Anyone have a idea as to how to track down a car you onced owned. My father is interested in tracking down his first car, a 1970 Ford Mustang. The Mustang was a 302 with a 3 speed tranny.

He does have any of his old insurance information. He does not remember the VIN. He sold the car in 1974 in the Tampa, Fl. area.

Can your states DMV help you out?

Almost all states passed privacy laws in 2000 that makes doing this much harder.

Wow, didn't know that. I guess it stinks in a way and it's great in another. Reck'on it has to do with the Dale Earnhardt deal? I know here in Fla. that was a big case in the media.

amazingly states, dealerships and insurance companies dont keep records very long at all. i decided about 18 years ago to try and research the vin on the LS6 i bought new in 1970. checked with michigan dmv where i bought it, AAA insurance, the bank where i fininaced it, dealership where i bought it and was amazed to find that all had long ago discarded their records. i assumed dmv records would have been kept for ever on microfich but no such luck. the closest i came was a few months ago i remembered i had some minor body work done around 1971 so i checked with the body shop this year, they were STILL in business. he told me he had just discarded those records a few months ago! missed it by THAT much! i wonder if you had received a ticket if that would still be on file with the VIN. if so i still have one shot left cuz i did get a ticket for failure to have proof of insurance but it went away when i took the papers to the state police office. anyhow if you come up with a way to run it down please let me know how you did it.

Take the VIN off the insurance policies and go down to the local DMV and ask what they require AND charge to do a vehicle search!!

OR,

if you are on good terms with one of the State's Finest, ask him/her to run it through their computer. (That's how I found mine)..

And don't be supprised if it comes back not licensed for a long time and supposed wrecked and then scrapped...

pdq67

I wish there was a place on the web to research this kind of stuff.Recently,while going through some things i had saved,I found a registration to my 69 SS and an insurance card to my 66 SS with a partial vin.

I want so bad to find my first car a 1986 iroc-z z28 camaro with the 305 tuned port injection lb9 motor with a 4 speed 700r4 190 horse power possy traction and duel exoust can anyone help me find it ?

Just as in my user name, I've been trying to track my old '72 2 tone optioned El Camino down. Searches now on the net won't locate 13 digit vin's. I did find an address in a neighboring county and went over there. Trail went cold there. Car had a 400+ hp sb engine in it that was my hs graduation present. Vin's are a big help. If anyone sees this thing, for God's sake let me know. http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6839/myold72elcaminosmallza2.jpg

I want so bad to find my first car a 1986 iroc-z z28 camaro with the 305 tuned port injection lb9 motor with a 4 speed 700r4 190 horse power possy traction and duel exoust can anyone help me find it ?

Do a carfax report at www.carfax.com...that might help you get a few leads on where it might be.

Or don't sell your car to start with.

Take the VIN off the insurance policies and go down to the local DMV and ask what they require AND charge to do a vehicle search!!
Doesn't hurt to try... I have heard california has a form IF you have the VIN, but even my next-door-neighbor (manager at DMV) hadn't heard of it. Supposedly can look for a car IF you were a previous owner...

if you are on good terms with one of the State's Finest, ask him/her to run it through their computer. (That's how I found mine)..

One of my Best Friends, a "car guy" freinds since High School (early 80's) and a Sergent with a large police department can't even lot up vehicles without a good reason... I Used to run searches from his car while on ride-alongs (while he was writing reports), but now with the privacy laws, can't do it any longer... Well, actually he CAN, but I wouldn't want to risk getting my friend in trouble just to try and find an old car... With those privacy issues, they've really cracked down...

As Paul mentioned, get the VIN off old insurance paperwork or repair shop workorders and have the local police run the info. Can be searched nationwide, too.
My brother (NYS cop) has done it for me a couple times...
I actually owned a '68 Shelby GT500KR thru most of the '70s and still have some valuable paperwork & items on the car that I would like to see get returned to the present owner. Can't find any recent records of the car. :(

My brother is a cop & he will not do it because if it comes up stolen or a warrant on the owner they want to know why you did not bring the perp in (cop talk, LOL)

LK

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/inf/inf70.pdf

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/inf/inf70.pdf
:

CIVIL/CRIMINAL PENALTIES

State law, California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 1808.45 and federal law, the Drivers Privacy Protection Act of 1994, states in summary, that the willful, unauthorized disclosure, false representation to obtain, use of information for a purpose other than the one stated in the request and approved by DMV, or the sale or other distribution of any information not disclosed in the request, is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000) or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or both fine and imprisonment.
Federal law, the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994 (United States Code, TITLE 18, PART I, CHAPTER 123, Sec. 2724), will further subject any person who knowingly obtains, discloses or uses personal information from any motor vehicle record for an unauthorized purpose to be liable to the record subject who may bring a civil action in a United States district court. Remedies that may be awarded by the court include: actual damages not less than $2,500; punitive damages; reasonable attorneys’ fees and other litigation costs; and other preliminary and equitable relief as the court determines to be appropriate.

RECORD SUBJECT NOTIFICATION

The department is required by CVC Section 1810(b) to provide the record subject a copy of this request. Confidential
information, such as, your residence address, telephone number, and driver license/ identification card information will
not be disclosed to the record subject.

@Dean. when I filled out the request form, I had to tell them what my intentions were. After putting that info on the form, the state ok's the request, then i printed and mailed the form to califonia DMV. I told them I needed the owner history because im tracking down the engine... I didnt know about the "record subject being notified" .... Ill post what I get back.

Im not sure how they do it. But after I indicated what my intentsion were, the state ok'ed the request on the spot. I didnt talk to anyone nor did I hit enter, it just did some gee wis computer thing. then I printed and signed it. included a $5 buck fee.