as I was tooling down the singletrack on my mountain bike....got me thinking.....has anyone ever did a dmv vin search for chevelles ??? say search for owners of 138... or 136.... vin codes.....might be a good way to find some nice cars or project cars if you had that resource....dont know about the legality ect... but if i worked for them bet i'd do it !!!

You couldn't do that, it's illegal :noway:

but if i worked for them bet i'd do it !!!As Dean noted, it's illegal. Yes, you could do it if you worked there but you'd be fired when someone caught you. That's why there are privacy laws. :yes:

It would be interesting to see how many chevelles were still registered, but as you mentioned finding them for projects and such would require the owners info and that would be a violation as pointed out. it is a shame there isn't a way to just obtain the number to compare against the number produced to see how many have survived the years. I'm sure each state has its own rules, I obtained my info from the NC DMV but had to sign stating I would not contact anyone listed in the info they sent and it only cost me one dollar. It's a CYA for them and I am the current owner of the car I was asking about. I doubt they would give any info if I wasn't listed as the current owner on the title. Andy

I always found it interesting that license tag information is private but if I have a tail number I can easily find an aircrafts owner.

you'd be fired when someone caught you

Or worse, go to jail. There are laws called "Larceny by Conversion" in which you use gov't resources for personal gain and gaining knowledge/info could be considered personal gain if they wanted to nail you. The information is for official use only.

I worked 30 yrs for state DOT and we had to sign a document advising us of the penalties if we did that. We were surveyors and had knowledge of proposed highways projects and route locations years in advance.


Look what happened to those people in PA (?) who looked up info on the guy who asked BHO a question, Joe the Plumber?

Anything done on a gov't computer is logged and they will find out.

Wrong..at least in MN it is public information. Drop your $$ on the counter and you have registration info. Personal info is protected though.

Insurance companies and all sorts of companies buy vin and other statistical data all the time. Great cash crop for the dmv.

Besides, can you imagine the look you would get if you said "Would you please print out information on every car with the first three digits of 138 in the VIN registered in this state" :noway:

Dean, that it too true. they look funny enough when I go to renew my tags. I can only imagine their confusion with the older VINs since I think they increased the number of digits at some point. I can guess "you would like what?" would be the initial response followed by "go to the next window please" ha ha

Wrong..at least in MN it is public information. Drop your $$ on the counter and you have registration info. Personal info is protected though.

Insurance companies and all sorts of companies buy vin and other statistical data all the time. Great cash crop for the dmv.

BUT, how could that possibly help with what the OP said .."might be a good way to find some nice cars or project cars".. without the personal information (which is protected by the Feds) ?

AND, are you talking about getting that information on ALL 136/138 cars registered in MN by "Drop your $$ on the counter" or on just ONE vehicle per Drop? :confused:

I have a very good friend (an a '66 Chevelle owner) that works for the California DMV. His office actually deals with the law enforncement inquiries, so he has the ability to access the info, but he will NOT attempt it... He has been told it will be cause for dismissal, and he has worked there for years...

I have another Very good friend (went to high school together, were in each others wedding parties, still close, and he has a '69 Hemi Charger) thats a Sergent with a large Police Department. Back when he was in patrol, years ago, I went on a ride-a-long, and he actually let me input vin and license numbers into the computer (for car my father owned). We didn't have any luck, but more recently (a few years ago), I asked, and he wouldn't do it, because it could cost him his job...

They both tell me its all about the Privacy laws...

bet some 16 y/o hacker could look them up !!! you know in this computer/information age we are living in, just may happen some day.

interesting none the less....thanks for your posts...

now if I can just "sweet talk" that "cougar" at our local dmv......ha

there are some programs that you can purchase and look up license plates. net detective (plus or delux). and there is another one we use but i cant remember the name. it looks up license plates and gives owners name and address. but check out NET DETECTIVE.

It was a good thought though. I remember i founf an old 40's Ford truck buried the woods near my hourse. one day I ran in to see it. It had a New Hampshire license plate from the 70's. I called the DMV and the basically told me I was insane. They weren't the first person to tell me that :D

One at a time but for the right $$$ you could do a vin run.

well if thats the case john 1373. i have a plate number from a old title i found in my camaro. what would this cost? who do i contact? do i have to go to st. paul?

