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Californian Number Plate


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My 1974 TR6 LHD carburetor version was imported from the US and then converted to RHD injection in 1997.  The original number plate was given to me when I picked up the car. Is there anyway of tracing the Californian history? Also posted on Cars reunited forum

Regards, Colin.

 

Californian Plate.jpg

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15 hours ago, stuart said:

Unfortunately you dont have the DMV stickers to show what year it was paid up to, you could always contact the California DMV and ask. https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/

Stuart.

I doubt that they will answer you due to privacy concerns.

The data file gets purged after 5 years of inactivity.

You can try and enter your commission number and search via VIN# here:

https://www.bar.ca.gov/pubwebquery/vehicle/pubtstqry.aspx

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8 hours ago, jr2 said:

I doubt that they will answer you due to privacy concerns.

The data file gets purged after 5 years of inactivity.

You can try and enter your commission number and search via VIN# here:

https://www.bar.ca.gov/pubwebquery/vehicle/pubtstqry.aspx

Don’t suppose you have that link for Florida ?

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Hi

The other avenue is to look at insurance records if you have the full number plate and any previous ones, tax records, owners details etc but again you run into privacy concerns and problems with expunction of old records. Some states have nothing, some have something depending on the level of computerisation of records - from the early 70’s there might be something.

I was able to get a good deal of information about a certain car I have but only because I was very lucky and had knowledge of the ownership details and dates of an accident where it was damaged and a claim was lodged. I had to jump through a lot of hoops to prove that I had a legitimate interest so be prepared for that. It took me about 18 months and I didn’t get much more than confirmation of what I already knew just by looking at the front of the body shell !

regards

 

Tony 

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Hi All

Bit of a long shot as i really don't know the answer.

Pretty sure the BMIHT records show it was an export car and which country it went to but do they show dealer destination outside the UK or just the importer?

I know its doubtful but you never know the company might just still exist and have old records.

I found an owner of a car i photographed in the early 2000's by speaking to the local dealer and they had serviced the car in the past. They kindly rang the guy and he agreed to meet with the view to selling the car as it was SORN at the time.

Admittedly it was nowhere this old and ddin't come to anything but sometimes the info is out there

All the best cheers   Keith

 

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I lived in New Jersey for a year and bought a car there. Unlike the UK, the number plate belongs to the person, not the car thus leaves the car when sold as the next owner burys his plate. I assume all states work that way. Makes life difficult for tracing owners.

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On 2/24/2021 at 5:12 AM, Richard Pope said:

I lived in New Jersey for a year and bought a car there. Unlike the UK, the number plate belongs to the person, not the car thus leaves the car when sold as the next owner burys his plate. I assume all states work that way. Makes life difficult for tracing owners.

In fact, not all states do work that way.  California is one of those where the plates normally stay with the car.

But tracing a vehicle's history by its license plate number is almost impossible over here.  Just not that kind of system.  The official records will all be logged by the car's commission number, but even that number isn't likely to get one very far.

The key document is the "title", the official document of ownership -- usually the current owner and often the one before that.  By any chance did the import documents for your car include a copy of the title, c.hydes, and by even more unlikely chance do you have a copy of that?

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7 hours ago, Don H. said:

In fact, not all states do work that way.  California is one of those where the plates normally stay with the car.

But tracing a vehicle's history by its license plate number is almost impossible over here.  Just not that kind of system.  The official records will all be logged by the car's commission number, but even that number isn't likely to get one very far.

The key document is the "title", the official document of ownership -- usually the current owner and often the one before that.  By any chance did the import documents for your car include a copy of the title, c.hydes, and by even more unlikely chance do you have a copy of that?

Unfortunately you very rarely get the Pink slip come with the car when it lands over here.

Stuart.

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7 hours ago, Don H. said:

In fact, not all states do work that way.  California is one of those where the plates normally stay with the car.

But tracing a vehicle's history by its license plate number is almost impossible over here.  Just not that kind of system.  The official records will all be logged by the car's commission number, but even that number isn't likely to get one very far.

The key document is the "title", the official document of ownership -- usually the current owner and often the one before that.  By any chance did the import documents for your car include a copy of the title, c.hydes, and by even more unlikely chance do you have a copy of that?

No Stuart I don`t have any "title document". The car was imported by the specialist car builder, I asked if I could have the plate when the car was handed over to me on completion of the rebuild. Thanks anyway Colin

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