Anyone ever contact their cars previous owners?

[GoodysGotaCuda]

The guy i bought it from had the car imported from Canada when he bought it. Its a original canadian export car. Looking through the 'Cuda' file i came across the transportation/import papers from when the guy i bought it from bought it. He didnt do a thing to the car, and didnt have it very long. It had plans for a drag car (thank GOD he didnt cut it up  ) that got sidetracked so he sold it to me.

On these papers i have a phone number from the seller, being the previous owner, and the buyer (who i bought it from). I was just curious on the history of it...but it'd seem reallllly odd to have someone call asking about a car. Anyone ever do it?    Papers are dated 2003, so it wasnt that long ago...im curious if he was the original owner, has pictures, little history, etc etc...

[ChallengerHK]

The guy who sold me my car got it in settlement of a debt from a buddy who was going to prison. The guy I bought it from only had it a couple of months, and the other guy ... I'm not too keen on finding him  . I think he was the first owner.

On the other hand, I've been trying to find out what dealer sold my car. Based on circumstantial eveidence (receipts for repairs from 73 and 74) I think it might have come from Bob Banning Dodge in Hyattsville, Maryland.

[Steve]

Call the number...what's the worst that can happen? If they don't want to talk, just be polite.

[A383Cuda]

Are you kidding me?! Do you know how hard it is to track down previous owners nowadays and how many others would die for the chance to do so. I had a 1962 Corvette (third owner) I received quite a bit from the guy I bought it from (second owner). I contacted the first owner, and he GAVE me the original paper work, manuals, and even some original oil change receipts from August of 1962!! Make the call! Waht have you got to lose?!

[Cannibal94]

The lady that I bought mine from has alzheimers and doesn't remember anything anymore.   Its too bad too, I bet she would have loved to see her old car all shined up and pretty! She bought the car brand new.

[Bondavi]

Look at the flip side....some of these sellers are regretful they sold their car in the first place, and will end up asking to buy it back. Of course with todays prices they will be certain to flip out at what their cars are worth nowadays.

There was an article in MGC a couple months back about a guy who bought a '69 or '70 banana yellow Hemi Charger new when he was 16 years old who was recently reunited with the car. Turns out the current owner was one of 'Mr. I-Hoard-Mopars' Bill Wiemann's friends and even though the (now former) original owner offered half a mil ($500K+)to buy it back the current owner declined. I thought that was kind of selfish, since that guy has more than a few Hemi Mopars and couldn't spare one for this chap who just wanted his old car back. Just because that car had the rare one of a few black HEMI callouts on the hood. 

[Carlwalski]

I talked to the guy who brought the car into New Zealand in 1971, guy named Jean Claude.
He was the guy who purchased the car off the original Lady owner from Canada.

Still knew the car too, "Oh yes the 440 Magnum car..." He was a senior citizen and sounded frail.



 

[fishn4cuda]

I would definately track down previous owners. You would be suprized how some still have some of the original equipment to the car they used to own. Such as exhaust manifolds. I recently restored a 69 Mach I 428 SCJ drag pack car 4 spd. My customer was 3rd owner and we tracked down the past two and obtained the original air cleaner assembly (value $1000 +) and the original AM/FM sterio radio (value $500 +) and some very valuable documentation to his car and the previous owners both gave the forgotten about parts to him for nothing. It pays to ask!

[Alaskan_TA]

I just got to spend three hours or so with a prior owner of my T/A while in WA state, he had some cool stories and I got to check out his other T/A as well. He bought it from a Gallo wine salesman about 1980, but he can not remember the guys name. Make the call for sure.

Barry

[Tropicalcats]

Again I can't thank you guys enough.

 This post has made me get up off my A%% and make an effort at contacting the previous owners of my car. I had all the registration in the glove box from 1970. After 2 calls I just left a voice mail for the 2nd owner and found out the 1st owner has an unlisted phone number but the address checks out with his name. I just got back from the post office where I mailed him a letter.

The guy I bought the car from the 3rd owner had very little to say about the car. He bought it in 93 took it home and parked it. He told me the guy he bought it from had park it in 87 which goes along with the registrations.

[Super Blue 72]

Yep, I contacted the original owner too.

When I bought the car in 2003, I was the 3rd owner.  The previous guy (second owner) bought the car from the original owner in 2001, who thought he blew the engine (but in reality the neck of the radiator just snapped off so I soldered it back on and everything's happy.) 

The guy I bought this car from was given the original paperwork from when the car was sold on 8/31/71.  It had the original owners address so on the internet I found a telephone #.  Tried it out but he no longer lived there.  When the person asked why I was looking for him I told the guy that I just bought the original owner's Challenger.  At that point the guy said that the original owner was his brother and then gave me the phone # to find him.

I later gave the original owner, Ray, a call.  He was extremely surprised and appreciative I found him.  I told him I was going to pick up the car on the weekend and Ray said he had an extra gas cap so if I wanted to swing by his house (sort of on the way back home) he would like to see the car again.

When he saw the car he was almost in tears, like seeing an old friend.  We had a great talk, he shared some stories, and was very appreciative or seeing his old car one last time.  He made me promise that if I were ever to sell this car to offer it back to him first.

I also got in contact with the owner of the dealership that sold the car back in 1971.  I was looking for stuff that maybe had the dealer name, like a license plate that said MacKensie Motors.  It's now Bonneville and Sons Ford in Manchester, NH.

It all started with these pieces of paper:

[OzCuda]

If you don't include the dealer who bought the Barracuda and shipped it to Australia, mine was a one owner car (35 years) so I wrote to each of the two addresses I had on some insurance/registration paperwork and he wrote back and sent me a photo of when he first bought the car.  I plan to send him some photos back when the car is finished (but that is taking much longer than I hoped).  He didn't have any old paperwork unfortunately and seemed to have forgotten about at least one accident an another complete repaint that the car had been through which is strange as he had nothing to gain?  Once that Barracuda is finished or close, I am hoping that getting him involved and interested in the car again (he was surprised that it had ended up in Australia) might prompt him to have a closer look for any old bits or documentation.  I think that if I was in his position, I'd like to know what had become of my pride and joy.

[cdecristo]

I Have tracked down severalprevious owners of my car. I bought from a guy in Illinois two years ago. He gave me what he said was the orignal owners name from the Classic car dealer he bought it from. I called that dealer and got his number. He told me a little about the car like it had the Numbers matching Trans when he owned it but since it had a shift kit on it a mechanic told him to just get another Trans and install it.He did. He said he sold the trans to the classic dealer along with the car. The dealer could not remember anything about it. I have now tracked it down to 1980. It had the Numbers matching motor, but,  than and he sold to a friend with a blown head gasket, the friend replaced the motor and Cannot remember what he did with it. He told me he partied alot in the  80's. I have been calling him from time to time to jar his memory. I think I might be close he gave me a few names and I just might get the motor back.  Anyway it has been fun. They all wish they had the car and all have been very friendly and helpful. I am trying to get all the way back to when it was purchased new at a dealer. Anyway thats it.

[Ghost]

Odds are my cars original owner no longer is among the living, but every once in a while I stop by and talk to the guy I bought the car from.

Although, I just drove past his house today, and noticed a for sale sign on it....

[Rev-It-Up]

We actually had the guy we bought our from car call us last year, just to see how it was progressing.  He was pleasantly surprised to go to the website and find the car in tiptop shape.  Really nice guy!  Make the call.  Most mopar people are great to deal with.