How to track down a car
 

What is the best way to try to get the history of registrations and possible location of a vehicle by using the VIN?

Your state department of motor vehicles *may* keep records, but even if they do it's not likely they share that information (it used to be that you could find a friendly policeman who could trace that sort of thing, but under current privacy laws I believe it's illegal in most states for them to do so.) The only other option is to talk to previous owners to see if they remember who they bought the car from.

My El Camino came with 35 years of receipts, listing all the previous owners with their addresses and phone numbers. All except for the original owner. When I finally did find his name and address I learned he passed away the year before. :(

As mentioned above, it's not easy these days but there are numerous avenues. If you have the previous owners registration that came with the car you can reach out to them asking if they have any prior owner information or registrations. I ran the VIN from my daughters Camry online and came up with the two previous owners and all Toyota maintenance done to the car.

For my 56 Vette I hired a private detective that specializes in such things. A year and ~$800 later, I had a name and phone number for every single owner and had spoken to them and documented everything.

What year?

I would start by googling it- free and easy. Perhaps there was a for sale ad that had it?

I’m trying to track down my dads 1968 HO GTO now. It’s the car I came home from the hospital in when I was born.

I have the license plate number but not the VIN. I have been told if I take the license number to the SOS and sign a waiver why I’m looking for this car, they may be able to help me. I need to make an appointment and see what happens.

To date I’ve called the insurance company with no luck. The dealer has been sold and all records destroyed. Oddly enough, the dealership was owned by Tom Vaught’s uncle when my dad bought his GTOs. Small world.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

trying to see if a 'specific 72 T/A or Formula is still around or scrapped long ago. I don't have plate #s but do have VIN #

I've done the google search and find nothing

My state motor vehicle inspector/investigator ran a 50 state title search for me at no charge on a VIN. He found no records so I don't know what info he would have gave me if there had been a hit.

But it must be possible for some people to easily search all states for an existing title.