Advice on Provenance

[Clark K.]

When I bought my rare 1965 Red/red L76 A/C Coupe from ProTeam almost two years ago, it only lacked a provenance "to have it all". The advertised 47K actual miles claim was listed but, there was no proof.

Early this year, I paid a researcher to find the previous owners of the car. This company found the ownership back to 1978 when a certain owner bought it. The declared mileage at every sale, from then forward, confirms that the mileage at purchase is as advertised. It undoubtably has been a very pampered Sting Ray, rarely driven and hidden away. I like to think that I saved it from the speculators since the last three owners, all businesses, bought it and flipped it.

The problem that I now have is that the now-elderly gentleman that bought the car in 1978 will NOT co-operate with the company I hired, either via phone or letter. I even sent a letter to the guy. Six months later, no reply.

What I would like to have is your opinion about how I should proceed with the provenance of this car. -Clark

[Roger P.]

Re: Advice on Provenance

Clark,
Without telling you a long story, I was able to research the ownership history on my '65 convertible back to the original owner (I'm the 8th owner). I spoke to every previous owner other than #1. It took some work, but more than anything, it required a lot of luck. I wasn't trying to add value to my car, but rather was interested in the history of my Vette. It was a rewarding experience, and the feeling you get when tracking down and speaking to the previous owners for the first time is hard to describe. It was also very interesting hearing the stories that each one told about the car, and when linked together, how it created an accurate timeline to date. Although all but one owner was cooperative and wanted to help, only the 5th owner of my car had anything tangible to give me -- the original ignition key. Another cool experience was opening the envelope, removing the key, slipping it into the ignition, and firing up the engine... reunited and it feels so good! Unfortunately, no one kept any paperwork, documents, or photographs to share with me. However, I was able to obtain copies of titles and registrations for my car from two state DMV offices. Some states keep records for 50 years, while others only keep them for 10 years. Furthermore, they will not reveal the names of the previous owners even if they have copies of the titles due to privacy laws !! With that said, having copies of the titles and registrations adds to the car's provenance; even if the names are blanked out. Also, there are sometimes "hidden secrets" on the titles that might help you locate those missing owners. Others have researched microfilm of local newspaper classified ads in the hope of finding their car. That not only takes luck, but a lot of time and patience. It requires being R & R... relaxed & retired .

Good luck,
Roger Piper (50141)

[Richard M.]

Re: Advice on Provenance

Clark,

Unless your PO has some "negative" remembrances of the car, (divorce, etc), maybe a few personal photos of you in or alongside of the car may help. It may make it a more comforting situation for the PO to help reinforce that you're not undermining, etc.

I bought my '59 in 1986, and in 1991 I started a history search. After tracing back 4 or 5 PO's, I located the person who owned it in 1970. I was fortunate enough to speak to him by phone. I asked him to try to remember previous owners and for weeks I waited patiently......no word. Rather than calling again, I decided to send him a letter, and I enclosed several recent photos of the '59, along with a few photos of the wife and I in the car and my 3 sons inside it too, along with a reminder for the request for info.

Well, it worked. He wrote back with a nice long letter. He loved the photos, thanking me for them and reminiscing. By then he remembered the previous owners name and where he lived and gave me all of the info he could recall.

Good Luck,
Rich

[Ronald L.]

Re: Advice on Provenance

I'm in the middle of the same thing and you just have to keep at it, work around the non cooperative ones, I have one know owner that is that way, and owner #3 is worse in leading me to #'2 & #1. We just keep at it.

What company did you hire? I can only imagine the price given the time I have into mine.

[Larry S.]

Re: Advice on Provenance

I haven't had the same experience with a Corvette, but I did with a 57 T-Bird I once owned. Since I bought it in the early seventies, there were only 3 owners before me. The original owner lived in San Clemente, CA and was listed in the phone book. I called, asked to speak to Mr. So-and-so, he said it was him. I told him that I owned a Thunderbird that he once owned. That's as far as the conversation went--he hung up. I tried again, thinking we got accidentally disconnected. He told me not to call again. So, who knows....