Looking for information on the restoration of my 1968 GTS in the Ft. Meyers area, 2009 ish.

[Cliff Ramsdell]

Morning all,

This time it’s not a “Wanted” listing, it’s a “Help me please” listing.

Ok, with the help of Dave @Ddaddy i was able to find the address of the selling dealer of my GTS.

I bought this car in 1980 and was the 2nd owner. Had it 17 years and sold it but now it’s back in my garage thanks to my son as a Father’s Day gift. I talked to the original owners brother since the owner had passed and he gave me the selling dealers name and city.

Now I’m looking for who did the restoration on the car. From what I can find it was done in the late 2000’s and was located in the Ft. Meyers Florida area.

It looks like it was sold on eBay but a listing was here giving a rundown on the car. Seller of Classic Cars - 1968 Dodge Dart (TURQUOISE METALLIC/BLACK)

So, help me out, ask your friends, talk to your buddy. Let me know what you know. I would like info and pictures of the restoration along with owners to add to my history of the car as it traveled the US looking for its way back home to me.

Thanks all,
Cliff Ramsdell

 

[H22A4]

Not sure how VIN searches work down in the States but is it possible to use the VIN to find out how many owners it had from when you sold it in ~1997 to now? The fewer the owners, the less chasing you’ll have to do to find out what/how it was done over the past 23 years.

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

Not sure how VIN searches work down in the States but is it possible to use the VIN to find out how many owners it had from when you sold it in ~1997 to now? The fewer the owners, the less chasing you’ll have to do to find out what/how it was done over the past 23 years.

That’s a plan but with COVID 19 closing down almost everything including DMV I’m stalled on that approach. I have the last three owners and the two after I sold it in 1997. Working on the middle and the restoration.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

Bump, still looking for people in the Florida area that might know “a guy”

Thanks,
Cliff Ramsdell

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

Bump it up. Got a name, anybody know this gentleman?

Bob Covert in Port Charlotte?

Thanks for the help all,
Cliff Ramsdell

 

[George Jets]

Robert Covert 63
Port Charlotte FL

Here are a couple phone numbers, don't know if they are any good.

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

Thanks @George Jets, I also found some contact info for him but was looking someone who knew him personally or maybe he was on the site.

@Dashawa sent me his info yesterday as a possible "person of interest" in my continued search for history on my GTS in it's years of travel between my ownership

Anyone recognize the Florida plate in the last photo "LIL 340"

Thanks,
Cliff Ramsdell

The day I bought it, 1981

Me about 1983/1984

Me in 2020

Out enjoying the car with my wife.

Anybody know this florida plate???

 

[SLOPAR72]

You have more info than most people. My dad and I were talking about my car (his if he wants it back lol) and the history of it..... He still remembers the Salesman's name that sold it to him and was traded in by an elderly lady.... It's almost worth getting a job at the DMV just to be privy to the info lol...

JW

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

You have more info than most people. My dad and I were talking about my car (his if he wants it back lol) and the history of it..... He still remembers the Salesman's name that sold it to him and was traded in by an elderly lady.... It's almost worth getting a job at the DMV just to be privy to the info lol...

JW

Your correct. The car was sold new and County Dodge Sales in New Haven, CT.

I have talked to the original owners brother and son, the original owner passed away in 2018. I was the 2nd owner in 1981. I have also talked to the guy I sold it to and the owner after him, the trail gets a bit lost after that.

It was an ordered car when new. The son had two pictures of the car he brought to show me last year at a car show in Torrington.

Cliff Ramsdell

The car in 1978

1975, white walls and the mag wheel

The original owners son sitting in the car. Last time he saw the car he was 9 years old.

Both of us. I have the bill of sale with his father’s signature on it. He looked it over and said yes, that’s his dads hand writing.

I would like to find out who owned the car and who did the restoration.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

[George Jets]

Talk to the guys at the different Florida Mopar car clubs, I am sure they know the car and previous owners.

FlaCarShows.com

Lots of mopar car clubs on the Gulf Coast.

Yearly Mopar Nationals in Davie Florida too, talk to the show promoters, this is the show where all the classic mopars come into.

He's probably had the car there, talk to the show organizers, they should know the car and license plate.

__________

@blewbyu may know the car, he has sold a lot of A Body parts in the state and swap meets.
Most of these Guys know the cars.

@RAT ROD AL may know the car too, that is over on his Coast.

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

Thanks @George Jets. I found that car show list last year and emailed a couple of the clubs listed that were close to Ft. Meyers, never heard back from anyone.

The pandemic kinda put a kink in getting stuff done like getting Florida DMV doing some background info. I have time off this year between the holidays and may try some then.

Thanks everyone for your help.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

[George Jets]

Mopars of Brevard is another good Florida car club.

They do the yearly Mopar carshow and swap meet in Melbourne Florida.

Every car has a history. Might be able to find someone that knows the car here in Florida.

Here is another Person to e-mail and call about your car. She can bring it up at the MOB monthly car club meeting and ask all their members If any of them have knowledge of your car and the owners along the way.

 

[George Jets]

Speaking of Dodge Dart GTS

Here is the 1969 Dart GTS that I got the 8 3/4 A Body housing out of. This came out of Florida.
It is now in the 1967 Big Block Dart here in Minnesota as follows:

Minnesota '67 Dart below:

Sure-grip, Bell Drums and all.

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

Bump it up, still coming up empty handed. There is no way someone hasn’t seen this car somewhere in Florida, please help me out.

Thanks,
Cliff Ramsdell

 

[70duste]

nice car you have, dont see many LL1 painted darts

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

View attachment 1715902153nice car you have, dont see many LL1 painted darts

Is that your GTS? More info please. I love the LL1 color, not blue, not green, a little of both

Cliff Ramsdell

 

[70duste]

Is that your GTS? More info please. I love the LL1 color, not blue, not green, a little of both

Cliff Ramsdell

yes this is my 68 GTS 383 4 speed #s matching car i bought it 23 years ago and did the restore then, i drive it more than i should but it runs so great hard to just let it sit
LL1 paint code 383 never been bored still has original rotating assembly in block, has MP stage 5 heads on it and edl afb carb, rebuilt 4speed trans and 8 3/4 2;23 gears , still has original black carpet and back seat covers, i bought it from 2nd owner, but he only had the car for 8-9 months before he sold it to me, i talked with the original owner when 2nd owner was there buying the car, so i ended up meeting the original owner like 5 years ago have some pics somewhere of him when i met at a car show. i also have all the doc paper work on the car from him.
good luck with your car and finding the history on it.

 

[George Jets]

Take a strong magnet on a cotton cloth and go over suspect areas of the body with it.

That will tell you how much bondo they used on it during the "restoration" when the magnet falls off.

PS. All restored cars have bondo on them.

Have a good bodyman take an indepth look over the car. There are always tell tell signs of what they had to go through and repair at the time of restoration.

If you can't find the car history, investigate the work. That's the next best thing.

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

My search isn’t so much about the restoration but more about the automotive genealogy. It would be great to have photos of the restoration too.

I know who the first 4 owners are, I know who the last two owners are (a dealer included) I’m looking for the two or so in between.

Thanks all,
Cliff Ramsdell