searching for a car using the VIN, can it be done?

[obrut]

I found the VIN number for the 70 chevelle SS my father bought new in 1970. He had the car a few years and then sold it, then he bought another 70 SS in 1977 and has had it ever since. I always thought it would be cool to find his original chevelle, be even cooler if I could buy it, and it would be a sweet father-son-grandson project. Anyway, how can I find this car using the VIN number?

Tim

 

[Adrian87]

I'm trying to figure the same thing out on my 70 cutlass my dad and I built when I was 16. Just got the vin last week, lmk if you figure it out and good luck!

 

[Rivical]

Check with your state BMV about doing a title search using just the VIN as a starting point. As every state is independent, if the vehicle left the state before everything was computerized, the trail may have gone cold. Of course, junkyard's are in business somehow too, and accident's happen. Good luck anyhow.

 

[1fast6]

If you have a friend on the police force, they can get that info. I had a friend here in FL look up a 61 vette for another friend. found the car two counties over.

 

[Adrian87]

If you have a friend on the police force, they can get that info. I had a friend here in FL look up a 61 vette for another friend. found the car two counties over.

I think this may only work if the vehicle is still in the same state. Sounds like you would have to contact each DMV in each respective state to find it..and this is not something civilians have access to, some sort of federal privacy act (mostly due to 911) - you would have a have a cop buddy in every state to find it this way..or that's how it seems so far..I've been trying pretty hard for the last week. I would have thought with the VIN there would be some sort of national search available, but that does not appear to be the case.

 

[IT_guy]

I would at least start with carfaxing it, that would show any recent registrations and may give any clues as to location(state) where the car might be.

 

[Adrian87]

FYI, carfax only goes back to 1981. I tried that one too.

 

[IT_guy]

FYI, carfax only goes back to 1981. I tried that one too.

Ah yes I forgot about that.

Probably a stab in the dark, but you could punch the vin into google and see if anything comes up. If the car is listed for sale online and the vin is listed it would show up in google. Like I said probably a stab in the dark, but you never know.