Dannoman

Since tracking down the history on my 63, it looks like it was originally purchased from a Chicago area dealership. Is there anyone that knows the names of any Chicago area dealerships that were around back in 1963? I gotta believe that there were just a few back then. Do dealerships keep records of sales that far back? I'd love to be able to nail it down. Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

Danno

RMBLROAR

one of the bigger ones was Nickey Chevrolet (the "k" was backward. They always advertised "Nickey Chevrolet with the backward k" in competition with the ads for Mr. Norm at Grand Spalding Dodge; another dealer that was hot in the Chicago area. If you have the zone and dealer number we may be able to help you a little more.

Chuck Gongloff

Chicago area was Zone 11. There were many dealers in that zone....hundreds even back in the 60's.

Go to the NCRS DB. They have a Zone and Dealership database. With a Zone and Dealer #, you'll have better luck. Chuck

Dannoman

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not real sure how I'd determine zone/dealer # if I don't know which dealership sold the car. Is there a way of tracking the VIN# to the dealership through the NCRS DB?


Thanks again.

Danno

Midyearnut

How about:
Clark-Maple
Fencl-Bogan
Keystone
Z Frank
I'm sure there are some others, hopefully others will add to the list.
Bob L.

Ironcross

My 63 FI coupe came from Clark Maple Chevrolet. Whats the serial # of the car your looking for?

Dannoman

30867S117027

Anyone know whether s/n can be traced back to dealer via NCRS database? Do dealerships keep sales record that go back this far. I did send an email off to Z Frank and Chevrolet consumer division.....I'll let you know what they say. Thanks again for the help.

Danno

Chuck Gongloff

No, it cannot. The only way that you MIGHT be able to get this info is thought the NICB...National Insurance Crime Bureau?

There are records that show where and when your car was delivered, BUT these are no longer available to us. A police officer WITH A CASE number could try, BUT they're putting their butt on the line.

You used to be able to get this info, but they've cracked down. Used to be a private investigator group named FourCee in New York that would get it for you for a fee of $50.00 or so. They're long gone.

Regarding Zone and Dealer numbers, when they were first set up, they were alphabetized within each zone. SO...Zone 11 dealer 001 might be Aardvark Chevrolet.

My 69 came from the Chicago Zone...Zone 11, Dealer 227 GK Chevrolet in Downers Grove. Doing the "math", if they had 227 dealers in the Zone by the time they hit the G's, there could be 400+ dealers. Chuck

Dannoman

Thanks for the info Chuck. I received a reply from Chevrolet...they just told me to contact the National Corvette Museum. I doubt I'll get anywhere with them. If anyone happens to live in Cape Coral, Fla , and wants to help me.....owner #2 lives there now....I just can't contact him. May be time for Florida vacation.


Danno

Dannoman

You're right Chuck. I emailed NICB, and they replied that they do indeed have the information that I am looking for...but it is not available to the General Public.

Back to the drawing board.



Danno

Mecom Racer

E-mail all the info you're looking for along with any that you already have. I'll forward it to my friend at GM. Maybe he can help.

mark2000ss@comcast.net

Dannoman

Thanks for the offer, Mark. Email is on its way.

Danno

Tim Gilmore

Z Frank was a popular dealer, my car came from there, 11-223.
Jennings Chevrolet was in Glenview and sold a number of Corvettes.

Dannoman

It's hard to imagine that there were 400 plus Chevrolet dealers back in the early 60's. Now I know Des Moines isn't even close to the size of Chicago, but heck right now we only have a handful of Chevrolet dealers....maybe 5-10. Is it possible that those numbers represented the number of Chevy dealers in the state of Illinois?

C'mon give me some hope.


Danno

Chuck Gongloff

In all fairness, you're correct. Zone 11 was the "Chicago Zone", which encompassed most of Illinois, part of Wisconsin, and parts of Missouri. So.....within the confines of Chicago itself, who knows how many dealers were there. You gotta remember too that there were a lot more dealers back then, lots of Ma and Pa one car showrooom "stores", and lots of "Chuck's Chevrolet, Buick, Olds, Pontiac, GMC" dealerships.

As a point of reference, and somebody will correct me if I'm WAY wrong, in 1978, Chevy made about 6,600 Pace Cars, one for every dealership. That's 6600 dealerships around in 78.

My 69 came from Zone 11, Dealer 227, G K Chevrolet in Downers Grove, Ill. Here are a few more Zone 11 dealers.

Z Frank Chevrolet Dealer # 223
G K Chevrolet Dealer # 227
Gateway Chevrolet Dealer # 230
Olaf Gjovic Chevy/Olds Dealer # 239

Hmmmm. In alphabetical order.

What you're trying to do is tough if not impossible. Even if you know your Zone and Dealer number, MOST of those aren't known.

If you go to the NCRS site at www.ncrs.org they have a Zone and Dealer data base. I believe that the Camaro/Chevelle guys have the same thing. LOTS of people looking for the Zone/Dealer database. I could go on....but I'll stop for now. Chuck

tommyn

Z Frank & Gateway Chevrolet are still in business today. I live around the corner from Gateway. I wonder if GK in Downers Grove is now Bill Kay. Good Luck TommyN

Chuck Gongloff

G K Chev. now is Bill Kay Chev. Chuck

SDVette

Sorry to kick this almost 10 year old thread..

My car was purchased in late 1960 or early 1961 at a Chicago area dealership. Although she could not remember the dealership name, she did remember that it was owned by someone named "Roble" or "Robel", because the son of the owner was a friend of my dad's.

I have done web and NCRS searching to no avail.. LONG SHOT: does that ring a bell for anyone? Or any way to check the ownership information on dealerships from that era?

Thanks for any input.

leaky4150

Through NCRS info Rudolph Chevrolet in El Paso Texas. Still in business but on their 3rd building and saved no info Spoke w/owner and his assistant were very nice to me. Got current license plate frame which is on car now

IGO200

Don't forget Doane Chevrolet in Dundee. I bought my '65 there. Dick Doane was a big SCCA Corvette racer and always had the good stuff and "specialized" in inventorying Corvettes.

There was also a big Race Prep shop in DesPlaines, Tero Corvette. THey did a lot or repair installed roll bars, etc.