Tracing a Vehicle's Title History

[maurywhurt]

I'm new to this forum....I hope I'm posting this on the right one. I have question that I hope someone might be able to help answer.

I am restoring an (ex-US Army) 1942 Ford GPW jeep, and am trying to trace its history to the extent possible. Since the Army did not retain records concerning where specific jeeps were stationed or where they were later sold as surplus, I'm limited to searching for postwar civilian ownership records on it.

The jeep's background is known back to the 1970's. I've contacted the DMVs in the three states that I know the jeep resided in prior to that time (NJ, OH, & KY) regarding vehicle title searches. In each case, however, I was told that the title searches these DMVs can perform only go back to the 1980's or more recently. Unfortunately, this is not far enough back in time to be of help.

Does anyone know of any way (or a reliable service) to research vehicle title information back into the 1940's and 50's? Any help or advice would be very much appreciated!

Thanks so much,

Maury Hurt

[Pontiac59]

As far as I know there is none. I talked with a gentleman who had picked up a one-of-nine 1959 Lincoln factory-built limosine which was sold new on the west coast and may have belonged to a celebrity at some point. Thus the desire to research the history. He had a private detective helping him and still wasn't getting very far.

[Guest AlK]

If the people at all of the DMV's had a modicum of functional brain cells, they would realize the amount of info that they have that they could make money on. How much would anyone pay for a vehicles provenance or to look up a car they once owned and see if it still exists and maybe try to buy it back. Even the dealers could get in on the act if they would make their old records available. But I guess it is to much to ask to have some one think.....

[JohnD1956]

There are a lot of concerns today on what information may be divulged to the public, when you have records such as these. It is most unfortunate but the rules are written to cover the exception, not the general rule. While most people doing such a search would have no ill will or ulterior motives, the one jackass who did have the same, and got the information from your DMV and showed up on YOUR doorstep and caused YOU harm would be the case that got national attention. Probably due to the humongous lawsuit that you or anyone else would file against your state DMV, rightly, or wrongly.

So before you blast a whole group of people for "not using their heads", please realize that these rules are meant to protect everyone, including you, against that lone exceptional jackass with the ulterior motives, and because of that jackass the rest of us have to suffer the consequences.

It is a sad state of affairs for all of us, but it's probably for the best. Imagine if someone wanted to steal your car and could just call a DMV and get your home address. How good would that be?

Now, that being said, it would be nice if there was some sort of rule that allowed one to make an inquiry, and then allowed the DMV to complete a search, including contacting the prior owners for permission to divulge the information. If everyone agrees, then so be it. At least all parties would be an informed part of the transaction, and as a former owner or current owner, you'd be more aware that there was someone asking about your affairs. That might actually be a good thing in the long run. Plus the DMV could charge a reasonable fee and then maybe they could lower the costs of plates and things for the rest of us.

JD

[RICK YOUNG]

A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS TRYING TO TRACE MY FIRST NEW CAR BACK TO 1973. I HAPPENED TO TALK TO THE NICEST LADY IN THE COLORADO DMV. SHE WENT BACK IN THE PAPER FILES AND FOUND SOME INFO FOR ME AFTER I SHARED A FEW STORIES OF THE CAR'S HISTORY. UNFORTUNATELY NOW WITH THE "PATRIOT ACT" THAT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO DO.

STATE LEGILATORS TODAY DON'T PUT THESE TOPICS TO THE TOP OF THE PILE. TO ME IT'S A "FEEL GOOD" ISSUE THAT COULD MAKE

CAMPAIGNING LESS VISCIOUS.

AS CAR CLUBS SEEM TO BARELY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR NEWSLETTERS, I DON'T KNOW WHERE LOBBYING MONEY COULD COME FROM.

YET, TO ALL OF US IT IS A VERY PASSIONATE ISSUE.

BE SURE TO INVITE YOUR LEGISLATORS TO THERE HOMETOWN CAR SHOWS AND REMIND THEM YOU VOTE.

RICK YOUNG

[Guest AlK]

What you say has merit, but I am sure there is a happy medium ground. full name and addresses do not need to be given

it could something like " an owner for this car has been noted in -city and state from 19xx until 19xx-

the next entry states the car was xfered to another owner in the same city/state from xxxx until xxxx, then the car was sold to an owner in the state of XX. It's not necessarily the actual person being sought unless you are looking for a specific car to try and re-buy. I traced a 1967 dodge Dart GT convt that way and not one individuals name came up only dealer names. The person I bought it from said it was a one owner car sold in this area. It turned out that the car originally came from florida as a rental car etc. etc.

[alsancle]

I specifically asked this question to the Mass RMV and this was the response:

You may obtain copies of your RMV-1 Application and/or supporting

documents that you filed in order to obtain your registration and/or

title transactions. However, personal information for other individuals

listed on the RMV database will not be provided to non-permitted users

as defined under the DPPA. For further assistance regarding a vehicle

registration and/or title history search, please contact the RMV

Customer Assistance Bureau at (617)351-9580 and/or the RMV Title

Division at (617)351-9550 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,

except holidays.

[Dasvinger]

North Carolina will research a title history for a vehicle that you own for historical provanance.Their info will only cover the time that the vehicle was titled in NC.The last one I had done cost me $10 (ten dollars)I think...

Don't know how other states are,check your state DOT/DMV website

FRED

[Pontiac59]

I don't believe New York even keeps the records, except to note "hot" serial numbers for stolen cars. I lost a registration for my own car years ago when my wallet dissapeared and it hadn't been on the road in some time - at that time they gave me a "paper" registration that would let me sell the car, but couldn't do much else, and I found out that had I waited much longer it would be out of their computers and gone. I can only assume now that it is in fact long out of the computers.

[JohnD1956]

I have never traced my own cars. I wonder just what the terms "documenting the car" even mean. For as many cars as are out there, there's probably that many definitions of "documentation".

Can anyone shed some light on just what is needed to document a car? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

JD

[Guest Stllrng.]

Unfortunately I am not able to be of any help to you. I thought it might be interesting to tell you how I made out with my car. I live in British Columbia, Canada, and I went to the Provincial Government archives and looked up the motor licencing records, and Provincial police vehicle by manufacturer listings. In less than an hour, I had photocopies of the registrations for my car right back to the original owner in 1913. The police department records were interesting as they listed automobiles my make, showing how many of each make, where the were located, and whether they were private or commercial. Good luck with your search! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />