Help: History of my car

[Rob M.]

I would love to find out more about the previous owners of my recently bought car. My 1959 Corvette has VIN nr. 9573. The corresponding pink title I've got with the car only list the shop selling me the car and they are not very willing to reveil any previous owners since they bought it from another dealer which on its turn also doesn't help us out.

Since it's quite difficult to find out a lot from Europe (knot knowing the right channels) I'm asking all of you to help us out...

Greetings,
Rob & Simone Musquetier
The Netherlands




the 1959 restauration project

[Clare Carpenter]

Re: Help: History of my car

Since the California title you have shows the car registered to the dealer, GM Down Under, in Cosa Mesa, I would start with the California Dept. of Motor Vehicles. I don't know if CA maintains vehicle records, or how far back they go and whether they will make copies for you for a fee. Many states do, some do not and some can only go back so far. You might want to place an add in a local Cosa Mesa paper classified "to whom it may concern" or similar. Try an add in the NCRS Driveline too. Who knows maybe someone here will recognize the VIN.

It would be very cool to be visiting in the Netherlands and suddenly see an old straight axle Vette go rumbling by. Did you buy it stateside and ship it or did you buy it from a Euro broker? Good luck in tracking the history. Maybe someday the car will find it's way back to the US.

[Jack W.]

Re: Help: History of my car

I certainly wish you good luck on your search for prior owner info, and don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but as many will point out CA is rather notorious for being pretty stingy with the previous owner - title info. That didn't stop me from trying either, but be prepared to pursue other channels too. If the "Down Under" folks could, at a minimum, tell you what state the car was "from" (and they would not have to reveal the names, etc.) that would be a big help (many of these operations get their vehicles from all over) and you could pick up the title search in such other state, and avoid the dead end in CA.

[Rob M.]

Re: Help: History of my car

Clare,

Thanks for your info. I'll do some googling to find the address of the California Dept. of Motor Vehicles. Should they be able to trace back the previous owner so I can make a hop back in time ?

The car is imported by myself, with some help of an international shipper. I've got it approved for driving it on the Dutch roads after some small improvements (signal lights, horn, repairing one steering joined and replacing the headlights with European approved lights). Together with a local garage we've managed to get the engine to run smoothly (2 cilinders weren't firing properly) by adjusting the timing for the spark plugs and the valve settings.

I'm currently working on restauring the complete heating/cooling part (new radiator, connect the heating which wasn't connected at all, replace the water pump with a rebuild one, new hoses, added hose fittings for the heating).

greetings,
Rob.

[Dave Suesz]

Actually happened to me...

In 1991, standing on a corner waiting to cross the street in London, a black '62 roadster, top down, came along and turned right in front of me. I was on a stopover on my way home frome SE Asia, and I hadn't seen any American cars in over 6 months!

[Rob M.]

Re: Help: History of my car

Jack,

I'll ask GM Down Under again where they got the car from. Maybe they are willing now (after a few month) to reveal more about the background of the car.

Thanks for your input.
Rob.

[Earl G.]

Re: Help: History of my car

Rob,

If you are lucky you might get California history back to about 1987. Pay DMV $15.00 and hope. Their available records only go back about that far. I know they have them on tape, but unless your name is Arnold, you are not going to get it.

Gunner