I called Orignial owner of my 69 Charger and...........

[cdr]

I bought my Charger in 2011, I was able to trace down my cars owner history to 1974, the guy that owned it from 1976 to the 90's is now a friend on Facebook, he enjoys seeing pictures of his old car, he sent me a big stack of old car magazines from the 70's.

[Troy]

I really don't ever try to trace the history of my cars. Usually because I'm afraid I'll say something like "WTF did you do here?". I must buy a lot of cars owned by crappy mechanics and/or bad drivers...

Troy

[Kern Dog]

Another guy that..."bought it new off the showroom floor..." 
Showrooms must have been a revolving door in the 60s and 70s. EVERYONE seems to have bought their car new off the showroom floor.

I got the same story back in '79 when I bought a '64 Olds Cutlass. Wasn't highly optioned as the only options I can think of are 330c.i 4bbl high compression engine, ps, pb, bucket seats and yellow w/black top paint scheme.

My point is that this phrase gets thrown around like the 383 Hemi, the 440 six pack, the "exhaust manifolds flow as good as headers" stories. People just sometimes ramble on without thinking anyone is going to call them out on what they say.
I sold cars in the 80s. Showrooms were not that big in Sacramento. You'd be lucky to get 3 cars on the floor. Of ALL the guys I met at car shows that said their Dad/Uncle/Cousin bought their car new off the showroom floor , I seriously doubt that more than 3 in 10 buyers actually bought a showroom car.
Sorry for the rant, I just equate this to urban guys with the ..."no whut I'm sayin? and other verbal quirks people have.

[Nacho-RT74]

I don't have to dig out a lot for the story of my car. I'm second owner. First owner changed his Charger on every year. Bought his first one on 71, then got the 72, 73 and last the 74. Never bought another car after that and simply kept the 74. He died on 95 or 96 as far I recall and I bought it on 97 to his son what it was a school friend of mine.

Shame I'd never know what happened on its life to some stuff. It got some small dents under the frame, a patch on front frame rail where the K frame nut goes and some other dents here and there. But still factory everything... paint, vinyl, stripe.

[69CoronetRT]

Or the phrase "my car was special ordered".

Most likely, you car was simply "ordered". That's what happened then. People ordered cars to be built how they wanted them equipped. Dealers did not have lots full of inventory. There were showroom cars to show you what was available then you ordered one from a that example and the data books.

My car was ordered. The buyer went to the dealership, sat down with the order form and checked the boxes of how he wanted the car equipped.

[fizz]

I get the motivation. In 2011 I bought a 1945 indian motorcycle from an 85 year old guy who traded it in for a snowmobile at his dealership in 1971. He mentioned that it was traded in by a guy from the town I was living in, but didn't remember the name. In bullshitting about it with a friend, he said one of his employees talked about his Dad trading a Indian in for a snowmobile in the early 70's. So I made a call, and the widow of the guy who traded it in and the two sons came over to look at it. Sure enough, it was the same bike, they brought over the original shop manuel and parts manuel, along with the title transfer paperwork from 1948 when he got it, and found it was originally bought new by the Chicago Tribune during the war. Then one of the Aunts came up with a picture of him riding it in 1948. Good story, guy was 18 when he wwent to visit his cousins in Chicago, bought the bike and rode it home. And, providence is worth something.

[Charger-Bodie]

I understand the draw to wanting the info,but I also understand that the other people involved may not want to be disturbed about it. Sure some will be fine and even excited, but some are gonna feel violated by the intrusion.

[lloyd3]

With how the mass-marketers work these days, folks are always suspicious about being contacted by a stranger.  Robo-calls and junk-mail are so much the norm anymore that none of us really want to be bothered.  I don't answer any of my phones unless I recognize the number or, at least I'm expecting somebody to call. My answering machine is now used mostly to just screen my calls.  This was a far-more innocent (& helpful!) country when I did my search almost 20-years ago. You really need to be law-enforcement to do it effectively now.

[Ghoste]

Very true, telemarketers have created a lot of mistrust over unwanted phone calls and phone scams have done even more damage within some of the older people who are too frequently the victims of these clowns.  Unfortunately the original owners of these cars fall into that very age category.  But I do find the majority of people are excited to know some special car from their past is still aroound and they are anxious to talk about it.

[74Rallye]

I've never been able to afford a car that came with a story. When ever a seller spent over a 1/2 hour talking about the awesome times they had in the car, it seemed like the price became just as awesome.