If you have a VIN, you migt also be able to ask for a force transfer of title to get previous owner's info. It's the process when the original owner loses the title but still has the vehicle.

A couple years ago I got a bonded title for a car in TX. Part of the process was filling out a form and paying $2 to get the last registered, and previous owner's info.

Its not the same as trying to get a list, but some of this is pretty much considered public info, as determined by the state, not feds.

hey john how about it? i have a 1971 minnesota title from my 68 z28 and would gladly pay for the info if i could get it. i called the state a few years ago and they told me no record that old? i am no in minnesota so this is why i need your help.

If you have a VIN, you migt also be able to ask for a force transfer of title to get previous owner's info. It's the process when the original owner loses the title but still has the vehicle.
I'm confused, why would there be any title transfer if the original owner still has the car but can't find the title?
They would just apply for a duplicate title.

Unless I misinterpreted the original poster, this thread is (WAS) about getting a list of every Chevelle registered in the state in able to find the cars.

My DMV buddy actually stopped by on Saturday, so we discussed it further... The info in his unit is not kept on an internet data base. They actually field Phone Calls from law enforcement agencies, and get about 300-400 calls per day... They officer has to provide his department info, including a specific "password" to get any info...

I also recall hearing about a DMV title search IF you are the current owner, or can prove you were a previous owner, of a specific car... but my buddy (and another DMV "trainer" that I know) had never heard of that...


...at least in MN it is public information. Drop your $$ on the counter and you have registration info. Personal info is protected though.


What "registration" info isn't "personal"? Name and address would be personal, and what other info would be useful (you'd already have to had supplied the VIN, right?)?

Name and address are the main reasons the info should not be available... You say you want to find some old car, innocent enough, but someone else might be looking for the guy that cut them off in traffic, or their ex-wife, etc...

if it is private info...how come the vins on later models (not 65-67's) are viewable from the windshields ?....guess those are for the repo man ??.....
still working up the nerve to ask that "cougar" at our local dmv office, she seems "willing" in other areas....ha.....j/k...there is that 16 y/o computer guru down the street too...haha....
glad to get some response to my post though.....

Jason, I sent you a PM, let me know if you don't get it.

Not sure where this thread is heading, it started out asking if you could do a statewide vin search for a 138 car and now it's into the legallity of doing a registration check on a specific plate. After 33 years in law enforcement I can say that every state is different on getting reg. info, by phone, even for cops. In most small midwestern states it is no big deal, pick up the phone and call. States like Ca. make an issue out of everything, data privacy, etc. I don't know any cop anywhere who can't run a reg check in their squad on duty, in fact if they don't run dozens a night to check on stolen vehicles etc. they aren't doing their job. Just the facts mam!

if it is private info...how come the vins on later models (not 65-67's) are viewable from the windshields ?.........
It's not the VIN that is protected personal information, It's the names, addresses etc.

Naturally a cop is trusted not to be a stalker and certainly has a need for the personal information as do some other people such as an insurance agents etc. BUT they still don't request a list of personal information on every single vehicle with the VIN starting with 138 or 136 registered in a state.

john pm sent, thanks a ton. hopefully this works!

....

in oklahoma we can do a title search, ie previous owners. on my LS6 it shows three owners since august of 70 i am the third, now on my 70Z it shows me to be i believe the 13th lucky owner, i did contact several of them and they were amazed that the car is still on the road. the second owner got it used at HUDEBERG CHEVROLET in ok city. he told me it had an LT1 M22 AND 410'S oh and somebody put after market air on it. but he said he took it off, cuz he liked racing it at hallet a road coarse, it now has a rat motor in it hence the name bigblock70z. the title search it cool and it would be nice to have access to that information.

in oklahoma we can do a title search, ie previous owners. on my LS6 it shows three owners since august of 70 i am the third, now on my 70Z it shows me to be i believe the 13th lucky owner, i did contact several of them and they were amazed that the car is still on the road. the second owner got it used at HUDEBERG CHEVROLET in ok city. he told me it had an LT1 M22 AND 410'S oh and somebody put after market air on it. but he said he took it off, cuz he liked racing it at hallet a road coarse, it now has a rat motor in it hence the name bigblock70z. the title search it cool and it would be nice to have access to that information.
So you can be a stalker in Oklahoma then BUT, would they give you a printout list of names and address of the registered owners of EVERY Chevelle registered in the state?


