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Possible to track down original owner?
- Thread starter Basil
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Don Lattimer
Jedi Hopeful
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OP
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[ QUOTE ]
Simple: go to DVLA write a letter and send them 5 pounds.
Got a complete history on my Marcos from day one! Mileage , owners, addresses, etc.
Don
1971 Marcos
1973 Morris Van
1999 Isuzu Vehicross
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh very cool! Thanks. I just think it would be nice to know who originally owned my car (and possibly subsequent owners).
Thanks,
Basil
Simple: go to DVLA write a letter and send them 5 pounds.
Got a complete history on my Marcos from day one! Mileage , owners, addresses, etc.
Don
1971 Marcos
1973 Morris Van
1999 Isuzu Vehicross
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh very cool! Thanks. I just think it would be nice to know who originally owned my car (and possibly subsequent owners).
Thanks,
Basil
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[ QUOTE ]
On their web page they state:
"If you are the current keeper you can get information about any earlier keepers on application."
Can I assume that by "keeper" they are refering to what we on this side of the pond would call "owner?"
[/ QUOTE ]
Exactly right. However, in the UK the keeper of the vehicle may not always be the owner (as in a company car, etc) so it's a catch-all term that they use.
On their web page they state:
"If you are the current keeper you can get information about any earlier keepers on application."
Can I assume that by "keeper" they are refering to what we on this side of the pond would call "owner?"
[/ QUOTE ]
Exactly right. However, in the UK the keeper of the vehicle may not always be the owner (as in a company car, etc) so it's a catch-all term that they use.
curtis
Jedi Trainee
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Basil,
I see Steve S mentioned a Heritage certificate.That would give you the dealers it was delivered to and from there you might get some information on the first owner . If you are really lucky they might still have some records from that era to show how much it sold for etc.
I am not sure how far back the DVLC will give you.Probably only from when the title documents became computerised.
Do you have the original "log book" for the car? I assume not.
Curtis
I see Steve S mentioned a Heritage certificate.That would give you the dealers it was delivered to and from there you might get some information on the first owner . If you are really lucky they might still have some records from that era to show how much it sold for etc.
I am not sure how far back the DVLC will give you.Probably only from when the title documents became computerised.
Do you have the original "log book" for the car? I assume not.
Curtis
catfood
Jedi Knight
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Basil,
What you get from the DVLA is open to luck as originally UK cars were registered in their local cities or towns. When the process was centralised the records were suposed to have been transferred to the DVLA. However this was a hap-hazard affair that was prone to loss and error (it was before the time of computers). Quite a few sets of records simply did not get transfered so as a consequence of this there are large holes in the national records. I did a trace on my Healey and the records only went back to the early 70's. However they do give full name and addresses of the previous owners that are on record so if you are determined enough it is possible to trace the history backwards if you can find the right people. A friend of mine got the name and address of the first owner of his frogeye, which was originally registered fairly close to where he lived. As the name on the registration document was quite unusual he checked the phone book. There was only one entry with the POs name in the area so he rang it on the off chance and struck lucky. The man was in his late 60s, remembered the car well and currently drives and MX5 (Miata)
What you get from the DVLA is open to luck as originally UK cars were registered in their local cities or towns. When the process was centralised the records were suposed to have been transferred to the DVLA. However this was a hap-hazard affair that was prone to loss and error (it was before the time of computers). Quite a few sets of records simply did not get transfered so as a consequence of this there are large holes in the national records. I did a trace on my Healey and the records only went back to the early 70's. However they do give full name and addresses of the previous owners that are on record so if you are determined enough it is possible to trace the history backwards if you can find the right people. A friend of mine got the name and address of the first owner of his frogeye, which was originally registered fairly close to where he lived. As the name on the registration document was quite unusual he checked the phone book. There was only one entry with the POs name in the area so he rang it on the off chance and struck lucky. The man was in his late 60s, remembered the car well and currently drives and MX5 (Miata)
curtis
Jedi Trainee
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It is well worth the effort. I got some great stories and archives on all my Astons and recently when I bought the Healey I traced the original owner in the USA and talked to him. he sent an audiotape of his memories and his wife wrote with her memories. From there I spoke to the second owner and it only leaves the third owner who had moved and the post office wouldn't send my letter on as the payment to do this had expired.Could anyone help with this if I post the address. He was supposed to be a "well known collector".
There was also a mystery owner.It seems the car was imported and was up for sale very quickly. I think it may have been a US serviceman. it seems his wife didn't like it. The guy I spoke to couldn't remember any details so I may never get this info.
The car came through a french company that started a partnership with Leonard Lord in the fifties to sell on the Paris show cars to save the tax problems returning them to England. Sadly the company is no more and the family have the records and refuse general access.
Curtis
There was also a mystery owner.It seems the car was imported and was up for sale very quickly. I think it may have been a US serviceman. it seems his wife didn't like it. The guy I spoke to couldn't remember any details so I may never get this info.
The car came through a french company that started a partnership with Leonard Lord in the fifties to sell on the Paris show cars to save the tax problems returning them to England. Sadly the company is no more and the family have the records and refuse general access.
Curtis
Offline
Have you tried google searches? amazing what they can turn up. there are also locating services on the internet that can locate almost anyone for relatively little money. RE: Google, a lady in my church google searched her birth mother's name on google and was talking to her in 48 hours!
I tried to track down the name of the original owner of my TVR when I acquired it a couple of years ago. I knew he lived in Michigan and bought the car there new, but after contacting the appropriate Michigan state office, and sending in my fee, I got it back saying they can only go back 8 years, which did me no good. Too bad the individual states over here aren't as efficient as the DVLA is in the UK.