The Supercar Registry - Canadian COPO on Team Camaro/Camaros.net

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It seems as though there are several individuals who feel the need to know how I came about my 1969 Copo Camaro. Unfortunately it is not the juicy story most have hoped for. It all began when I was contacted by email about some parts a fellow had for sale. This man indicated that he had a car which when it was all together was rumoured to be a copo. I did not waste any time and contacted him immediately! I asked the usual questions such as what makes you think your car may have been a Copo? He told me that someone had looked at his car being interested in the rear end but found it was a BE code which was not correct for a 1968 SS he was building. I knew this was a pretty good indication of what he may have. I called my best friend and told him of what was happening and that we had to go and see the car NOW! It was four hours from the time I spoke to the gentleman and when I arrived at his home. He had been digging the car out from under household garbage since we had spoken and it still took an hour to get close enough to see anything. All the signs were there. Big block heater core, engine mounts, close ratio transmission and of course the BE rear end. We settled on a price and I pulled the car out and brought it home. It was not until I ran the V.I.N. that I knew what I had purchased. I contacted The York Regional Police, The Metro Police and The Ontario Provincial Police to have sworn avadavits indicating that I was in legal possession of the car. I now had the job of hunting down the engine, trim tag and ownership!!! This was not so easy as the fellow who had them did not want to give them up. It was only after I agreed to pay a substantial fee in the form of cash that I was able to bring the two parts back together. I have since fully restored the car to its original condition.
End of story!

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Thank you very much for your explanation Richard as it is important to clarify any issues or rumors on a car so that when you do sell it, there will be no mis-understanding between yourself and the buyer. Having said that, I am suprised by your words:

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...He told me that someone had looked at his car being interested in the rear end but found it was a BE code which was not correct for a 1968 SS he was building.

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Then one sentence later you state:

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....It was four hours from the time I spoke to the gentleman and when I arrived at his home. He had been digging the car out from under household garbage since we had spoken and it still took an hour to get close enough to see anything.

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So how was it that the guy with the 68 SS was able to see the car and then when you went, the car had 5 hours worth of garbage on it?

2. If someone who was restoring a 68 SS Camaro went to look at a rear end, he would have asked the seller how much he wanted for it before even going to look at it. Any guy with a 68 SS is not going to go look at any rear-end priced more than $1,500. Upon arriving and seeing it as a BE rear, what fool would have passed it up for the price of a 68 12 bolt? Surely he would have taken it anyways.

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...We settled on a price and I pulled the car out and brought it home. It was not until I ran the V.I.N. that I knew what I had purchased.

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So at that point, you knew you had bought a stolen vehicle? That did not bother you? Instead of running from the car or reporting the person you bought the car from to the police as most would do, you decided to obtain ownership of the vehicle?

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...I now had the job of hunting down the engine, trim tag and ownership!!! This was not so easy as the fellow who had them did not want to give them up.

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Really??!! Is it not true that the "fellow" who had those items was actually the "fellow" who the car was stolen from?

Allow me to clarify:

http://www.camaros.net/showroom/data...ium/635036.jpg

This is the auction which your car's engine and trim tag was for sale. The person selling it is Paul Kelly, who is the individual who the car was stolen from. If your last statement is true, then why was he so willing to sell the engine, ownership and trim tag on Ebay?

5. And finally, you indicated that you found the body first before looking for the "engine, trim tag and ownership". If this is true, then how come when you approached the original owner telling him you had his car which was stolen from him, didn't the original owner take steps to get his car back. I could see him selling the package if he knew his car did not exist - but this would contradict your story.

It is a fantastic story when you really think about it - you found a stolen car that has been missing for 10 years and it just happens to have everything still on it except what was on the Ebay auction. Best part is you get to keep stolen property!

P.S. - Feel free to answer Charley's question as well.