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FBIRD69's 1969 Firebird

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Original Documentation


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Can anybody tell me if there is any way to search and obtain any information/documentation regarding the original purchase of my 1967 Firebird 400 ?  The car was originally ordered and purchased at  the dealership by my father but I have no documentation that would  lend credibility to my claim that this numbers matching "survivor"  did in fact originate with our family.  It would be nice to have a copy of an order/invoice that listed options as ordered, costs, verification of the VIN # and any other supporting paper trail.  

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You need to contact PHS Historic Services. Their website link is below. You will need the vehicle VIN# and your credit card. PHS will tell you how the car was built and left the factory and delivered to the dealer. It will not detail any dealer add-ons. That being said, it will validate if the car is numbers matching.

Actually unmolested "survivorship status" is tougher to prove if the car has been re-painted, been repaired due to a crash, or key components like the rear end, engine, or transmission were replaced due to warranty/service work over the years.

http://www.phs-online.com/

 

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Frosty

Thanks for the quick and knowledgeable reply. I'll check it out.

On the subject of survivors, what's your opinion of having the small dents worked on by a good paintless dent repair guy?

And, is it OK to have the  exterior buffed by a professional ? 

Last but not least;  the trunk deck lid had been damaged and repaired(repainted) by the dealer prior to delivery to us. If you look closely, a slight difference in color is detectable . What do you think about that ? 

Thanks for your input !

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Survivor400, glad to help.

Small dents, minor paint chips, and even some hints of rust are all signs of a true, unmolested survivor. Using a paintless dent repair to fix something is not a bad thing. The question is how well can you detect and/or not detect their work? The less you can see, the better.

Having the exterior buffed by expert is usually not a problem unless they somehow damaged the paint. It most cases this is not a problem. A true expert should refuse to do the job or warn you in advance if they think they are going to burn through the paint.

Lastly, is it the original deck lid or was it replaced with a new one and repainted? If the repair is left solely to the decklip, you are in good shape. However if a deck lid, quarter panel, inner and outer wheel house, etc. were replaced, that starts affecting your survivorship status. Most "true collectors" don't want to see anything more that 20% of replacement or repairs to the vehicle. General replacement of normal wear and tear items like batteries, tires, brakes, hoses, etc. are expected and are not included in that 20% figure.

 

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To document family ownership, do you have the original Title?  In Mich at least, an original title is white with gold bars on the top. After a resale they all go to a GREEN title.  If it has change ownership in the family, your prob too late.  You can apply for another replacement title and keep the original if its still in original owners name.  You have a beautiful Firebird there.

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Frosty - It's the original deck lid , so that's good news . Thanks again. I might post a pic of another touch-up problem for any opinions out there.

 

Justa6 - Thanks for the compliment.  Unfortunately title went from Mom in NY to NJ and then to me in PA.

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I think you are in fine shape Survivor.

Do you have any paperwork that shows your mom as the original owner, like the vehicle's Protect-O-Plate with her name on it, or old copies of titles, vehicle inspections (if mandated), or registrations from NY and NJ? The Protect-O-Plate is about the size of a credit card that the dealership made up back in the day and issued to the original owner when they brought the car in for service / warranty work. If your mother was unmarried at the time, then it would probably have her maiden name on it.

I have the original Protect-O-Plate for Lucy even though it was purchased (originally) in Annapolis MD. It came with all the documentation with the car.

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Frosty

Have receipts for misc work on the 

Firebird with Mom's name on them dating back to 1976 and proof of transfer from her to me. Also misc receipts in my name till present. Unfortunately PHS doesn't provide documentation on original purchaser. But if they indicate the dealer that received the vehicle then I have a connection as I have an original Firebird full color catalog from 1967 with the dealership's name, address, and phone # stamped on the cover. Also  I have taken color pictures from time to time over the years. Some of them have dates on them. I have to find them all and see how far back they go. Funny, the car looks the same  in all the pics. Thanks for getting me on the paper trail. I think I'm close !

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PHS does indicate what dealer took delivery of the car. Remember the paperwork from PHS is from the factory's perspective. They would have no idea who actually purchased the car, but they would know what dealership received the car.

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:welcome:     

Beautiful verdoro green Firebird 400!

After you get your PHS documentation, you will want to get a reproduction window sticker. Mike Noun makes the best, most authentic window stickers. Part of the package that PHS will send you, is a copy of the original billing history of your car. Send Mike a copy of the BH, and he will make a sticker that will look just like the one that came with the car. Here is his link:

http://musclecarfilms.com/PontiacWindowSticker 

 

Verdoro green is a great Pontiac color and on '67-'68 Firebirds in particular, it is very striking. I enhanced your photo slightly- this is probably more accurate of what your 'bird looks like in the sun...

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Edited by stratman
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