tracing ownership

[lemans69]

I just bought a 69 camaro that I believe was an original SS 396 car. It was lemans blue with an ivory interior and it was made at the LA plant.
It has the matching numbers 12 bolt and disc brakes but the engine and tranny are missing. I'd like to be able to trace the car and find the original owner. The place I bought it from bought it from a man in Colorado (who I contacted) but he can't remember who he bought the car from and which state he bought it in because he had so many other camaros at the time. I seem to have hit a dead end but there must be another way to find the previous owner. I think the first step would be to find what state it was last titled in??

Thanks
       Neal

[baldeaglemtnman]

Start with the last known state where it was titled or licensed. Many states have DMV web sites. You can download the appropriate forms to request a title or registration history for a small fee. A lot depends on the privacy laws in the particular state and who handles your application. Luck plays a big part. Post the VIN here. It's a long shot. but ya never know. Circumstantial evidence can lead you to an educated guess at what your LA car might have been but without the original motor or paperwork you are SOL. (Been there...am still there)  BTW, rears aren't VIN stamped and can only be date/application correct unless you have a POP. Welcome to the site and good luck Neal.

[lakeholme]

Neal,

There are helpful bits and pieces in this thread:

http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=1502.0

In any and all conversations with a state DMV, make sure you mention that you are doing "historical research to preserve a classic car".  The privacy laws in some states are pretty restrictive, so you need to work to get around them.

Let us know how it turns out!