Anyone know of a reliable source to check histories of these cars? From purchase to current? I don't think car facts or wherever it is can handle the smaller amount of ID numbers.
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Most of those search places only work with cars since 1979 or 1980 - when the VIN numbers went to the current standard. Mostly good for a newer car that may have been returned under the "Lemon Law" or wrecked or water damaged (totalled). Not very much help for collector cars.
JD: I did most of my research through Chrysler archives at the museum in Detroit. When I was there during Woodward I checked it out one year. Not sure if that is where it is still located or not.
Chrysler has a service where they send you a copy of the build card for your car.? Supposed to show the options installed, key numbers, original dealer, etc.? The last I heard, the cost was $45.? Haven't done this for any of my cars so no personal experience.? Their address is:
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Chrysler Historical Collection
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 12501 Chrysler Drive
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? CIMS 410-11-21
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Detroit, MI? 48288
I got a build card for our '37 and it is very informative.
as a bonus, Chrysler never cashed my check.
regarding state DMV registration & title records, each state is different.
Florida has NONE prior to 1978.
Here is a site to help and get you started.
http://www.chryslerheritage.com/pg904.htm
MSPcustom
I think a person is going to be hard pressed to find historic, registration/ownership, information about old cars other than the suggestions that have already been offered. The info in response #3 about how to obtain a build card from Chrysler is about as good as it gets. I have sent for the build card on my 39 Plym Conv. Coupe.
One has to keep in mind that the cars made during the infantcy of the auto industry up through the 1960's were built as basicly throw away items so why would anyone want to maintain a tracting of the ownership of such items. I found it to be very interesting that the Chrysler Corp maintained the build cards from 1932 through 1967, most of the auto manufactures purged their files in the late 1970's of all old build/invoice records.
I some states, if a vehicle had a lien on it and that lien has never been cleared off the books, then the ownership can be traced back to the time that the lien was recorded. This lien can be as simple as car financing, bank, dealer, etc. or it can be a lien as part of assetes on a farm and/or business.
Example...... My brother and I purchased a 1954 Chevy a couple of years ago in Idaho from a farmer, the car had not been registered since 1964, we got a Bill of Sale and went our merry way. When my brother tried to secure title to the car the State of Idaho did a title search......OP's.... the car was still on the tax rolls under the original owners name because he listed it as an asset on his farm loan from 1954/64. He had given it to his neighbor sometime during the mid siixty's to use as an "irrigation car" moving pipe around the farm.
My brother had to find the original owner and have him apply for a lost title. The good part was that brother found out that the original owner had purchased the car new the day after he got married in 1954, unfortunitly the owner had thrown all of the original paper work away when he gave the car away.
In the case of my 39 Plym Conv whch I found sitting in a field in Montana in 1996. In talking to lots of people in the community where I found it I have been able to trace it's history back to 1952. I have been able to secure pictures of the car back to 1952 and through Chrysler Historic I have found out when the car was manufactured, the dealer and location it was sold to and of of the factory options installed on the car.
Whats the moral of this story, assume nothing when it comes to the history or lack of history on a vehicle until you do your own checking in the state you live in and or the state (s) that the car might have been registered in....Bill
Thanks for all the tips. I do have paperwork from original owner up to 1978. Bill of sale, maintenance records, etc.
But it falls off after that. Rumor suggest it is was in storage for quite some time after and I was hoping to verify some later owners and how many. I will see if I can check with DMV this week.
Thanks again,