$10,000 Cash Finder's Fee Still Available

[steve from staten island]

Tell you what im no saint and hell ten g is a nice chunk of change but if I found this guys car, so help me God, he could keep his money, maybe make a small donation to my charity of choice.
I give this guy a lot of credit and while living in the past is one thing, holding on to memories if it brings you peace and harmony so be it.
I hope he finds his car and if not my only advise would to be find another and build it exactly like the original he had all those years ago

 

[F4R/T]

Well I’d pay up or sell mine just to get dads old 70RT. I would make sure it was as close to the way it was when he bought it new, hand mom the keys and say give back later on , for now let him enjoy riding around in it.. To each their own, the past is usually a safe place to be, look what we have now! If folks acted like we did years ago and had respect just think of how different things could be! I’d pony up for pop more than myself.. He is in his 70s and a severe stroke victim that was misdiagnosed and he got sent home... What’s old is now new again! Best of luck is all I can say ..

 

[RRDon]

I am sorry but butterscotch (bahama yellow) was not available in 1970.
So it must have been another colour or it was a special order car (999 paint code)

Carsten

You are correct, that was a left over 69 they had on the lot parked with the 70's. After thinking about it I finally recalled the black stripes on the hood and realized that one was a 69. Thanks for correcting me.

 

[moparply]

Have you found any history of the car since you sold it? When did you last have the car?

 

[RRDon]

Have you found any history of the car since you sold it? When did you last have the car?

See my 1st post, pg1.

 

[moparply]

See my 1st post, pg1.

Ok.

 

[Alsd65]

nicb.org has an extensive database of any insurance claims/ insured etc. if you know an agent with subscriber access. Your VIN from pg. 1 does not show stolen or salvaged on their public Vin check on the site.

 

[RGAZ]

I really wish you luck in finding it, but it does not exist in the NMVTIS database which means that it has not been titled anywhere in the US since approximately 1992. That is the year the NMVTIS system was established to track vehicle theft. So, if you really want to find it, the internet will not be the way. It will take good old fashion legwork and a ton of luck. If I had nothing better to do this would be a fun treasure hunt. You would start in Glendale, AZ with where you traded it in. Ask them if they archive their records at all, Ask for any retirees who might have worked there in 73 etc. If not, start hitting up the old timer repair shops and salvage yards. Talk to people tied to the car craze, see if you get some leads and track them all down. You could spend a lifetime looking, but might find some cool stuff along the way.

Good Luck,
RGAZ

 

[RRDon]

I really wish you luck in finding it, but it does not exist in the NMVTIS database which means that it has not been titled anywhere in the US since approximately 1992. That is the year the NMVTIS system was established to track vehicle theft. So, if you really want to find it, the internet will not be the way. It will take good old fashion legwork and a ton of luck. If I had nothing better to do this would be a fun treasure hunt. You would start in Glendale, AZ with where you traded it in. Ask them if they archive their records at all, Ask for any retirees who might have worked there in 73 etc. If not, start hitting up the old timer repair shops and salvage yards. Talk to people tied to the car craze, see if you get some leads and track them all down. You could spend a lifetime looking, but might find some cool stuff along the way.

Good Luck,
RGAZ

Thanks RGAZ those are some great ideas. A couple of years ago I did return to the dealership (Sanderson Ford, Glendale, AZ) where I traded it in. Unfortunately, in 1973 computers were not available to general public and businesses. They had no records going back before computers.
You are certainly correct in that it would take some some serious leg work to try to find out what happened to it and that might be a fun adventure for someone. It could still be in somebody's back yard or garage but finding the Lost Dutchman's Gold mine would probably be easier. ;)

 

[68BabyBlue]

If the stars align right, it could surface with no effort on your part, if the car ends up in the right hands. I got Baby Blue back this way (bought the car in '83, sold it in '91, before computer network). Passed owner history on with car when I sold it, four owners later, the last guy got curious, called owner before me (phone and address same as when I sold the car), he called me, I connected, bought car back in 2013. If the right guy posts the VIN on the lost and found forum, you're home. I was amazed it took four owners after me before somebody got curious enough to start the process. One thing that helped me, was my car never passed through a dealer, so the owner chain of custody was preserved by each future guy who bought the car. Interesting to me that the car went from rags to riches before finding it's way back to me, from being an $1800 used car, to residing in the collection of a big money guy in the heart of NASCAR country before finding its way home.

