Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Search

[Gary C.]

The following dealer search tips have brought success for many of our Members in locating information on a vintage Corvette dealer.

Thanks to Tom Hendricks, Dana Banfield and others who have contributed their time and effort to aid fellow NCRS Members with their dealer information quests.

Additional tips are welcomed

1) Google the Dealer Name City/State
2) Google to search for vintage (year) maps for your dealer’s City/State
3) Google maps for address http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/
4) Google for City/State newspaper to see if they have their archives on-line
5) Check the Library in the City/State to see if they provide research services - search old newspaper ads and phone books
6) Check the local City/County historical society - vintage photos
7) Place an ad in the local City or Community newspaper - with a search request

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

........................ or, you can always drop me a PM or an email. I'll sure try to help. I don't have any secret access to any hidden information, but I've become pretty good at finding dealer history and coming up with contacts for some members to aid in their search.

My services may or may not help find your original owner, but I'm always glad to try and I charge nothing !! I just enjoy the hunt.

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

Just found some info for a member by accident by searching Facebook. Check to see if the actual town that your car was delivered to has a Facebook page. Good link to some info from people enthusiastic about their town and its history. Always worth a shot !!

[Claus S.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

Tom. Do you have any idea of how to find out anything more about the car than the shipping report said?
I phoned Cormier Chevrolet in Long Beach but they could not help me.

At least i have confirmed that the car is not a export car but a California car.

I will try to talk with the first owner of the car in Sweden. I suppose he imported it.

[Frank B.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

Tom,

I'd really appreciate any help. I've got an early '63 (November '62) car, which was delivered to Jack Wolfe, Inc. in Ironton, OH. Jack Wolfe was Dealer Code #431, in Zone 40. I purchased the car in 2006 in Northern KY, so apparently it never left the Southern Ohio area. I'd like to get information on the dealer to hopefully get closer to the original owner. Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Frank

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

Hi Frank !

I don't have anything on those guys at all. I might have to poke around a bit. If I find any contacts, I will send them to you by PM !!!

Here's a little article I just dug up that mentions the Jack Wolfe dealership.

A FRANCHISE MOVEMENT
Bob Clyse purchases Higgins Chevrolet to add to automobile line

By Teresa Moore | The Tribune

Published Friday, March 26, 2010

First, a bit of history for you: Back in the late 1940s after the second World War, Betty Parnell was introduced to Robert Clyse at the old Ironton–Russell Motors that occupied the corner of Second and Washington streets where the Sherwin-Williams paint store is today.

Clyse must have found two loves at that automobile store. He married Betty and he later went to work at another local car dealership, Jack Wolfe Chevrolet.

Jack Wolfe eventually sold his Chevrolet dealership to the Willis family, who then sold it to Paul Higgins.

On Friday, Clyse’s son, Bob Clyse, bought Higgins Chevrolet, taking the family’s love of cars and its affiliation with an American standard full circle.

Clyse purchased the real estate, some business assets and the Chevrolet franchise, making the name over his door Bob Clyse Chevrolet Buick GMC. He declined to discuss a sale price.

The car dealership has a history of its own. The Higgins family operated the dealership for more than 80 years, first at a location in Willow Wood and then at the location on South Third across from Clyse’s Buick GMC dealership.

Over the years, Clyse said he admired the Higgins family’s business longevity, a timeline that spanned the Great Depression and a World War.

But as the years slipped away, so did members of the Higgins family.

Six months ago, Clyse said an intermediary contacted him and asked if he was interested in purchasing the dealership.

And he was.

“It’s a shame for Ironton not to have a Chevy store and once one is gone it’s not coming back,” Clyse said. “There is a great need for a Chevy store and I thought if I had the chance I should do it.”

More than 60 percent of GMC’s sales is the Chevy brand and Chevy has a large selection of fuel efficient cars — a legitimate consideration in the days of rising fuel prices and an national push toward cleaner, greener automobiles.

Clyse’s plans are to move across the street to the former Higgins property within eight or nine months. He will later give the Higgins façade and showroom a facelift.

He has interviewed roughly half of Higgins’ 20 employees and has hired four. W

hether he keeps more Higgins’ staffers depends on the economy.

He will keep both his current building and the Higgins building, though he is not sure how he will use the Clyse property in the future.

He will eventually lose his detail shop at Second and Monroe streets. That parcel is part of the land acquisition for the Ohio touchdown of the new Ironton-Russell Bridge.

Clyse said his reasons for buying the Higgins dealership are not purely business or selfish. He said he is adamant about investing in the community that has supported him over the years.

“Ultimately, it comes down to the human side of it,” he said.

[Rick A.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

Tom,

really neat story that you dug up! so, it inspires me to ask if you have anything for STAR CHEVROLET, which is long out of business. Was in East Orange, NJ on 473 Main Street. The Dealer Code was 301 and the Zone was 35. Thanks for anything you can dig up.

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

Tom,

really neat story that you dug up! so, it inspires me to ask if you have anything for STAR CHEVROLET, which is long out of business. Was in East Orange, NJ on 473 Main Street. The Dealer Code was 301 and the Zone was 35. Thanks for anything you can dig up.

I'll start digging !!

[Gary C.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

This thread was intended to be a "how to" on information searches and for Members to share the methods they found successful in their quests.

Please open a new thread if you have a search or information request for the forum members.

Thank you,

Gary
....

[Tom E.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

Tom,

Any info on the "The Central Motor Co." of Hamilton, Ohio?

1965 Goldwood Yellow (XX) Convertible built on 2/1/65, #194675S108531.

Shipped to Dealer 103/Zone 9, now out of business.

Thanks,

Tom E.

[Herb P.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

I have a '67 coupe (5/8/67) that was delivered to A.B. Smith Chevrolet in Portland Oregon. I have found out that the dealer no longer exists. How can I determine when it went out of business and/or was sold?
I am delighted to find out it is a west coast car since I got it from California and it was not a A.I.R car.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Hal E.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

To find out when the dealer ceased operations you might try the State of Oregon "Department of State"(that's the department name in PA) or similar department that maintains records of incorporations and the status of Oregon based corporations or even Doing Business As records for sole proprietors, or LLCs etc.

Hal Emrich
NCRS 8658

[Herb P.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

Hal:

Thanks I will contact the State of Oregon. Can't hurt.

Herb

[Brian M.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

Might want to narrow it down to the County they did busn in.

Hal:

Thanks I will contact the State of Oregon. Can't hurt.

Herb

[Hal E.]

Re: Dealer Information Search Tips - Please Read These Tips - They May Help Your Sear

The way business registrations work in PA is that Corporations are registered at a state level thru the Dept. of State. There are also related registrations with the Department of Revenue. I was able to locate corporate information thru the State of PA website under the Department of State. If the business was sold and is operating under a different name the trail would likely be at the state level if it was a corporation.

DBA sole proprietor ships (Doing Business As) are generally advertised at the county level and recorded in County legal notices. This is also called T/A in some states (Trading As).

Not sure what the law is in Oregon....can't hurt to try both places.

Hal Emrich
NCRS 8658