stolen 1964 Vette finally discovered, recovered, and returned to owner after 40 years

in 1976 Modesto Fleming had her classic muscle car parked in front of the house in Anaheim, California. Unfortunately, someone stole her 1964 Corvette Stingray. 

But forty years later the 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray was brought to a car show, and someone noticed the VIN was for an Impala and suggested to the owner that he take it to law enforcement to have it checked out. 

It was brought to the Redbluff California Highway Patrol office on  and officer Dave Madrigal was tasked with doing a VIN verification for the vehicle.

  

It turned out that the number related to the Impala, not the Stingray, which meant the car was stolen. Madrigal was able to locate a different identifying number on the vehicle, at which point he contacted the National Insurance Crime Bureau for clarification, he said.

With some detective work, the officer managed to locate the first owner of the 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, and it was Fleming.

Madrigal recounted the case to Red Bluff Daily News: "I contacted Anaheim and advised them of the situation. They researched their micro fiche for the stolen report and called me back. They then located the victim from 1976, who is currently living in Arizona, and told her we had her car."

In talking to the man who brought the car in, Madrigal learned he had been given the car by his wife in 1987, and had been driving it about 30 years. His wife had acquired it from a dealer in Redding that is no longer in business.

Arrangements were made for Fleming to travel to California to retrieve the vehicle and on Nov. 4 Madrigal was able to return the Corvette to her.

 
https://www.redbluffdailynews.com/2016/11/24/red-bluff-chp-reunite-arizona-woman-with-corvette-stolen-40-years-ago-in-anaheim/

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15343577/stolen-64-chevrolet-corvette-returned-to-owner-after-40-years/