 

[Nxcoupe]

I had a 70 440 6 bbl cuda, red with a black shaker hood, the hood still had the part number stenciled on it underneath, so it was easy to spot. I sold it in 82? I think, and about 15 years ago I was walking around a small town cruise in and there it was. The owner said he had found out I owned it once and had saved it and had been trying to get in touch for years. Just thought I'd share. Never know what life will deal ya.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I went back to this thread as I was pondering whether to sell my Hemi GTX to buy "the one I loved back then" - the '69 Dealer Demonstrator that I've tried to buy for nearly 50 years. The memories a car holds are hard to price, but you have put a number to it. I am incorporating this in my current negotiations to buy the Demonstrator, and once again I'm extending wishes that you find out what happened to your Road Runner.

 

[RRDon]

I'm sure I could find one and build it back like my orig. The only thing is the color is extremely rare.
I spoke to Mark at Graveyard cars and he can build one exactly like it for about $100K but it will take at least 3 years.
I could swing the money but I don't think that time frame would work for me at this point in my life. :/
I'll probably just keep driving my 68. It's a very nice car.

 

[69ChargerR/TSE]

Have you checked with MOPARS5150 on Instagram?

 

[GetX'd]

Why not? A particular car is more than a VIN.

OK, he bought the car new which is cool but to anyone other than him, its a fairly pedestrian model. if it was so special to him, why did he trade it in after only 3 years? New family, needed something more practical? Gas crunch/insurance premiums put the squeeze on the fun? Maybe he just hadda have a brand new ‘73 Roadrunner? All legitimate reasons back then. Accept the decision and move on.

I don’t know the reason for trading the car in after only three years and wanting it back 50 years later. But, unless I’m missing something I don’t see how a particular VIN number really plays into it. Its not like he owned it for 40 years, sold it and lost track of it.

And again, rather than finding a needle in a giant haystack, if you have the means (which it seems like the OP does) find another ‘70 bird and do it up as you see fit. To me seems like a waste of time and money to try and find the one particular body especially since he knows there is an outside chance of someone owning it and not selling it back to him. All ‘70 RR shells are generally the same. Go find one and enjoy life.

Sorry bro - but I have to ask - Why do you care why he wants to find it or is willing to do what he’s doing? Seems to me on every level - its his business - nobody else’s to challenge.

 

[RRDon]

Look I know I could go find another 70RR and spend a ton of money making it exactly like my orig but I figured it was worth a shot to see if my orig was still out there somewhere. And yes if someone found it and it actually was my orig I be willing to pay to see it and pay even more to buy it back, if possible.
As far as why didn't I know everything I know now 50 years ago, really , think about it. Did you, does anyone?

 

[sam dupont]

Did you ask the car lot about employees or former owners who worked there at the time? It's a small world and some people have great memories.

 

[Thrashingcows]

@RRDon ....From your pics of the old RR I'm assuming it was F3, F4 or F7 green with a T3 or T5 saddle tan interior? I'm in Canada and have jotted the VIN down and will try to remember to check every 70 RR I see. And will pass on the VIN info to a few other mopar people.

As someone who recently bought back the car they sold 20+ years ago, and I'm still in shock to see it in the garage, I can't even imagine how finding the car you bought new would feel! I wish you all the dumb flukey luck in finding it again!

Edit: From the link DeltaV posted of the old thread RRDon posted back in 2017 the car would have been FF4 lime green metallic

 

[RRDon]

Did you ask the car lot about employees or former owners who worked there at the time? It's a small world and some people have great memories.

I did as through a search as I could including trips back to the last known dealership the car was at. But all of the original people who worked there 50 years ago had long gone. No one knew anything and sense I wasn't there to buy a new car from them they weren't particularly interested in my line of inquiry anyway.

 

[DeltaV]

@RRDon ....From your pics of the old RR I'm assuming it was F3, F4 or F7 green with a T3 or T5 saddle tan interior? I'm in Canada and have jotted the VIN down and will try to remember to check every 70 RR I see. And will pass on the VIN info to a few other mopar people.

As someone who recently bought back the car they sold 20+ years ago, and I'm still in shock to see it in the garage, I can't even imagine how finding the car you bought new would feel! I wish you all the dumb flukey luck in finding it again!

Additional pictures here and color:

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