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Researching vehicle histories


JohnD1956

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Is there any chance of posting some details about how to research a vehicles history? I have never done that but may want to at some point. I'm just wondering how people go about it. Please be sure to note which State your experience is in, cause I am certain it is much different in each one.

Thanks

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John,

This topic comes up from time to time. Unfortunately unless you have a freind at the DMV willing to risk their job in state you are searching I think most all will not give you information on past ownership with names or addresses. I know most states would release that information back in the early to mid 90s but it stopped shortly thereafter. At that time I had a full list of state DMV addresses that would provide tracing services for a small fee. I was told years ago by a CA native that a person was murdered in CA because someone tracked them down using personal information obtained from the CA DMV. After that CA changed their law and other states followed suit.

Some states no longer keep records from say the 60s/70s back so even if you could find someone to look up the history it may not be there. I was considering hiring a private investigator (yes I am a history nut) with connections to the DMV in CA but first I checked with the DMV and they told me records from the 70s and back no longer exist as they had been destroyed.

One of the few options is to contact the previous owner and try to get info on who they got the car from. If you don't know the previous owner the outlook is grimm.

I found a place that offered a service for fee of tracing owner history of Corvettes so I contacted them hoping since they cater to more wealthy folks they would somehow have legal authority to obtain info the general public can't but struck out on that as well. They said they can't get any info from the DMVs. It all has to come from previous owners, relatives of owners, records in car clubs where VIN was required, etc.

It took me many hours of relentless detective work following up every little clue but I finally traced my 66 back as far as its second owner in 1976 but hit a dead end after that as the car was traded in at a dealer and that dealer went out of business by the early 80s. I even went as far as placing a couple photo newspaper adds in towns I thought the car may have been in hoping for a needle in the haystack.

I really think antique car world would benefit greatly from a legal authority who is able to obtain ownership history. As often happens the actions of one individual ended up with laws passed that lock out all the law abiding citizens who want nothing more than to build a history file on their antique.

Good Luck

Edited by JZRIV (see edit history)
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Every Tractor, Bulldozer, Truck, Car, Farm engine, Power Shovel, that I have ever bought that I have history on is because I asked for all I could get from who I acquired it from. Some I have history 100 plus years back to the original owner. Some I only have who I acquired it from and no more. Dandy Dave!

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  • 2 months later...

We lost a valuable resource with the passing of Dave Corbin, he helped a lot with my 53 Skylark. According to him, before 1954, the records for Buick were very poor. They revised the system in 1954. He got me some very interesting and valuable info about my Skylark, as it could possibly be the last 53 made. One of seven made in the last month of manufacture.

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