Anyone have any ideas on how to locate the car's current residence using an old 9 digit VIN# ? All of the online resources want a 17 digit current VIN# and that does jack for this search.
I've heard that sometimes the DMV may give you a vehicle history report based on the VIN# but it costs a fee. I'm fine with the fee, if it will help locate the vehicle.
Maryland has had a title law since the early 20's and even titles homebuilt trailers. If it is titled in MD you can find it.
Correct. Cops can't even look up VINs unless there is a compelling reason, i.e., crime of some sort, or to determine if it's on the NCIC stolen list.
If privacy is a concern, how is it that Carfax and other similar sites can give you the entire history of a vehicle? I'm not super concerned with getting the exact name and address of the current owner so long as I could pin down a city and state, that would help tremendously.
Several years ago I wanted to locate the owner of a chopped 37 Chevy I built 20 years ago. All I knew is that the car was in Connecticut. I had a picture of the car that I posted in the wanted section of different Connecticut cities on Craigslist. It took some time with both good and bad leads untill someone called me with the phone number of the owner. We kept in touch and a year later I ended up buying my old 37 back.
Just on a wild chance do a google search on the VIN, if it's been listed online or in a public record you might get lucky. Hoop
If your have a picture you can also do a google image search upload the picture property (jpg) into the image search field and use advance to go forward. See peak ahead if there is a similar looking picture it will show them.
They definitely can. I've had it done dozens of times in different states. Sharing the location info would be the issue.
California DMV will send a letter you write to the current owner for a fee. This assumes that you have enough information for them to do the search and that the car is still in the system. This is easy for them to do if it is on the current computer system. For an hourly fee, they will have someone manually search the old files that are not computerized. No guarantee that you will hear anything back once they locate the owner and send the letter.
I know carfax will tell you things about a vehicle, such as it was involved in an accident etc but I don't know that they will give you names or addresses.
Tried the Google search, no luck. Only images I found were one's that I've uploaded. There's a thread I started here. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=776711 I've gotten previous owners city and state before.
I know one thing, if some clown showed up on my door step looking for "his old car" and tells me that he found out that I had it though the state, county records or though a police officer buddy my lawyer would have a good chunk of someone's hide and probably their job in the process. Privacy laws are there for a reason.
In the 90s I had a 52 Fordor that was abandoned at our shop. Had no idea who owned it; I filled out some form and mailed it in to the MVA with $5 and they sent me a photocopy of the title they had one file. I still couldn't locate the person, but it could be a help.
Does anyone have a phone number and/or contact info for the CA DMV to do a search on a 9-digit vin number thought to be titled in CA prior to 1970? I have owned this 1940 Ford for over 27 years and want to provide detailed history to publish a "photo" book with all photos of restoration and/or documents associated with this and other antique cars/trucks I own. I just tried calling the CA DMV 800 number and there is a 30 minute plus wait time.
Some might break the rules and violate the privacy act but most honest ones won't. face it, do you actually want some dipshit showing up on your doorstep looking for his old car that he sold 30 years ago because he was able to get his cop buddy to run the vin and find out where you live. Or his kid who dad promised the car and then sold it who still think's it's his car even though his dad sold it while he was standing there? I damned well don't.
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