Title Research....

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mopars0

mopars0

Well-Known Member
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Jan 2, 2007
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Location
Franklin, Pa.
I was just sitting here wondering.....

Why is it so hard to track the history of our cars? It seems that if your car is 30 + years old and you didn't know the owners of this car you're screwed. You know everything has a paper trail but I always end up at a dead end when trying to track some of my cars owners down. I've heard of going through the department of transpartation here in Pa. but never had to much luck. They can do everything else with these crazy computers ...hell they can put your SS # in and tell you where you live , your wife's name how many kids you have and if you worked this day or not !!!!! Oh Well, I guess I'm just bored with the weather and need something to ***** about....

Like to hear what stories or NIGHTMARES you guys have had with trying to track down the history on your cars.

:wav:
 
I can't comment for the state of PA but in Washington state it is illegal for the DOL to give out that info unless the car was owned by a company. They are allowed to tell you the company info just not private person info.

Chuck
 
I guess I am lucky. My car was originally bought 15 minutes down the road from where I live. I went to the MVA and got copies of the MSO, the original bill of sale, the original Application for Title, and everything else they had on file. A couple of times a year I have some guy older than me come up and tell me how he remembers the car from the old days and tell me some story about it and how it was one of the cars to beat around here. One of them gave me a picture of it from the early 70's. The one guy in town I have always trusted to work on my cars (he has been building MOPAR race cars for over 40 years) was friends with the original owner and actually did the heads back in 1969. He was stunned the first time I took the car to him. A few years back the second owner (the original owner's brother) saw me driving it and followed me to the local gearhead hangout. He was able to tell me all about the car. What it was ordered with, was done to it, and he verified that the paint and interior were indeed original. The guy he sold it to ended up as the body shop manager at the dealership where I was selling Dodges. He told me that he never changed anything on the car. He sold it to the guy I bought it from who also did nothing to the car. The only owner I have not talked to is the original owner because he is a survivalist hermit that lives somewhere in Montana and his own brother doesn't know how to contact him. So like I said, I am lucky. I know the whole history of my car from day one.
 
I am also fortunate that the only car I have that really matters is my three-owner GTS convertible. I have the original California registration from the second owner (who I bought it from) and the original owner's name and selling dealership in the original owner's manual. I also have two decent broadcast sheets for the car plus the fender tag. I do not have the window sticker or any other original sale documents. I may some day look up the original owner's name again (I have found two in two different states) and see if I can call to find out about the car.
 
Jim Lusk said:
I am also fortunate that the only car I have that really matters is my three-owner GTS convertible. I have the original California registration from the second owner (who I bought it from) and the original owner's name and selling dealership in the original owner's manual. I also have two decent broadcast sheets for the car plus the fender tag. I do not have the window sticker or any other original sale documents. I may some day look up the original owner's name again (I have found two in two different states) and see if I can call to find out about the car.
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don't wait too long.......time is slipping away. remember we are talking almost 40 years ago! that would possible put the owner at 60-70 years old.
 
7demon2 said:
don't wait too long.......time is slipping away. remember we are talking almost 40 years ago! that would possible put the owner at 60-70 years old.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know. The second owner bought it in Feb 1970 with 13,000 miles and for some reason it was first sold in May 1969 (SPD of Aug 28, 1967). So, I've got a handle on most of its history.

It's also part of a trilogy of red 68 GTS convertibles that used to live on the SF peninsula. Mine was in S.F., the one I never saw except for a picture was in Redwood City. The other was the famous one that Robert Mooney dropped a blown hemi into back in the late 70 or very early 80s. I first saw it in late 1981. Mine was also the only one that was not raced or owned by a car enthusiast during the 70s.
 
I was told my Barracuda was in Texas when new. I recently sent off a form to the the Texas DMV with a cheque for $5. I got a reply today! It said my VIN had never been registered in Texas, so I guess that means the guy fed me a line of BS. Oh well.....
 
Got pretty lucky with some history of my swinger. Third to last owner was still on open title when I ended up with it. He was only about an hour away so I looked and called him up. He was suprised car was still around and said he might have some paperwork still for it and parts (pack rat). He had bought it in early 80's at an auction and sold it in 97. He ended up finding and sending me the cars window sticker, a copy of its invoice and a tore up radio manual. Told me if I wanted the parts he had to come and get them...went in a hurry! Ended up with original rear seats (no build sheet), door panels, a box of interior pieces and a chevy ps pump (was in box). Ended up giving the PS pump away.
 
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