Author Topic: Mustang research? (Read 434 times)

Dne' · « **on:** November, 02, 2008, 06:15:38 AM »

Hi all! Have any of you ever done a research of the owners of you classic car? Like tracing where it's been, how long a person may have kept it, etc.. How can a title be researched to see who owned it, and where it has been? Oh, I posted a few photos in the Gallery. I couldn't post photos on Photobucket~ somethings wrong with it.
:pep dne'

PS: We bought a Lakehouse in Conroe and we'll be spending a great deal of time there getting it ready. So my stang is put on the backburner for a while.

Sluggo · « **Reply #1 on:** November, 02, 2008, 10:02:24 AM »

I'm not sure what steps to take to do a title search in Texas. Never done one.

Did you link the photos to a post in paint section?

Dne' · « **Reply #2 on:** November, 02, 2008, 12:02:20 PM »

yes, I put some photos' in the Gallery! Pretty neat, I don't know if I did it very well, but there on there!
As for the title search, not just Texas, but wherever the little car may have been over the past 40 years.
thanks
dne'

AzPete · « **Reply #3 on:** November, 02, 2008, 03:32:52 PM »

Do you know thw previously titled owner? That is a start. If not, see if the local DMV has any history on the car. They may or may not give out the info. If you need to go to another stsate, contact a large DMV snd see what info they can/will give you. Of course, this is all done using the VIN number of the car in question. I have heard of some getting names or towns but no phone or address. Good luck.

Another thing you can do is post the VIN in question on numerous Mustang sites asking if anyone owned it.

Both ways are slow and a waiting game.

shbrandt · « **Reply #4 on:** November, 03, 2008, 07:08:29 AM »

For a fee, $20.00 IIRC the DVM can run the records back to 1985. They told me that they don't have anything before that. I doubt that is the case. I have researched the ownership of my car back to 1985. It was owned by the same family in Midland (arid West Texas) since 1985, and possibly before that. It's DSO was Dallas. This may account for the lack of serious rust issues.

JeffTepper · « **Reply #5 on:** November, 03, 2008, 07:36:34 AM »

I suggest you approach it partly as an archeological dig and partly as a skip trace. Start with the person you bought the car from. What does he/she remember about any of the car's prior history? Continue as far back as your information takes you. Contact your state DMV requesting a title history on your car for historical research purposes including copies of all prior titles and registrations. If the car came from out of state, the original application may include the prior state title. At that point you have another DMV to contact. "repeat as necessary..." If you have a contact in law enforcement you may be able to get some of this information "unofficially" if they are willing.

Next get a deluxe Marti report (if your car is '67 or newer) which includes the original selling dealer's name and address. From there contact the dealership and attempt to reconstruct the history from that end. If your car is '66 or older (no marti Report) look at the door data tag (hopefully original) for the DSO. Armed with that contact DMV's in each state that is serviced by that DSO.

Don't forget the archeological dig part. Get into your car with a fine toothed comb, under the seats, behind the dash, inside the trunk, inside the doors, looking for evidence of the car's past (a service sticker on the door jamb, an inspection sticker on the window, a parking sticker on the bumper, an insurance or auto club sticker, a dealer emblem or license plate frame, a business card under the back seat, a trinket in the defroster vent, an old license plate in the trunk drop off, etc.)

Using these methods I was able to determine that my car was sold new in Los Angeles and continued to reside in California at least through the mid 1970's. By 1978 it was in Nevada (one owner) where it resided until 1990 at which time it was sold and returned to California. Between 1990 and 2000 the car had 4 owners all in Northern California. I bought it in 2000. Admittedly not a complete record but there is enough there for me to reasonably conclude that the car has been in California or Nevada its entire life.

Good luck!

daveSanborn · « **Reply #6 on:** November, 03, 2008, 08:37:34 AM »

Remember that not everyone loves your Mustang like you do.....

A month ago I noticed a familiar '66 Mustang in a parking lot in town. I hadn't seen the car since I restored it and then sold it approx. 3-4 years ago. It had undergone a new (cheap) paint job (with way too much pearl in it for my taste) and had some shiny new aftermarket wheels on it, but other than these and a few other minor little things, it was the car I sold.