[Bad B-rad]

Every car has a story, it just may be a boring story.
Someone bought it drove it, sold it, next guy drove it then paked it outside for 30 years!!!
I am wondering why, some one who has a car that is 12-15 years old, and then crashes it,(and at that time I am sure most people would have called the car done and junked it, then stores it, in beautiful shape for another 25 years or so, to do nothing with it?
I also sort of want to know how it got hit?
And if I never find out so be it, I will still have fun with it,and bring her back to life.
But I would like to know!!

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

Interesting. I tracked mine back to who I believed was the original owner (all this before 9/11 effectively wrecked the easy opportunity to do so). Sent him a long letter full of questions, which I got back marked "deceased-return to sender".  Oh well.  Mine is coded as an "ordered" car with the strip-delete option checked.  This fellow's address in the Summer of 1968 was just a few blocks away from Offutt Air Force Base, home of the Strategic Air Command.  I suspect it would have been neat to hear that story.  I always speculated that it was ordered by some B-52 bomber jock Air Force Officer (who didn't want the stripe to blow his cover).

I was born at Offutt, as my Dad was stationed there 

[BDF]

This Friday I'm having lunch with my father (original purchaser) and am going to ask him lots of questions about the car. Everytime he sees or talks about it he says "what a beautiful car", "what a sexy machine", and "I love that car".
And I agree with him more! 

[BDF]

Lunch put off until Monday...

[70 sublime]

Had the last owner of my car stop in yesterday to see it since he sold it to me
I never met him in person the first time and just bought the car over the phone and internet pictures
He drove 6 1/2 hours to get here and was heading to a sports tournament farther up the road
He had the car from 1984 to 2014
Opened the shop door to have a look at the Charger and he was grinning from ear to ear
Got a few more stories on it that I had not heard before like the spare tire he brought with them to pick the car up with ended up not getting off the plane when they did and went to Hawaii and back
By the sounds of it I do not think I will have any more luck going back any farther on ownership as it was a little old lady he got the car from back then

Good luck B-rad with your history quest

Wish everyone that has a former Charger of mine would call as I would like to know how all the cars have turned out 

[TexasStroker]

I definitely understand wanting to know the history of the car...In this case it sounds like you have done all you can do with that lead.  You might check around for any Mopar clubs in the area, or performance shops that may have been familiar with the car.  Even if it was just parked, locals will remember it and provide more details...details that will come without the risk of upsetting someone. 
The last thing you need is to rile anyone, especially as they have your name and info now.  You are 50/50 if you get someone receptive to this stuff, or angry.  Often times the more you know that you don't know, the stronger your desire to try and figure it out...I'd bleed the brakes and explore other leads, lol.  You've got the car...make it a good history in NY 

[Bad B-rad]

I know, that's my issue, now that I know the orig, owner is still alive, and his family is aware of the car, and there is some family history, I REALLY WANT TO KNOW the story!!!!LOL
More now then, before I made the call!!!!!

I am most curious as to the story of the 1/4 panel damage, and as to why and where is was stored for so long, without any attempts to repair it?

The thing is I am dealing with a guy who got angry with me due to: A) he misunderstood my intent, or B) dosent want to talk about the car.
But he was owners brother, so just because he dosent want to talk, dosent mean his brother, or other family members will mind talking about it.

But reguardless I feel like I must tread lightly with the next move, as if he dosent want to talk over the phone, I can only guess how he would react to me sending out letters or calls and involving a bunch of his family members.

For now I am just gonna leave it alone.

But dam, do I want to get to the bottom of this!!!



ANYONE here from Kelseyville CA 95451???
It is in Lake County?
If so PM me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I have enjoyed reading everyone's orig/prev owner stories, they are GREAT!!!!!
Thanks, and keep them comming!!!!

[Edelbroke]

Scrolled all the way to the end looking for pics of a 7,000 mile Charger. Nothing

[BDF]

Another guy that..."bought it new off the showroom floor..." 
Showrooms must have been a revolving door in the 60s and 70s. EVERYONE seems to have bought their car new off the showroom floor.

I got the same story back in '79 when I bought a '64 Olds Cutlass. Wasn't highly optioned as the only options I can think of are 330c.i 4bbl high compression engine, ps, pb, bucket seats and yellow w/black top paint scheme.

