Wilmshurst Chevrolet, Angels Ca

[Randy C.]

I received my shipping data report for our '71 Corvette and it's a great start in helping me figure out the first 4 years of our Corvette's existence. Here's what the report told me:

Official GM Production Date: 12/15/70 (trim tag says E14 so that's good)

Original Deliver Dealer Code: Zone 6, Code 655

Name and Address of Dealer: Wilmshurst Chevrolet, Angels, CA

I looked up the dealer code and 6-655 shows Lew Williams Chevrolet, 2449 Fulton Avenue, Sacramento CA 95821, per a '73 Corvette window sticker. This same dealership also shows up as 6-665 (1970) and 6-651 (from an original window sticker on a '66 Caprice).

Here are my questions that I hope someone familiar with the Sacramento area can help with:

(1) Where is Angels, CA? I've heard of Angels Camp, CA (about 70 miles SE of Sacto), but I've never heard of, or seen on a map, a town named Angels.

(2) Does anyone have any info on "Wilmshurst Chevrolet"? Is it possible that Wilmshurst Chevrolet would be a sort of sub-dealership of Lew Williams Chevrolet? Was there ever a Wilmshurst Chevrolet in Angels Camp?

We were pretty sure our Corvette was originally a CA car because the plate on it when we bought it in Alameda CA in August 1978 (blue with yellow figures "123 CNM") would be consistent with a very late 1970 or early 1971 issue. The guy I bought the car from said he was the second owner and bought it off of a used lot in Marin or Sonoma County in the summer of 1975.

Any help with "Angels CA", "Wilmshurst Chevrolet", and "sub-dealership" status will be greatly appreciated.

And a very special thanks to NCRS in being able to draw our Corvette out of complete orphan status!

Randy C.

[Randy C.]

Re: Wilmshurst Chevrolet, Angels Ca

Well, stupid me. After I posted this, I thought that I should just look up Wilmshurst Chevrolet and see what I find. What I found was a dealership in Angels Camp, CA, called Forty-Niner Subaru, owned by a 72-year old Richard E. Wilmshurst. I found that the dealership was "...built in 1961 as a Chevrolet store in an historic mountain town in north-central California...", and that R.E. Wilmshurst is "...a member of a family that entered the auto-franchise business in Angels Camp with Chevrolet in 1933...".

So, that pretty much confirms that Wilmshurst Chevrolet was in Angels Camp, CA. Now, I am confused by the dealer zone/code, which shows up as Lew Williams Chevrolet in Sacto. Could Wilmshurst Chevrolet have been a sub-dealership of Lew Williams Chevrolet? Or, could our Corvette have been ordered by Lew Williams Chevrolet om Sacto for delivery to Wilmshurst Chevrolet in Angels Camp? That's the part I don't understand. Anyone out there that knows more about this and can explain, the info will be greatly appreciated!

Randy C.

[Terry M.]

Re: Wilmshurst Chevrolet, Angels Ca

The dealer codes changed from time to time. Sometimes because dealers changed an address (even if it was the postal authorities who changed the address) or if the dealership name changed -- even if the change was for legal reasons. That is why when posting the Zone and dealer code it is important to also add the date the information is valid for.

[Rob M.]

Re: Wilmshurst Chevrolet, Angels Ca

Randal,

My uncle lives up the road from Angel's Camp. I emailed him last night, here's what he said:

"Yes he had Chev until about 10 years ago then it went to Subaru until about
two years ago now it is closed."

He's lived there a long time and knows many who live there (small town). If you have any specific questions that he might be able to answer, let me know. Also, Jerry Fuccillo lives really close to Angel's and I bet he'd be willing to help. He can be contacted via the members list.

Good luck,