How to research where my c4 was bought

[Adam B.]

Hi everyone. I am interested in finding out about my 85 corvette aqnd possibly taking it through the NCRS process. I would really like to find about where my car was oringally purchased but do not know how. I bought the car from the orginal owner's son beacuse his mother the orginal owner passed away and he did not know much about...any help would be awesome! thanks!

[Tom H.]

Re: How to research where my c4 was bought

Hey Adam !!! You are in luck !!! Contact the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. They offer a window sticker and build sheet service that will provide you with the facts you are searching for !!!

https://store.corvettemuseum.com/services/buildsheet.asp

The original selling dealer will appear on these documents.

If you have the original sticker or any of the original paperwork in the console, it might have the dealer name as well.

[Adam B.]

Re: How to research where my c4 was bought

Thanks Tom! Now hopefully i can be a step further in my research.

[Tom H.]

Re: How to research where my c4 was bought

Hi Dave ! Most documentation is available from the museum back to the point when they opened in 81. Some documents are miising from 82, I believe, but C4 documentation should be complete. You are correct that a dealer trade will not be indicated on the window sticker or build sheet.

It is hard to say how long a dealer keeps records. It depends on the size of the dealership and the volume of vehicles they sell and service.

[Terry M.]

Re: How to research where my c4 was bought

Dave,
In general the GM VIS (Vehicle Information System) that contains build, warrantee, and delivery information is available for 10 years. If you catch it at model change over, it might be 11 years -- but my experience is that is the limit. I don't know if there is some "secret file" that goes back farther. Tom might know if there is such a thing.

That 10 year limit is why I got paper print-outs for all my cars before they got old enough to drop out of the system. While not as strange as a Ford dealer selling a new Corvette, the police cars have some interesting delivery information -- and they were usually fleet sales.

Edit add: The Corvette for Museum delivery is kind of unusual as well. Did you know the Museum has a Zone and Dealer code?

[Tom H.]

Re: How to research where my c4 was bought

I don't know if there is some "secret file" that goes back farther. Tom might know if there is such a thing.


Edit add: The Corvette for Museum delivery is kind of unusual as well. Did you know the Museum has a Zone and Dealer code?

Nope, no secret system. Most of the C4 info is gone. At least from the dealer standpoint of being able to retrieve it.

As far as the museum delivery dealer codes go, it has changed several times. I remember when cars were shipped to Cave City Chevrolet, back in the 90's, we used code 73-984 to designate an R8C museum delivery.

Today we use 31-728 as the code for R8C museum delivery.

[Terry M.]

Re: How to research where my c4 was bought

I might be wrong, but I thought at one time the Corvettes for Muesum delivery went to Campbell Chevrolet in Bowling Green -- or maybe that was just a proposal we had. You have no idea how difficult getting the R8C was, or how many people became involved.

Edit add: I haven't forgotten the search for Zora's Chevelle pictures from 1994. It is on my list.

[Tom H.]

Re: How to research where my c4 was bought

Hey Terry ! Yes, Campbell was one of the delivery dealers at one time too.

Terry, I just found a whole folder of my original founding member paperwork from the museum. Found a letter in there from you to me in the early 90's !!!

[Terry M.]

Re: How to research where my c4 was bought

Hey Terry ! Yes, Campbell was one of the delivery dealers at one time too.

Terry, I just found a whole folder of my original founding member paperwork from the museum. Found a letter in there from you to me in the early 90's !!!

Hey Tom -- hang on to that. When I croak it just might be worth something J/K

Thanks for your support when we needed it -- not that we don't now, but you know what I mean.

[Tom H.]

Re: How to research where my c4 was bought

Hey Tom -- hang on to that. When I croak it just might be worth something J/K

Thanks for your support when we needed it -- not that we don't now, but you know what I mean.

It was just funny to find those long lost papers and then see a familiar name. Pretty neat. Even got my volume 1 newsletter.