Riv History

[Guest JETCOBOB]

I wonder, can anyone out there give me a starting point as to how to find the history(ownership)of my 63 Riv? I purchased the car July 2000. A photo-copy of the Indiana title was made. I tried going through the Indiana DMV,but as anyone who has dealt with the DMV knows,I got no satisfaction. I bought the car thru a 3rd party,so it has been difficult to locate the previous owner. I was trying web-sites that will give a car history,but the VIN has not enough characters,according to the sites. Please help.It's not a special vehicle,but I would just like to know the history. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Barry Wolk]

Your chances are slim to none. DMVs in some states only keep records for 10 years.

You might try the legal network Lexis Nexis to see if there's ever been any litigation involving the car, but that's about it. Even significant cars are extremely hard to get accurate data on.

[jrbartlett]

Check to see if there is a name recorded in the owner's manual or on anything else left in the glove compartment or trunk. That's how I tracked down the entire history of my '66 Riviera.

[my65riv]

post the same question but in the riv forum,riviera owners association.just a thought.

Jeff Mealer

Mt. Juliet,TN

[RivNut]

Do add to what Barry said, Slim just took the last stage out of town. When you're considering purchasing a car on ebay, they give you the option of running a carfax report on it. Might be worth a try.

Ed

[Jim Cannon]

CarFax does not go back to '63. That's why he was told he did not have enough digits in the VIN.

[tim63riv]

Jetcobob,

I would switch from tracking the car to tracking the owner on the Indiana title. Try "googling" the name and see what you come up with. I've done this with old high school and college pals that I lost contact with and was surprised by who and what I found!

HTH,

Tim

[Guest JETCOBOB]

Hey Tim,

I think I met you at the "Back to the Fifties" week-end at the fairgrounds. I'm from Il. and was in your great city painting a water tower in Mahtomedi. If you're the same gentleman,you had your black Riv there. I could be wrong because I met so many people there that day. I thought it was going to rain that day(there were very few days like that last year). I've tried to google the name on the title I got some hits on it. I aquired a few phone numbers on those hits,but they came up short. Only one hasn't returned my call. I found a owners manual in the glove box but it had a differant VIN written in it(probably by the dealer). whoever owned this car before,must have found this manual and thought it was good enough. It is,but it's the wrong car. I'll just keep trying. Thanks for everyone's help!

[sosuzguy]

Back some time I ago I did something simular to this with one of my cars except I started current and worked backwards. That is the only way I believe you will ever be able to trace the chain of title. I had a car that was last registered in Oklahoma. I contacted the Oklahoma DMV and requested a title history. I think it cost about $20.00 In about two weeks I had a packet full of stuff, even a divorce decree, anything the state had on microfish for the car. The oldest thing they had was the title from the owners who brought it in from another state which lead me to do the same with that state. Finally I got all the way back to the GM origin for title, or whatever they call it.

[Guest JETCOBOB]

Hey Jason,

I already contacted Indiana DMV and they said they don't hold records of that sort for more than 10 years. I bought the car July 2000. I have the name of that person on the photocopied Indiana title. The problem is he purchased the car in Feb. 1990 and they don't have a record of who he bought it from. The state does offer a title history search for $8.00,but it has been more than 10 years since that persons ownership. Someone ought to start a business tracing auto ownership for old cars(prior to 1980).

Thanks for everyone's input.