"offroadkarter" (04RauderDTR)
11/26/2013 at 19:18 • Filed to: None
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"offroadkarter" (04RauderDTR)
11/26/2013 at 19:18 • Filed to: None | 4
| 20 |
I have seen so many stories on the internet about people who sell a car, and 20-30 years later some family member tracks it down in perfect shape, buys it back, and all is right in the world again. The question I have to ask is, how hard can it be?
Here is what I would be curious to see if I can find again. Back around 1973 my grandfather bought this 62 Chrysler Newport to drive to work every day when my grand parents lived in NJ. In the early 80's they built a house in southern MD and took the car with them, where it lived until he passed away in 2008. My grandfather wanted to restore the car over time, I remember he had bought some new trim pieces for it years ago, and new tail lights. The paint job was actually fresh as of sometime in the late 90's (I was really young when it was repainted, all I remember is going to some sketchy location and trying not to get attacked by pitbulls). It even had a CB radio installed, which still worked, that he used to use to talk to my grandmother back at the house if he went out to run errands.
This car isn't some high dollar collectible, it doesn't pack a 440, but these days you rarely see early newports or imperials. I've seen maybe 5 other versions of this car in person to date, most of them as 4 doors. This thing was a two door barge, which made my marauder feel like a midsize car. I always thought this was such an angry looking car, to the point that I was actually afraid to go near it when I was growing up.
(These are old ass pictures, I think I took these for a for sale ad actually)
The interior was all original, which means it needed work. But it still had a working bubble dome gauge cluster, and the push button auto transmission. As you can see in the upper right corner, the dash pad was torn to shit though. But the car was from 62, it was bound to have some issues.
(Airbag? No, face, meet metal glove box)
I don't know what engine it had, but I'm guessing it was the base 361ci V8 which was rated at 265hp.
So basically the reason this car isn't around anymore, is because it got sold off in some deal for 2 grand + some rooms in the house painted. My grandmother always knows how to put together these really shady deals, and usually ends up getting burned by them later. The part that sucks is, had my brother or I actually said something at the time, one of us would probably have this car, and the fact that we didn't irks us to this day.
So, open for discussion, how do people who go about finding long lost cars actually pull this shit off? I can't imagine they just browse craigslist all day until they get a hit.
I know having the vin # would help, I'm not 100% sure if I can find it. After my grandfather died a lot of his shit got cleaned out and I'm sure any papers with it are gone, unless some things were forgotten .
I can probably pull the plate # off one of the photos, I wonder how willing the Maryland DMV would be in offering up that kind of info?
Lets here some ideas, I'm open to anything.
(I saved this relic from the basement)
JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 19:24 |
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Great story. I have no advice, but wish you the best of luck. Do you live in MD?
STREPITUS
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 19:25 |
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Got the plate number for you if you want. '269 891'
Aaron James
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 19:25 |
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DMV wont help you because you could be a murdering stalker trying to find a women's home address from her plate number. I have no doubt that you are not that person but the DMV doesn't. If you are serious about it the easiest, however most costly option would be to hire a private detective, they can track it down real fast especially if you have the vin. If you can't find the vin or a recent plate number, it would take a Christmas miracle.
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Aaron James
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 19:26 |
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A repo company might do it for a fee also.
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STREPITUS
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 19:29 |
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Probably won't do too much good, but doesn't hurt to list it here
http://www.the-lost-car-registry.com/cars.php
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offroadkarter
> JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
11/26/2013 at 19:29 |
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I live in NJ, my grandma still lives in southern MD, I was actually just down there this weekend which is how I found the model newport, digging through the basement.
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offroadkarter
> Aaron James
11/26/2013 at 19:30 |
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Yeah I thought about the private detective thing, if I can find the vin I might actually go this route.
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offroadkarter
> STREPITUS
11/26/2013 at 19:31 |
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is it 891? I figured it was like 8DL or something. If I'm lucky I can find a larger res picture, but these photos are at least 6 years old.
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JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 19:32 |
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Cool! I should have remembered that from your drag racing post. If you're ever down in southern MD, we can organize a DC-area oppo meet.
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offroadkarter
> STREPITUS
11/26/2013 at 19:32 |
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interesting, I never heard of that site. Thanks!
Bandit
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 19:33 |
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Can't hurt to ask the DMV, throw a "wanted" ad up on CL, and search any vintage mopar forums
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offroadkarter
> Bandit
11/26/2013 at 19:34 |
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I just hope I can find the vin # to make any possible leads easier. What easier way to identify the car then matching up the vin? I am 99.9% sure the tags aren't on it anymore because in MD you have to turn them into the DMV to cancel your insurance.
Who knows if its even on the road anymore, it could have ended up in the JY.
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Bandit
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 19:57 |
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Good luck man
BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 19:59 |
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As far as VIN goes, have your grandma call the insurance company. They might still have it on record from when your grandparents last has it on record.
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offroadkarter
> BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
11/26/2013 at 20:20 |
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thats not a bad idea, assuming she still has the same insurance. I wonder if they'd have no problem doing that.
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offroadkarter
> JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
11/26/2013 at 20:23 |
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oh I'm down there often enough, I'm sure something can happen.
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BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
> offroadkarter
11/26/2013 at 20:25 |
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It's worth checking into. Finding the VIN will be the first hurdle and they probably have it.
Philbert/Phartnagle
> offroadkarter
11/27/2013 at 04:25 |
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Best of luck to you and I kind of feel your pain.
I've been trying to find a metallic light grey 1967 Ford Galaxie XL that I had in high school.
All I managed was to track it to the next town it went to after I traded it and from there it has remained lost in time, because I didn't have the VIN or anything either.
Grindintosecond
> offroadkarter
11/29/2013 at 11:07 |
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I've been concidering this to find the old family volvo. Problem is that VINs changed in 1980-something to a standard I think 16 digit. That means any older car won't work with the modern search engines. Police or detectives would do it but that's all I can thimk of that's immune to the old# search issue.
kanadanmajava
> offroadkarter
11/29/2013 at 12:44 |
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My great aunt had a pristine Fiat 133 (70's mustard yellow) that want to get when she wouldn't want to drive anymore. Unfortunately she kept it until her memory was fading and forgot that she had car enthusiastic relatives. She sold it and it was gone.
In Finland it would be quite easy to find a sold car if it remains in use. But getting the same car with this method just lost it's point. Those cars that are taken off from the registration (but this cannot be done anymore) are almost impossible to find. Some really interesting cars have vanished without a trace.
Btw. I have had '63 Chrysler for 15 years. But now I'm going to sell it because I haven't got good plans for it and another guy is really eager to buy it. I might be making a huge mistake.
Btw2. I sold one old Opel to a guy named Heman (yes, not a joke) and he put it into so nice condition that I'm really happy that I sold it.