Any help tracking down a previous owner? Dundee Illinois...

[Timebender]

Does anyone know how I might be able to track down the original owner to my car? I did get the ownership/sales record from the DeLorean Museum, but finding the owners on the web is almost impossible without forking out a bunch of money for what could be old or not good information.

The car was originally bought by Richard J, Balaguer in Dundee, Illinois, at the Shepard Chevrolet dealership in Lake Bluff. He did belong to the DOA, as the car came with an original condition DOA badge.

Anyone able to help or know who he is?

Thanks!

Greg

[David T]

One way to do it is a Chain-Of Ownership search of the DMV records of each State the car was ever registered/Tilted in. You start with the last known owner (the one on the Title you bought the car from) and that will lead you to the next and the next and so on. Some States charge a nominal fee, others charge more. Don't expect much help from the selling dealer. Even if they are still in business, the records are so old they probably tossed them a long time ago. Another place you can look is the Delorean Owner's Directory-Delorean Production Chronology. Finally you can ask vendors where the car may have been serviced for any records of that VIN. Carfax may also have some information. As for getting in touch with the original owner, WHY? He is probably dead or so old he won't remember anything anyway. There are plenty of ways to look up people on the Internet for free. You can try social media and look up younger relatives still living in the area. The DOA may have his last known address and if you ask nicely they may give it to you and you can mail him a letter.

[Timebender]

Thanks David.
I do have the address that came with the certificate from the DeLorean museum.
Why do I want to contact him? Questions - lots of questions about the mods/build - who did it, what parts may have been used (like what are the radiator fans from?). I thought it was a mid-70's engine block from a Corvette, then discovered it didn't have the bore hole for the mechanical fuel pump push rod, which then led me to believe it was out of an 84 Vette, but turns out it's a 79 engine... after going through 2 new starters and oil pan gaskets that would fit correctly, which cost me a lot more money at the shop due to "nope, this is the wrong one.." at $115 an hour labor. If I had a lift I could have done the work, but when I have it on ramps I can't drain and fill the transmission (did that and the new starter at the same time) or still get access to the starter enough

So in the end, I'd like to find out whatever I can about this mystery mobile (but very cool D at the same time).

I'll ask South Dakota if they might have on record who the original owner was, but I doubt it as the even the info on the previous owner was so old they couldn't almost find that when I went to get the title fixed, as it had some numbers that should have been letters, i.e. 180 was actually 1BD on the VIN tag.

[Rich W]

Does anyone know how I might be able to track down the original owner to my car? I did get the ownership/sales record from the DeLorean Museum, but finding the owners on the web is almost impossible without forking out a bunch of money for what could be old or not good information.

The car was originally bought by Richard J, Balaguer in Dundee, Illinois, at the Shepard Chevrolet dealership in Lake Bluff. He did belong to the DOA, as the car came with an original condition DOA badge.

Anyone able to help or know who he is?

Thanks!

Greg

Hi Greg,

I searched through the records of the DeLorean Midwest Connection Club, which go back in the mid-1980's after the DOA dis-banned the local chapter,
and unfortunately I could not find any record of the car in our local club. I could not find our initial DOA to local club list either, so there is still hope.

I have plenty of vintage paper records from Shepard Chevrolet, so I will try to go through some of them on one upcoming weekend the Fall or Winter
and maybe even transcribe the records into a spreadsheet or database, to compliment our DMC Club records.

Unfortunately, the original Shepard Chevrolet facility was recently purchased and demolished, in favor of a new Super Target and strip mall.

As many of you already know, Shepard Chevrolet was one of the largest DeLorean dealerships in the Midwest and they were always able to sell as many
DeLoreans as they could acquire, even into the mid-1980's, when I purchased my first DeLorean from them. They serviced DeLoreans through the 90's
until they finally sold me their remaining stockpile of parts, manuals and memorabilia in the early 2000's. I still keep in touch with the former Parts and
Service Manager, Jerry Nordstrom. Jerry has been a guest speaker a few times at our DMC Club events over the years.

If I happen to come across any details regarding VIN..7000, I will post it or send you a PM.

Thanks,
Rich W.

[Timebender]

Dig it - that would be really appreciated and awesome at the same time!

Thanks Rich - I'm learning things as we work on the car here and there for small repairs or replacing things, but knowing more about it and maybe even who performed the modifications work on it - which I know might be impossible to find - helps in lots of ways.


Greg

[Rich W]

Dig it - that would be really appreciated and awesome at the same time!

Thanks Rich - I'm learning things as we work on the car here and there for small repairs or replacing things, but knowing more about it and maybe even who performed the modifications work on it - which I know might be impossible to find - helps in lots of ways.


Greg

Hi Greg,

I know there was at least two shops in the Chicagoland area that did custom work on DeLoreans,
with one of them being the "Pantera DeLorean" (Ford 351 V8, upgraded suspension, brakes, etc.)

There was another shop near Central IL that did many single and twin turbo conversions with the
BAE (Single Turbo) kit and the Island (Twin Turbo) kit back in the mid to late 1980's.

Maybe one of these shops completed (or partially completed) the 350 V8 conversion on your car.

Our local DMC Club has records for about 250-300 DeLoreans in it's 30 year history and there is
on a dozen of the 7000 series cars, with the lowest number VIN..7068 and the highest VIN..7148.

I will try to check some additional records when I get a few moments of free time, in the future.

Thanks,
Rich W.

[Timebender]

Thanks Rich- that would be really great. Turns out the original owner is long gone, as is his wife. Lots of Balaguers in Chicago, but no relation from what I can tell.

[David T]

7000 doesn't show up in the DoD either. Before you go spending a lot of time and money on the car I would advise you to get the car Titled and do it as soon as you can. That way you know it's yours and you will be able to register and drive it.

[Timebender]

7000 doesn't show up in the DoD either. Before you go spending a lot of time and money on the car I would advise you to get the car Titled and do it as soon as you can. That way you know it's yours and you will be able to register and drive it.

Interesting. As far as title and registration, all been done and it's happily got South Dakota plates. I wanted to get personalized plates, but since I don't have a SD driver's license, I can't. I guess even South Dakota has limits on what they will or won't do. Guess I'll have to get an Outatime plate for the front til CHP tells me to take it off.

[Timebender]

Btw I did send in 7000 to someone middle of last year, which I thought was the DoD. Oh, maybe the DeLorean registry or something?