TRACKING PREVIOUS OWNERS

[elonblock]

Canuck,

Great story! Congrats on obtaining the information and putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

Elon

[bergy]

PA claims to only save records for 10 years (15 years for police searches), but the old info is still in the files (microfilm). I was recently able to get all ownership periods for my '69 Camaro sent to me on PA DMV letterhead. It takes a lot of persistence, knowing who to talk to, talking to supervisors - the archive researchers can get the info.

[bergy]

Doesn't Canada provide ownership history routinely? I wasn't too concerned with the ownership history of my Canadian Pace car (since I had the GM of Canada docs), but a print out of the previous few owners was shown on the Canadian registration docs that I got with the car.

[Keith Tedford]

We are in Ontario and when we bought our 396 car in '97, vehicle owner history still went back to day one. Now, apparently, it only goes back something like 15 years. I haven't checked this out myself, just what I have been told. I understand that the information is still on file though if it is required.

[Tracker1]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Keith Tedford</div><div class="ubbcode-body">We are in Ontario and when we bought our 396 car in '97, vehicle owner history still went back to day one. Now, apparently, it only goes back something like 15 years. I haven't checked this out myself, just what I have been told. I understand that the information is still on file though if it is required. </div></div>

Ontario will not give you the original owner's name just the next registered owner after that and so on up the line.....

[mockingbird812]

Paul, Great detective work and tenacity!

[Xplantdad]

Paul-cool stuff!

See you in January! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

[CUSTOMD2]

ANYBODY IN THE VA AREA THAT HAS A POLICE FRIEND???
THIS WOULD BE A EASY TASK,ID APRECIATE THE HELP IF SO.

[Nova Research Project]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CUSTOMD2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ANYBODY IN THE VA AREA THAT HAS A POLICE FRIEND???
THIS WOULD BE A EASY TASK,ID APRECIATE THE HELP IF SO. </div></div>

Sure if you car was stolen in VA.

In VA it is just like a NICB report. You need a police report and a case number for that particular VIN. Otherwise no deal.

Law Enforcement officials log the access to the files. I am told they can get in trouble for access without cause. Not many willing to risk it.

Greg

[Nova Research Project]

More...

I forgot but you can do a Prospective Purchaser Inquiry in Virginia.

VA PPI

But it will only show the last ten years if available.

I do believe that states do keep micro film records past 10 years, but because of tighter privacy laws, it is difficult to gain access. Tracing the pedigree of a vehicle is not considered necessary or even desirable for government agencies who fear that the previous owner will take them to court for releasing the information. Not to mention the budget cuts which probably eliminated the people to do the research.

Having a few 'orphaned' vehicles with no documentation, I feel your pain.

Good luck,
Greg

PS. Have you tried the The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) but mostly requires a newer VIN formats. But you may be able to find someone who can search the early VINs.