Dealing with WV DMV

[Joel T.]

All;

Like most of you, I recently received the official delivery report for my 1963 SWC... and like many of you, I was surprised to learn where the car actually originated from...

Turns out the car was delivered to a small dealership in Nitro WV. Population is 6000 folks today, I can just imagine what it was back in the early 60's! You gotta believe they did not sell many Corvettes....

The dealership is still there today under a different name. I contacted them but they have no records going back that far so my next stop is the WV DMV.

I read somewhere that WV DMV has records back 50 years which would be great. I also found their request for information form on-line and am getting ready to mail it in along with the $25 title search fee.

Question; have any of you dealt with the WV DMV and is there any specific way to frame my request so as to get prior owner information including names and addresses? Their form provides for a number of reasons for the request but indicates that for "other" types of requests that name and address data will not be supplied unless some conditions are met..

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

As an aside, I bought the '63 from a guy in Georgia and know of at least a second owner from that state.... given the very good condition of the frame I always assumed that it was a southern car....

Thanks,

Joel

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealing with WV DMV

If you want to PM me the name of the dealer, Joel, I'd be happy to poke around for a little info on them !

[Larry M.]

Re: Dealing with WV DMV

I lived and worked in this area during the 1970's. The dealer's name should be C&O Chevrolet (Motors). Almost purchased my 1978 Z-28 from them back in late 1977.

The Charleston WV area Chevrolet dealers were Tag Galyean, Joe Holland, C&O Motors, and Okie Landers.

From what I remember, C&O sold a few performance cars and Corvettes, but were not a big player. Tag Galyean was by far the bigger dealership......we held our SCCA Meetings in their dealership showroom area.

Larry

EDIT: Charleston/Nitro WV winters were not all that bad, and sand and cinders were generally used for roads versus salt.

SECOND EDIT: There is currently a Chevrolet Dealer in Nitro named Turnpike Chevrolet. I do not remember them from the 1970's, although I do remember them coming later when I used to travel back to Charleston for business. The NITRO entrance ramp to Interstate 64(where Turnpike Chevrolet is now located) was very long and generally unused, so I marked it off and used it as my "unofficial 1/4 mile". But since it was on an upward incline back to the Interstate, 1/4 miles times were a bit slower than on flat road.

[Joel T.]

Re: Dealing with WV DMV

I lived and worked in this area during the 1970's. The dealer's name should be C&O Chevrolet (Motors). Almost purchased my 1978 Z-28 from them back in late 1977.

The Charleston WV area Chevrolet dealers were Tag Galyean, Joe Holland, C&O Motors, and Okie Landers.

From what I remember, C&O sold a few performance cars and Corvettes, but were not a big player. Tag Galyean was by far the bigger dealership......we held our SCCA Meetings in their dealership showroom area.

Larry


EDIT: Charleston/Nitro WV winters were not all that bad, and sand and cinders were generally used for roads versus salt.

SECOND EDIT: There is currently a Chevrolet Dealer in Nitro named Turnpike Chevrolet. I do not remember them from the 1970's, although I do remember them coming later when I used to travel back to Charleston for business. The NITRO entrance ramp to Interstate 64(where Turnpike Chevrolet is now located) was very long and generally unused, so I marked it off and used it as my "unofficial 1/4 mile". But since it was on an upward incline back to the Interstate, 1/4 miles times were a bit slower than on flat road.

Hi Larry;

Based upon my checking, Turnpike motors is the survivor of Childers Chevy where my SWC was delivered back in '63. I called the dealership and they confirmed this fact but told me that they kept no paperwork longer than 8 years!

My wife and I passed right by Nitro with our RV this summer on our way from NJ to Bowling Green (I bet you can guess for what!). If I had this information at that time, I would have stopped by the dealership.

I sent them pictures of the car as it now sits and even offered to let them display it for a spell in exchange for information... no dice!

Nitro is a relatively small town still today (6000 people per the 2000 census) so I got to believe that selling a SWC with the bigger motor and the optional paint back in '63, had to be noteworthy! Maybe someone will have a memory of it!

Joel

[Larry M.]

Re: Dealing with WV DMV

Joel:

I think I do remember a Childers Chevrolet, but they were so small that hardley anyone used them. I guess that is why I didn't remember them initially.

I bought my Z-28 from Okie Landers in Hurricane WV....and I got quotes from all the other area dealers I previously mentioned. But I never saw/visited Childers. Again, they were simply too small/unknown to most in the area.

I do not know anyone still in this area that might remember this car, so I cannot help more in this area. Good luck with the WV DMV. Let me know if you find out anything.

