well last year when I was restoring my 70 Chall I called up the guy I bought it from , when I bought the car the # engine was sitting3 ' away & he would not sell the engine to me or trade for another engine , so I called up & asked where the engine was , he almost dropped the phone ! . He said ' you don`t still have that car do you " , at the time I bought it I told him it would not be for sale again & yes I still have the car .
Anyway he had no clue where the engine went & I am sure fully realizes what it is worth to me now .
Beyond that I have never been able to trace back any previous owners .
If you were in your 40s when you bought the car new the chances of the orginal owner still being alive are slim .