I sold it to a young Marine and he proceeded to blow the engine. He sold it to this new current owner.

I left my business card on the WS wiper with a note on the back to contact me for the COMPLETE ownership history of this car going back to the original owner in 1966. I never got a call. Some people just don't care. It's "just a car" to them.

Dne' · « **Reply #7 on:** November, 03, 2008, 10:55:59 AM »

You're absolutely right Dave! It's just an old car! Well, I sent a letter to the previous owner on the title here in Texas. Maybe, just maybe the person will take interest. I would just love to get it all the way back to the original owner! :pep Imagine going to the dealership in 1967 (sounds so long ago!) looking over the inventory shiney new cars of kinds, little knowing that one day this little car costing new(2500?) to wind up a collectors item! And cars of today will just wind up as scrap metal or scrap plastic! lol
dne'

Dne' · « **Reply #8 on:** November, 07, 2008, 05:03:22 AM »

I got a call back yesterday from the previous owner!! :pep The person's name that was on the title. He's going to send me some photo's of when he had it. It was running then!! he said it was his wife's car, and they were having trouble, so he sold it to some kid. The kid in turn took the motor out and put it in his truck, and proceeded to put a 6cyl in the stang, and 4 bolt suspension(go figure). I hope he writes me back soon and with photos. Sounds like the car stayed locally, so it didn't travel from other states.

Yesteray, I transferred the title (without registration), just so I could get the car in my name. When I comes time to put the car on the road, I'll go back to obtain the rest of the registration. I didn't want to put insurance on yet. I did ask the lady if there was a way to research a title's owners, she looked puzzled. I don't have a clue she said! lol
this was before the guy had called me that had the car before.

Havok1 · « **Reply #9 on:** November, 07, 2008, 05:21:07 AM »

+1 on at least checking with DMV to see what they can do.

+2 on having a contact in local law enforcement for the "unofficial" help. I went this route ;) and along with a little computer skills, was able to trace the car back to the original owner.

Glad to hear the previous owner called you back and knows some of the history. The PO of my car is a coworker, so real easy to talk with, but knew very little of the cars history other than what he did to it. (He couldn't even remember what town he bought it in even though its only 40 miles away.) Good luck tracing the history even further.

tarafied1 · « **Reply #10 on:** November, 07, 2008, 07:56:00 AM »

I've had mine for almost half of it's life. The guy I got it from found it at an auction and bought it because it was his wifes first car when she was in college. I don't know much about it between the first owner and the husband but it was all original (unmolested) but very, very rusty. Not much of the original car left now. Anyway it is kinda neet to know about them and what happened over the years. It would be really cool to see PO pics. Hopefully he follows through. Maybe you can scan a few and post 'em for us?
Good Luck, stay with it!

67 evil eleanor · « **Reply #11 on:** November, 07, 2008, 07:15:06 PM »

I am the second owner of 4 of my cars. Its nice to know where they have been and who owned them. Here are some interesting things with a couple of them. The KR was sold in Nashville TN. We took her back there this year for a Muscle Car shoot. Actually the shoot was done around Franklin but we did cruise thru Nashville. The girl went home for a visit for her 40th birthday. The 65 Fastback that I am currently working on was sold at Shirley Ford in Alexander in 65. My wifes parents lived about two blocks from the dealership and would drive pass it everyday going to and from work. I wonder if they ever looked over at the lot and seen it. Form Alexander it traveled to central Florida then to Piegon Forge in 2002, from there to our house. The 72 Mach was a barn find. It had been parked for about 15 years and the owner had several storys to tell. I know he hated to see it go. After replacing the battery it fired right up and I was able to drive it home. I had to kinda borrow a tag so we took the back roads. The wheel cylinders were leaking so much that I would empty the master cylinder after about two stops. It took 8 cans of brake fluid to travel about 15 miles. The 65 vert was owned by a professor and came from Arizona. The windshield was scarred by sand. I now can see why everyone wants a Arizona car. It was rust free and except for the windshield, in excellent condition. Not too much to say but do the deal. Finding out the history is a lot of fun.