wanted to do was sell us a new car. Sad.

Cheers,
Craig

**Paul H.** · June 30, 2009, 07:08 AM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Very nice story Craig. Nice to see that the original owner shared your enthusiasm for the reunion. Looks like he enjoyed taking that 64 through it's paces as well

**Steven H.** · June 30, 2009, 12:10 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Craig,
Great story! I think you really made his day.

Call me sometime, I want to hear all about Bloomington.

Steven

**John D.** · June 30, 2009, 01:02 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Craig, Awesome story you wrote. Probably the best story I have ever read here on the DB. Why don't you send it to Vinnie for publication. Thanks very much, John

**Tom H.** · June 30, 2009, 03:05 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Originally posted by M. Craig Willetts (36551)

Steven, thanks for the stroll down memeroy lane. We did go by Jack Maxton Chevrolet while we were there. No one in the showroom really cared at all about the car. All they wanted to do was sell us a new car. Sad.

Cheers,
Craig

You show up at BUDS with that old 64 and we'll show it some love !!!!

**Kirk M.** · June 30, 2009, 04:07 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

So, the Ice Cream Parlor in your first pic is in uptown Worthington were I currently live. Wish I had knew you guys were around!!!! Would have pulled the 67 out and joined you! Same with the Jack Maxton's, right around the corner on 161. Wow! Great story.

Kirk

**M W.** · June 30, 2009, 04:35 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Originally posted by Kirk McHugh (46057)

So, the Ice Cream Parlor in your first pic is in uptown Worthington were I currently live. Wish I had knew you guys were around!!!! Would have pulled the 67 out and joined you! Same with the Jack Maxton's, right around the corner on 161. Wow! Great story.

Kirk

Kirk, that would have been nice. Maybe next time.

Cheers,
Craig

**Rick S.** · June 30, 2009, 08:43 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Craig,
Great story, so much so that it has inspired me to do the same thing (drive the car to the original owner). After a long search, I found the original owner of my 67 that he took delivery on in Charleston, NC and he since moved to Bloomsburg, Pa. He has not sounded as enthused as your first owner but he did send me original photos of the car shortly after delivery. The most important thing that he did though, was provide a letter stating that he bought a Goodwood Green car because I discovered a typo trim tag as far as the color. I would urge you to submit an article to the NCRS for publication. I did an article on my search and discovery to our local chapter. Thanks again for a heartwarming story.

Reagrds,
Rick
P.S. Here is a photo from the original owner.

**Steven B.** · June 30, 2009, 08:48 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Originally posted by M. Craig Willetts (36551)

Steven, thanks for the stroll down memeroy lane. We did go by Jack Maxton Chevrolet while we were there. No one in the showroom really cared at all about the car. All they wanted to do was sell us a new car. Sad.

Cheers,
Craig

Craig, great pic at Jack's. Too bad about the lack of interest on their part. Reminds me in the very late 50's or early 60's went to Jack's N. Main St. house in Butler (when he was working for his Dad, CJ) trick-or-treating. Betsy, Jack's wife, made us listen to Jack play the piano before we could have our candy bar! It was a 5 cent Snickers so I guess it was worth it.

Steve

Steve

**Jim C.** · July 1, 2009, 10:53 PM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Craig,

That was a GREAT story!!!! I hope you know how lucky you are to have found your Corvette's original owner. I really envy you. I've been trying for several years to find the original owner of my 1966. So far, I have a full ownership history back to 1975, but then the trail goes cold. I've pretty much run out of ideas, and I'm not sure if I'll ever solve the mystery. Like I said, that was a GREAT story!!! Congratulations. Maybe there's hope for the rest of us who are still searching.

Jim C.

**M W.** · July 2, 2009, 05:48 AM

Re: Reunited with original owner after 41 years

Originally posted by Jim and Lisa Cicchini (45647)

Craig,

That was a GREAT story!!!! I hope you know how lucky you are to have found your Corvette's original owner. I really envy you. I've been trying for several years to find the original owner of my 1966. So far, I have a full ownership history back to 1975, but then the trail goes cold. I've pretty much run out of ideas, and I'm not sure if I'll ever solve the mystery. Like I said, that was a GREAT story!!! Congratulations. Maybe there's hope for the rest of us who are still searching.

Jim C.

Thanks for the kind words Jim and everyone else who has commented so far. The original owner and I plan another reunion this summer. He was just as excited as I was and the good folks here at NCRS want to publish an article in one of the upcoming Restorer magazines about the first reunion. What a thrill.

Thanks all,
Craig

Reunited with original owner after 41 years

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