My point is that this phrase gets thrown around like the 383 Hemi, the 440 six pack, the "exhaust manifolds flow as good as headers" stories. People just sometimes ramble on without thinking anyone is going to call them out on what they say.
I sold cars in the 80s. Showrooms were not that big in Sacramento. You'd be lucky to get 3 cars on the floor. Of ALL the guys I met at car shows that said their Dad/Uncle/Cousin bought their car new off the showroom floor , I seriously doubt that more than 3 in 10 buyers actually bought a showroom car.
Sorry for the rant, I just equate this to urban guys with the ..."no whut I'm sayin? and other verbal quirks people have.

Well, I had lunch with my father today and he started musing about the car. It seems he had his eye on a bronze one w/ white top in Riverside, CA. It was about $4K he said, a LOT of money at the time and big payments for him. He said he went to get it and the salesman had 'low-balled' him and said he had talked to the manager who wanted $500 more than he had been quoted. So my dad said he didn't think so and went to San Bernadino and bought the F6/V1W/V88 instead and added he was "glad I did, that's a special car."
He then told me about his brother's car, 1968 orange w/white top & interior & 426 HEMI. I told him that I remembered the car and riding in it to the 1st NASCAR race at Ontario Motor speedway.
Then I asked "so you bought it off the lot, it wasn't ordered"? He looked at me and emphasized "NO! I drove it off the showroom floor!"
That's his story and he's sticking to it...

[Bad B-rad]

Great story!!!
Well in 2003, I was 23 and just had a 1 year old son, I called up local Dodge dealer and asked about an electric blue Pt cruiser my wife wanted(I know, I know, I wanted a Magnum R/T, took 5 years but I got it , anyway)I called and asked about the Pt cruiser she had been bugging me about, and we met the salesman at the dealer, about 7:30, 8 pm that night, and he had pulled the Pt cruiser into the show room, we looked it over, sat down at his desk, right next to the car, and we cut a deal, and she drove it home that night..............................OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR!!!!!!

Now I know the car had only been pulled inside about 1/2 hr before we arrived, but hey at least I got a "off the showroom floor" story!!!!!!!!!!!



(very depressing that my story is about a Pt cruiser, and your pop's had a sexy 69 Charger!!)

[DAY CLONA]

It was a novelty back in the day to hear, or an individual to say "I bought it off the showroom floor", or it was a "special order", when truth be told, it didn't really matter, it was still just production line trash...it could be equated to today's nomenclature spewed forth like: "it's numbers matching" or "it's all original", or "it's a survivor", or "it's one of 5072 red and black striped 68 RR's, and 1 of 4978 with a 4 speed, and 1 of 378 with single rear speaker, and 1 of 1 with a cigar lighter delete option, and my pops bought it off the showroom floor!"...IMHO what makes one's vehicle special, is when it stands out and above the "crowd" of others, pedigree means nothing

[BDF]

It was a novelty back in the day to hear, or an individual to say "I bought it off the showroom floor", or it was a "special order", when truth be told, it didn't really matter, it was still just production line trash...it could be equated to today's nomenclature spewed forth like: "it's numbers matching" or "it's all original", or "it's a survivor", or "it's one of 5072 red and black striped 68 RR's, and 1 of 4978 with a 4 speed, and 1 of 378 with single rear speaker, and 1 of 1 with a cigar lighter delete option, and my pops bought it off the showroom floor!"...IMHO what makes one's vehicle special, is when it stands out and above the "crowd" of others, pedigree means nothing

Mine stands out and above the "crowd" and it is a 1OF 1 car, it's the only ONE I have.

The 'show room' thing didn't mean much to me but judging by my dad's tone of voice it did to him.

[BDF]

PS: ...and my pops bought it off the showroom floor! 

[DAY CLONA]

It was a novelty back in the day to hear, or an individual to say "I bought it off the showroom floor", or it was a "special order", when truth be told, it didn't really matter, it was still just production line trash...it could be equated to today's nomenclature spewed forth like: "it's numbers matching" or "it's all original", or "it's a survivor", or "it's one of 5072 red and black striped 68 RR's, and 1 of 4978 with a 4 speed, and 1 of 378 with single rear speaker, and 1 of 1 with a cigar lighter delete option, and my pops bought it off the showroom floor!"...IMHO what makes one's vehicle special, is when it stands out and above the "crowd" of others, pedigree means nothing

Mine stands out and above the "crowd" and it is a 1OF 1 car, it's the only ONE I have.

The 'show room' thing didn't mean much to me but judging by my dad's tone of voice it did to him.

Like I had mentioned earlier in this thread, my step father was enamored with buying showroom models only, his reasoning was the car was better prepped, and any problems were rectified before it was displayed, where the lot stock out back was pretty much as delivered, in some instances he was right...

[BDF]