#s matching 72

Got My NCRS shipping Report today. Now I know where my 72 Coupes life began and the search begins. Harrell Chevrolet is Dealers Code is 250 in Zone 37 in Emporia, Va. My 72 Coupe was delivered to this dealer sometime in January or February 1972. I have had the car for 30 years so I need to fill in the first 8 years it's life and this is a start.
Anyone know of this dealer?
John

Easy Mike

Does your NCRS info list a date? It's my understanding there should be a date the car was to have been shipped from St. Louis.

#s matching 72

Hi Mike
The NCRS report states and I Quote " The GM official Production Date was 1/6/1972"
The trim tag on my car states F05 which translates to 1/5/1972. so it all fits.
What I have found out (Web Searching) is that Harrell Chevrolet by name doesn't exist today but there is a Boyd Chevrolet today in the town of Emporia Va.
I have emails out to the Emporia, Va Chamber of Commence and Boyd Chevrolet to see if Harrell Chevrolet was bought ot by Boyd and the history behind it.
Emporia ,Va is a very small town now 17,000 Population back in the 70's who knows.
If I were to guess the 1/6/1972 date stated probably wasn't when the car left St. Louis but it probably was shortly after that date.
There was a Funny car and drag racer by the name of Dick Harrell nicknamed "Mr. Chevrolet" back in the 70's and had ties to more famous tuner Chevy dealers like Nickey Chev and Yanko Chev.
But I coulden't tie Dick Harrell to a Chevy dealer in Emporia, but it could have been a family member.
The research chase is all part of the fun with linking the past with these cars.
John

C3 4ME

I live about 60 miles from Emporia, and have never heard of a Harrell Chevrolet. Granted, in 72, I was 1, so of course I wouldn't remember it from back then. I don't think Dick Harrell had any affiliation with Emporia. I'm curious if you found a Sadler Chevrolet? That name is very prominent in Emporia and I know they have several car dealerships, but don't know if they have or have had a Chevrolet Dealership. If you follow Nascar, Elliott Sadler is part of that family.

#s matching 72

Just a update of what I found out today. I called Boyd Chevrolet in Emporia Va today and and I found out that Boyd Chevrolet bought out or joined Sadler Chevrolet in 2007. Sadler Chevrolet had the dealership from 1969 to 2007 and Sadler bought out Harrell Chevrolet in Nov 1969. The Gentleman I talked to did hear of Harrell Chevrolet but couldn't tell me any statistics because he said it was before his time. He also told me there wasn't any records that he could remember from the 70's
Haven't heard from the Chamber of Commerce yet but I don't expect much from there.

mobjack68

Not knowing how far you are from Emporia, VA...you might seriously consider going to the VFW hall for bingo and BBQ night and talk to some of the guys wearing suspenders.
They also gather for morning coffee at Dairy Queen on the west end of town, and the Hardee's on the east end to discuss the soy bean/peanut futures and to make plans for the upcoming bingo and bbq night at the VFW, again...look for the suspenders............


Too far away?? I am sure there is a local message paper, maybe a once a week thing?? Call and ask them to place an ad for you, looking for info about the dealership....might even go so far as to ask about anyone that may have bought your car....and ask if anyone has PICTURES of the dealership....

That'll give the guys in suspenders something really nice to talk about

bashcraft

So your car should have been delivered to Sadler, not Harrell?

#s matching 72

I did notice that and that, and that puts another twist in the story.
I was thinking that Harrell and Sadler were not a total buy out and was a kind of a merger and never changed the dealer code with GM, so as far as GM it was still Harrell.
The gentleman that I talked to was pretty sure of the dates.
I thought of Dealer swap too. Because I bought the car from a gentleman in Newport, North Carolina which is only 180 miles from Emporia Va. and trailered the car to California where it been in my possession since 1980.
Trying to look up possible a Historical Society in Emporia, Va to see what they can come up with too.
That could make me the second owner.

Easy Mike

Probably delivered in January, 1972, based on time/build and the shipping date. January 5th was a Wednesday; the 6th was a Thursday. Your sweetie could have been in Virginia sometime during the week of the 10th.

JCare

Sorry to bring up such an old thread. Somehow the messages got re-arranged in the order of the date displayed and I didn't pay attention until after I had posted.


I helped the Boyds when they bought the dealerships from the Sadlers in 2007. Mr. Sadler is still around and runs Sadler Oil I think is the name of his company. The Sadlers owned GM dealership in both South Hill and Emporia, so the purchase in Emporia could have been a way to expand over into Emporia, which is where Mr Sadler's company currently is if I remember correctly. Look them up and give them a call. I understood he still goes in and works regularly, and that is who would have been the person who purchased the dealership back then. As has been stated before, Herman Sadler is the father of Hermie and Elliot S
Sadler, both names familiar with NASCAR.

#s matching 72

Hi JCare
Wow
How did you pick up on this old post of mine. I think the last post and response was October of 2010. I had pretty much given up about learning anymore about Harrell Chevrolet. I still have the car in my possession, but not driven very much. Pretty much have to really think hard as to where I left off in my research. I have had the car now for 35 years of it's life and has been restored to it's former glory.. I have to think about this again and maybe make another call to Boyds Chevrolet. I doubt if there are any old sales records for the car, because it was probably thrown away a long time ago, when Harrell sold out to Sadler. If I remember right I was looking for the original owner who bought the car. I believe I am the Second owner, because I trailered the car in 1980 from North Carolina to California where it now resides.
Thank you for sparking an old interest.
Regards John

#s matching 72

JCare
I see that you are in Henderson N.C how far is that from Newport, N.C that is the town where I purchased the car in 1980 from a private owner who I believe to be the original owner too.
John

JCare

But after I responded, I realized the order of messages displayed had been changed and was showing old posts. I just thought a lot of activity had occurred since I last looked yesterday evening, saw your title, and thought I might have something to add.

I know the Boyd's well, and know that they have since moved out of the dealership where they were at when you contacted someone there, into a new dealership. Charles, the father, and his brothers (who all have other car dealerships) all collect old cars, mostly nice survivors, and so I would suggest you call him at the Henderson NC dealership (Charles Boyd Chevrolet et al)and ask him who might know if they came across any old records when they moved out. He would know or would know who to ask. If that gets you nowhere, then try tracking down Herman Sadler in Emporia. Those dealerships are at least 90 miles from me, so I don't know anyone in those parts, I am in North Carolina. Good luck.

#s matching 72

JCare
Thanks for the new leads we will see if that can get me closer to finding the original owner.
Regards John