Author Topic: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car  (Read 15870 times)

GN1220

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    I'm trying to help my friend locate the 69 Pace Car his Dad bought new but sold in 74-75. I have worked with the DMV in the town the car was sold in and, going on a picture of the car that included the license plate, we were able to get the VIN. A friend of a friend, who is a lawyer, did a search and it showed the car was last registered in North Kansas City, MO in 2015. I tracked the guy who it was registered to and actually talked to him. He was able to tell me where the car came from (spoke with that guy) and also who he sold it to (spoke with him as well.) The car ended up at a specialty car dealership in Iowa and was sold and that is where the story ends. The dealership said they reached out to the buyer and gave him my friend's contact information (but we have no way to know if this is true or not though) and hoped the current owner would call. I'm guessing when the lawyer and the DMV did a VIN search they were limited to Missouri so I'd like to search nation-wide. Is anyone able assist in this search?

crossboss

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2019, 03:19:08 PM »
'Some' DMVs from other states will not release any information on a current owner for the reasons of privacy, or potential theft. I guess it depends on on how much time and money you are willing to spend to find this car. Its possible a private investigator can be hired to do a nationwide search. That said, I do know IF the car has been 'off the books' in California for more than 7 years, your out of luck…its not in the data base anymore.
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x66 714

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2019, 03:32:00 PM »
What is the entire VIN since you have that?...Joe
See America's First, Chevrolet

1968 Z/28 Corvette Bronze. Black Hounds Tooth. 02E Los Angeles born 3/13/1968 pnt OO. Purchased March 1976
1969 SS396 Yellow/Yellow 08E Norwood born 8/28/1969 pnt 76E. Purchased April 1981

GN1220

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2019, 03:35:33 PM »
Totally understand the privacy issue and have actually thought about Magnum PI. Just wanted to see if there was an easier way first. The Missouri DMV told me where and when the car was last registered but couldn't give me the owner's name. That's where the lawyer came in. Turns out the lawyer knows the guys wife! Small world. But not having any idea what state it's in now my only option would be to start calling a DMV in every state and hope they are as helpful as the lady that helped me here.

Here is the VIN. 124679N626385

If you Google that number it brings up the listing to the dealer in Iowa that sold the car.

GN1220

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2019, 03:40:28 PM »
It's originally a 350/350 car, no gauges or Endura bumper. One of the previous owners put the 454, gauges and new interior in it.

ko-lek-tor

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2019, 01:45:48 AM »
Contact the dealer again and ask them if they would at least disclose what state the buyer lived (lives) in, if not the city? Then take out a Craigslist ad, and/ or go on FB and find a car forum in that state/city and ask for information on that car providing a few pictures and the VIN. Someone will see it and know the car and , hopefully, reply.
Bentley to friends :1969 SS/RS 396 owned 79
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1969 D.H.COPO replica 4spd. owned since 85
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GN1220

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2019, 02:48:10 AM »
That's a good idea. My friend, Joe, spoke to the dealer so I may need to contact them and get more information for him. Tried to post a picture but no matter what I do it says the file is too big.

CDB

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2019, 05:35:23 PM »
124679N626385 has not been registered in the US since 2015, like your friend found. If you need any more info than this, you can message me directly, but I do charge for my time and running searches.

GN1220

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2019, 07:55:44 PM »
That is not good to hear. I sent you a PM.

67conv6cyl

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2019, 10:03:41 PM »
Cory Lawson whom has the first Camaro ever built has a website.....if you read through they explain what they had to do to trace and find cars....it’s a great web sight to look at. “Pilotcarregistry.com”

ko-lek-tor

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2019, 11:01:10 PM »
That is not good to hear....
That does not mean too much, at least to me. My car has not had plates since 84, but it is alive and well...on life support in a transcendental suspended animation.
Bentley to friends :1969 SS/RS 396 owned 79
1969 SS 350 (sold)
1969 D.H.COPO replica 4spd. owned since 85
1967 302 4 spd 5.13

GN1220

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #11 on: June 17, 2019, 11:48:02 PM »
I called the dealer again today and again a different person said they would look into it and get back to me. The car was advertised for $70,000 so I can't imagine it's mid restoration. Worries me that it went to Canada or over seas.

ZLP955

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2019, 04:07:28 AM »
A few years ago, I spotted a parked car that I had bought new and then sold after 10 years. I left a note under a wiper, but got no reply. Then months later, got a call from the current owner. He confessed that my note freaked him out a little at the time (all I said was that I had bought it new, owned for next 10 years and had a lot of original documents if they wanted them) in case there was some other reason I was trying to get in contact. His girlfriend convinced him to call eventually, we met up and swapped ownership stories and I gave him a box full of receipts, sales docs etc.
So, my point is, the owner that bought from the Iowa dealer may suspect there is some subterfuge, maybe a title issue, divorce dispute or some other problem. I would mail a letter to the dealer, explaining your reasons for trying to contact the current owner, and ask them to forward it to the current owner. Then they can consider your reasons and may reach out.
If it's gone overseas since, another story. But if it sold for anywhere near the $70k figure, it's probably nicely restored and could be in a collection, hence why not registered these last few years.
Tim in Australia.
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Kelley W King

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2019, 11:54:14 AM »
Some people may think that you may be looking for a car that may have been tampered with or sold under false pretense in the past. I have been there and it convincing the guys wife that that was not what I was doing. Nothing easy about tracing a cars past.
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CDB

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Re: Any way to do a nation-wide VIN search? Looking for a 69 Pace Car
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2019, 03:24:06 PM »
I agree with the prior comments.

I help people find their long lost cars as a side hobby, and I always have to warn them how to approach the owner. It freaks them out. A prior client of mine ran into an owner that was in deep debt and thought the person was trying to repossess the car, so he completely shut down and refused to talk to the guy.