I was involved in SCCA racing during the 1970's. There was a guy who owned a small Engineering Company just off I-64 near Nitro. He had all sorts of exotic cars and race cars, as well as his own private racetrack called "Gartersnake". He let us race on this course once a year. He may still be around, and possibly might remember a 1963 SWC. I will try to remember his name.

Larry

EDIT: The name of the engineering company was Payne Engineering, Scott Depot WV. The owners name was Henry Payne. Google his name for history and pictures of his private racetrack.

Also, a guy named Jim Minnick from Nitro WV was big into drag racing in the mid-1960's and held a few track or world records. He later opened a Speed Shop in Cross Lanes WV that I used to go to buy parts. He (or his family) may be a better link to follow....since he was a drag racer from the 1960's living in the Nitro WV area. He HAD to know your car. His speedshop still shows to be in business, but it looks like they diversified into other automotive stuff as well. Located on Goff Mountain Road. Let me know if you cannot find this info....I can provide.

[Joel T.]

Re: Dealing with WV DMV

Joel:

I think I do remember a Childers Chevrolet, but they were so small that hardley anyone used them. I guess that is why I didn't remember them initially.

I bought my Z-28 from Okie Landers in Hurricane WV....and I got quotes from all the other area dealers I previously mentioned. But I never saw/visited Childers. Again, they were simply too small/unknown to most in the area.

I do not know anyone still in this area that might remember this car, so I cannot help more in this area. Good luck with the WV DMV. Let me know if you find out anything.

I was involved in SCCA racing during the 1970's. There was a guy who owned a small Engineering Company just off I-64 near Nitro. He had all sorts of exotic cars and race cars, as well as his own private racetrack called "Gartersnake". He let us race on this course once a year. He may still be around, and possibly might remember a 1963 SWC. I will try to remember his name.

Larry

EDIT: The name of the engineering company was Payne Engineering, Scott Depot WV. The owners name was Henry Payne. Google his name for history and pictures of his private racetrack.

Also, a guy named Jim Minnick from Nitro WV was big into drag racing in the mid-1960's and held a few track or world records. He later opened a Speed Shop in Cross Lanes WV that I used to go to buy parts. He (or his family) may be a better link to follow....since he was a drag racer from the 1960's living in the Nitro WV area. He HAD to know your car. His speedshop still shows to be in business, but it looks like they diversified into other automotive stuff as well. Located on Goff Mountain Road. Let me know if you cannot find this info....I can provide.

Larry;

If you could provide some contact information for Jim Minnick, I would appreciate it. I've tried google with no luck. I did send some requests out to local car clubs and have been doing some research into the owners of Childers Chevrolet.... They are unfortunately deceased but other family members are still around.

Thanks,

Joel

[Larry M.]

Re: Dealing with WV DMV

Larry;

If you could provide some contact information for Jim Minnick, I would appreciate it. I've tried google with no luck. I did send some requests out to local car clubs and have been doing some research into the owners of Childers Chevrolet.... They are unfortunately deceased but other family members are still around.

Thanks,

Joel

Jim Minnick's Parts and Engines, Inc.
520 Old Goff Mountain Road
Charleston, West Virginia 25313
Phone (304) 776-2200

The street address and phone number are the same as in 1978, except the old Cross Lanes/Nitro town(s) (from 1978) are now replaced by Charleston.....so I guess the city of Charleston expanded out and incorporated these smaller towns.

Jim may or may not still be around. I understand his son is involved in auto racing, and may be the one that runs the shop. You can ask.

I lived in both Cross Lanes and in St Albans during this time. Nitro is the next small town over from these.

Good luck. Larry

[Richard L.]

Re: Dealing with WV DMV

I received my title search results from WV in only 6 days. They removed the names of the owners, but sent me alot of paperwork (title, odometer info, reassignment, etc). Happy to have alot more info than I did before.

[Joel T.]

Re: Dealing with WV DMV

I received my title search results from WV in only 6 days. They removed the names of the owners, but sent me alot of paperwork (title, odometer info, reassignment, etc). Happy to have alot more info than I did before.

Rich;

Thanks for the input... did they include any information which would help you trace prior owners or piece together the history?

Thx,

Joel

[Richard L.]

Re: Dealing with WV DMV

Joel, unfortunately no info on prior owner's or dealers. But have alot more info than I did before. They sent me 7 documents and that was just for the one owner who traded in a Pontiac for the Vette. Now tracking down stuff in Ohio and Kentucky. Best of luck in your search.