:clonk:

actually they just gave me certified copies of all the titles front and back, i got the computer to look up all the people. when i called some of them i just told them that i own a 1970 Z28 camaro and through title history i got your name, if you dont mind are you the right guy, if so what can you tell me about the car, i am enjoying owning it. and just want to know a little about the history. THEY ALL seemed very happy to tell me there story. and old memories. but they all, are from oklahoma, and we love STALKERS:D

actually they just gave me certified copies of all the titles front and back, i got the computer to look up all the people. when i called some of them i just told them that i own a 1970 Z28 camaro and through title history i got your name, if you dont mind are you the right guy, if so what can you tell me about the car, i am enjoying owning it. and just want to know a little about the history. THEY ALL seemed very happy to tell me there story. and old memories. but they all, are from oklahoma, and we love STALKERS:D

So, how many did you get? EVERY car registered in the state?

How long ago?


Come on, nobody loves STALKERS, the reason for the Privacy act.

If "they" really did do that I would think "they" should be fired for breaking a federal anti stalking law unless this was before the law was enacted.

he he he, you dont believe me. OK I AM TELLING THE TRUTH FOR ONCE. LOL its called a title search and it only cost ten dollars, they give the title history of the car. matter of fact when i done the one for my chevelle which i already new where it has been since august of seventy, it even had a repossession certificate of when my uncle got it reposessed for one day. he was embarrased. he had to borrow the money i think he said from his mother to get it back.:yes:

he he he, you dont believe me. OK I AM TELLING THE TRUTH FOR ONCE. LOL its called a title search and it only cost ten dollars, they give the title history of the car. matter of fact when i done the one for my chevelle which i already new where it has been since august of seventy, it even had a repossession certificate of when my uncle got it reposessed for one day. he was embarrased. he had to borrow the money i think he said from his mother to get it back.:yes:

I didn't say that I didn't believe you.

So, how many did you get? EVERY car registered in the state?

How long ago?

I think you missed to point about getting personal information on EVERY Chevelle registered in the state.

But anyway "they" are not supposed to give out any personal information to just anyone that requests it.

Dean, if you are the current title holder in OK you can pay for a search on THAT vehicle, today. If you are buying a car without a title, you can have a search run to verify last known owner and whether or not there are liens or if its stolen. If it comes back clear, they will assign a title to it for your purchase. Oh, and we can still carry guns too.

Dean, if you are the current title holder in OK you can pay for a search on THAT vehicle, today. If you are buying a car without a title, you can have a search run to verify last known owner and whether or not there are liens or if its stolen. If it comes back clear, they will assign a title to it for your purchase. Oh, and we can still carry guns too.
That makes sense BUT unless I misinterpreted, THIS thread is about getting personal information on every vehicle registered in a state with the first three of the VIN being 136/138 owned by someone else.
(has nothing to do with guns) :confused:


as I was tooling down the singletrack on my mountain bike....got me thinking.....has anyone ever did a dmv vin search for chevelles ??? say search for owners of 138... or 136.... vin codes.....might be a good way to find some nice cars or project cars if you had that resource....dont know about the legality ect... but if i worked for them bet i'd do it !!!

in oklahoma we can do a title search, ie previous owners. on my LS6 it shows three owners since august of 70 i am the third, now on my 70Z it shows me to be i believe the 13th lucky owner, i did contact several of them and they were amazed that the car is still on the road. the second owner got it used at HUDEBERG CHEVROLET in ok city. he told me it had an LT1 M22 AND 410'S oh and somebody put after market air on it. but he said he took it off, cuz he liked racing it at hallet a road coarse, it now has a rat motor in it hence the name bigblock70z. the title search it cool and it would be nice to have access to that information.:confused:i think i was just trying to state what we can do as far as the law goes. i am just trying to help by adding what i know. :confused: my cousin worked for a local tag office and i ask her to check my vin and all numbers in front and after that would be like they were coming off the assembly line and she could not find any. to speak of. but she told me that after so many years of not being tagged they drop off the system. i think she also told me when a vehicle is changed from one owner to the other the previous owner comes off the computer and they have no record unless you pay ten dollars to do a title history search. so i guess all this has nothing to do with a list of all the ss big block searches from the dmv. but still interesting.:yes: