Fathers Lost Yenko Chevelle #358034 Butternut

[69hurstSC]

Is this the first time that the current owner will be attempting to track the history of this Yenko Chevelle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Charley Lillard</div><div class="ubbcode-body">At this point I think the owner will probably spend his own money to find out what happened but it looks like it will be done without your involvement. He is a private person and prefers to keep it that way.

No hard feelings. </div></div>

[bkhpah]

It would seem that the current owner, and all of the past owner history is very clear, at least back for 25+ years not to mention original owner input. Also from what I read here, it would seem the current owner with Charlies help, are more than willing to also get to the bottom if this mystery. If I had that offer I would put my cards on the table and finish this once and for all. It would seem you have the most to gain here. I see no real reason for the current owner to even try and help you out here, yet the offer was made. The current owner, to the best of my knowledge owns, the car with proper documentation and a clear and free title in hand...BKH

[69hurstSC]

Asking for information from Chris and not divulging information from the current owner is more than enough reason for him not to take the offer. Chris has provided free photo's and history which will only add value to this Yenko Chevelle. For people to be chastising him for not &quot;taking the deal&quot; is asinine.If the current owner would provide even half as much information as opposed to what Chris has disclosed in relation to his father's ownership history than it would be a fair offer.

Instead all assertions seem to indicate that the current owner is circling the wagons. If the current owner is so confident in their ownership records than why the statement about the ownership history being attempted &quot;without your involvement&quot;? And I find it mindbogglingly strange that &quot;private&quot; owner of a 69 Yenko Chevelle is only now looking fully into the ownership history of such a prominent car. It's rather easy to assimilate that the reason this Chevelle has flown under the radar is because it has a dark history.

I've never met Chris, but as a younger man (like myself) in the collector car hobby, it can be a daunting task trying to communicate and converse with people who own elite american muscle cars. I've found that these people often don't have time for us younger collectors and enthusiasts. Chris should be commended for how he's handled this to date. He's brand new here and in every post he seems to be apologizing. No wonder there's so few of us 40 and under guys in the hobby. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif[/img]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bkhpah</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> It would seem that the current owner, and all of the past owner history is very clear, at least back for 25+ years not to mention original owner input. Also from what I read here, it would seem the current owner with Charlies help, are more than willing to also get to the bottom if this mystery. If I had that offer I would put my cards on the table and finish this once and for all. It would seem you have the most to gain here. I see no real reason for the current owner to even try and help you out here, yet the offer was made. The current owner, to the best of my knowledge owns, the car with proper documentation and a clear and free title in hand...BKH </div></div>

[Charley Lillard]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 69hurstSC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is this the first time that the current owner will be attempting to track the history of this Yenko Chevelle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Charley Lillard</div><div class="ubbcode-body">At this point I think the owner will probably spend his own money to find out what happened but it looks like it will be done without your involvement. He is a private person and prefers to keep it that way.

No hard feelings. </div></div> </div></div>
The current owner has done no owner searches because he already had it back quite a ways.

[DW31S]

This is a very interesting thread and I check in often to see any developments. They say opinions are like.......well, you all know what they say. I'm not gonna comment one way or the other on the main topic here, but one of the latest posts did warrant a reply:
I'm 56, and have yet to meet a collector car owner (and I've met shieks at Pebble Beach--really) who wasn't eager to speak about their car with a fellow hobbyist, regardless of age. I have been around these cars all of my life (so far) and I &quot;encourage&quot; conversations about our cars. Even the wealthiest (some of the members here) owners, I have found very approachable. Maybe it was my upbringing from my dear dad (gone 10 years now), or my own desire to stir interest in &quot;newbies&quot;, but &quot;talking cars&quot; with anyone has always been easy and fun for me.
Now back to our regularly scheduled program.......

[bkhpah]

Flying under the radar? Really, This car has been FEATURED in at least three musclecar magazines over the years, and has been at many public events. There is a folder of information about the car in the current owners hands. This doesn't sound to me like &quot;dark history&quot;. If the current owner is willing to get to the bottom of this, and has offered to, why is that asinine? I really doubt that claiming a Yenko Chevelle was in some way taken from someone would add any value...BKH

[iluv69s]

Very interesting thread... I want to commend all for thier politeness. (sometimes not the norm here)....

I will add to NJSteve's anecdote by saying that way back when I first started dealing with the old cars, I became friends with the employees at the local auto tag agency. To get a duplicate title to an abandoned car or a car w/ a lost title was no big deal. Then to get it changed over in your name was the same...Everything was very simple... The old titles back then even had the space to write your name as buyer and a few other names also...and then just flip the car to another person without ever going thru the state...I still have a few titles like that...

I guess the loss of tax revenue curtailed that... I am from Pa...

I'm not saying the car in this thread was ever actually 'abandoned'...just saying that it would have been easy for someone else to title the car back in the day.

[njsteve]

I would add to the above addition with this: When I traded that old Vega to the car lot and went and picked up that rusty old Cuda from the wrecking yard, the Cuda still had all the ID and personal paperwork of the Air Force employee (didn't show whether he worked there or was a serviceman) but it had all sorts of his personal paperwork still in the glove box. The guy was from Rochester, NY. The dilapidated car had been towed away from the base after being left there for an extended period of time. Since it was a 12 year-old, rusted out, used car with 120,000 miles on it, no fabric on the convertible top frame and no real quarter panels left, it was just a disposable car left behind by someone for someone else to get rid of.

That could have been what initially happened to the Chevelle - someone on the base with no connection to the car, or knowledge of the tragedy that befell the owner, had it towed away by a yard and a subsequent buyer then put it back on the road and retitled it as a formerly abandoned vehicle.

[PeteLeathersac]

No disrespect intended to anyone who's posted but the parties personally involved seem most reasonable which is not often the norm, especially around here!
Great car and story but it may be best to get together privately before furthering of this thread somehow changes a situation involving good people that can still be approached amicably?
Best of luck to everyone!
[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]
~ Pete

[Verne_Frantz]

Steve,
I think the base should have known whos car it was since it had to be registered with some sort of sticker to allow him to drive it on base. All they had to do was check the number on the sticker with their records, then contact the next of kin.

Verne [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]