I have been away from the C3VR but just rejoined and I have a question that is not going to be easy but need some help.

I ran into a lady who thought my corvette used to be her father's.  My corvette is a 1978 Corvette light blue and so was her father's but in talking it was a 1979 same color but had both glass and colored T-tops.  She lives in the Allentown-Bethlehem area and back in 2005 her father passed away and she had no use for the car after having a child and sold it around 2005. I figured out it was Stoudts Corvettes in Reading who bought (stole it) from her and to this day she regrets it.  She is now trying to locate it.  She thought it belonged to someone in the Allentown Corvette club but after checking with the member no one has or had this car.  I called Stoudts and asked if they had any records on who they sold this car to and he mentioned they sold the company and he had to destroy all the records in the process????  SO we don't know where it ended up. I asked her any paperwork she had of the buy or sell that would have registration insurance vin number but nothing was saved.  I know  a member with JAWS license plates has a 79 and same color but what are the odds this is her father's car.

So my question other then contacting all Corvette clubs in PA and maybe getting lucky on someone having one or history on their car is there anyway else to track this car or try and locate it?????

I was out driving around on a nice sunny day and she somehow got my attention to pull over and she came up in tears thinking she found her dad's car and that"s how this all started.  By dumb luck we crossed paths again about a month ago and she was in tears again...I told her I would do all I can to try and find it but it would help if you had anything.  I know in the old days if you knew a trooper they could maybe look up a old tag but I'm sure they cannot do that with all the personal protection rights out there but the tag in 2005 was 79 VT registered in PA.  If anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate it.  I just wish she had the vin.

thanks

Babyblue 78

If you know the VIN for the car, you can search the database HERE to see if a member(or former member) owns/owned it. Just enter in as much info as you have on the vehicle, and then go down the list of registered cars and see if one of the VINs matches the one you are searching for.

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Be patient, Barry will chime in and verify what he can do to assist you. 

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I sent BlueBarry a message..he should respond soon as he can.

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Hey, this is Barry Grubb in Maryland who owned the 79 Vette that was known as JAWS79. This particular car was purchased from Stoudt Corvette in Reading , PA in February 2008 and was lovingly owned by us until April 2020 when it was totaled by Hagerty Insurance after being sideswiped by a van when coming home from a car show in November 2019 It took that long to get it into the body shop. Hagerty had given an estimate that it was fixable but when we took it to be repaired at Mike's Auto Body in Thurmont, MD he found a lot more damage and with the supplimental estimate it was almost to what we had it insured for. It was picked up by Haggerty at that location in April. I still have a lot of stuff from the car since I took everything out of it that I could. If it is the car you are looking for, know that we had 12 years of fantastic memories with this car. It went on trips to MAM in Effingham, IL. It went on a trip to Charleston, SC. It went to numerous car shows every year including many in the Allentown / Bethlehem Area (we have friends up there). We had fixed everything on the car and it was kept in great shape. I would be happy to talk to you about it. 

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Thanks Barry!

Babyblue 78 , if you caqn get the VIN for the car you are searching for, post it here, or P/M me, and I can check to see if it is the same car. It is very possible it IS, considering Barry bought "Jaws" from Stoudt's, and you believe that is where the one you are looking for was sold...

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Again I or Her do not have a VIN, so that is out . But it sounds close and I might have the year off but I thought2005 but maybe that's incorrect but yes it could have sat there for a period of time before selling it.  But that it was sold at Stoudts and it is the same year and it has the clear roof too many coincidences.  When I was a member prior and she told me about the car first I did recall the Jaws 79 car but with MD It did not click in my brain but I wished I would have checked. If Barry has friends in the area maybe she had someone tell her they saw it and she just took it was located here.  Ok Yes I would like to talk but I think more she would like to here more once we confirm its her Fathers old car.  I will call her let her know maybe we found the owner but how to break the bad news to her.....

I'm not sure what you kept from the inside but maybe something she might want if your willing to part with it.    Ok thanks a lot for the info. I will figure out how to PM Barry and get a phone number and ask her again for a timeline.  Maybe the father passed in 2005 but she did not sell it for a year or so.  Again as of now we don't have concrete evidence its the same car but what are the odds??

Thanks I will get some info.

Sterk03

Can the JAWS 79 Vin number be used to find previous owners or that's HIPPA type stuff....,can law enforcement track it ?  Just a thought!

Sterk03

I still have my notebook of paperwork from the car. Can you give me her name and her father's name? I could give you a better idea if this was the car you were looking for. OMG! I just found a reciept that has the tag  "79VT" on it! Hit me up and I can tell you more.

Barry

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It would be kewl if it WAS the same car.....other than the being totaled part, that is!

These days, you cannot get a VIN search done. Even law enforcement can't do it unless there is a valid reason for it. The NCRS could check for a shipper copy and original selling dealer, but....ya kinda need the VIN. I'm interested now to find out if it IS the same car!

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Well, I have to say it is a Superior Quality that this site has the Willingness, Concern and Ability to assist other people with concerns. There are some VERY knowledgeable and caring hearts to go to the depths of records to get answers!  THANK YOU to all who have been a part.

Click on image for full view

As a bit of more of the story, Barry sent me pics of the damage to JAWS79 and I sent them to a Corvette body shop friend of mine right here in Allentown PA. His estimate was several thousands less than the Hagerty estimate but alas Barry did not want a salvage titled car and he and Jackie had their hearts set on getting a C6. So it was up to Hagerty to decide what was/is to become of JAWS79. 😞 Maybe contacting Hagerty for some possible info could lead this lady back to having her father's Corvette back into the family if she is willing to have it with a salvage title and get the body work done. I could certainly hook her up with the person that gave me/Barry the repair estimate if it would possibly come to that. 

   

DanT

Dan suggested adding the pictures of the accident but I'm having trouble locating them through through C3VR. So I will look but for the time being here is a picture of Jaws79 in better days in one of it's moments of glory! I can say it looked like this pre-accident! In the meantime I will look and see what I can find!

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Well, obviously I am having problems getting the pictures up, as I always have had with C3VR. Maybe someone can help me straighten them out! Here is some of the damage from the accident. I will try again later.

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Rotated pics JAWS79..

   

DanT

That was totaled?  Wow.

Thanks, Dan! I can never figure it out!

Barry

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Hey, Gary, the reason for the total loss declaration by Haggerty was due to the amount of bodywork to be done (taking off front and rear bumper covers, possibly replacing both) and the fact they said they found hidden damage. also said that they most likely had to paint most of the car to blend paint properly. Anyway, the car was insured by Haggerty for $13,000 and they said the updated estimate was $12,500. Haggerty will not go over 75 percent of value without totaling it. Could have bought back car for $2,500 but would then have a salvage title, killing any resale.  Not to mention still having to repair car.

Barry

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Gotcha.

On a side note, my flight surgeon in Tucson bought a new light blue 79 for his wife while I was there. Not sure what color the interior was.  She showed it to me as I had a 78 SA.  She was pretty hot as I remember...

😎

Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

👍

Hey, Gary, if your friend still has the light blue 79 and it has the Midnight blue interior, tell him I have brand new door panels, All leather seat cushions, new carpet, new solid state windshield wiper controller (replaces relay system), Brand new NOS Blue glass T-Tops, and numerous other new and old parts. 

Barry

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That was in 1980...