I am trying to track down public information on a 1974 TR6 I got with a property I purchased

[Mark.Crowley100]

I am pretty sure that this is the wrong place for this but, I recently purchased a property in Astoria Oregon, USA. On that property, is a detached garage which contains a TR6 with flat tires, almost no rust, and just the Commission number on the plate inside the door. We are asking the prior owner of this property for any information about it, but she was renting the place out, and the last tennant has no idea about the car. I do not have a license plate on the back of the car, so I really do not know what it's status is.

I have done some public records searches against the Commission number (the CF) number listed on the plate inside the driver doorjamb, but a general search yields nothing. I got duped into subscribing for a month's service for one of these crooks to tell me that there are no public records found. I want to be absolutely sure of the status of the title on this car before I give it to my Mechanic friend who wants to restore it. 

Is this the right place to ask this? and what forum can I ask here. 

Best Regards,

Mark

[john.r.davies]

Mark, the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust will sell you a "birth certificate" FB or the car, if you have the Commission No.    See:https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/archive/heritage-certificates

This will show when it was built and confirm if it was for export (presume it's LHD) 

Then you need to ask local experts like Friends of Triumph, who may know the UD importers, and if their records are available. 

Good luck, you lucky man!

John

[Mark.Crowley100]

Thanks very much for the information! I will be delighted to get a certificate for this car. One problem that I have is the CF number on that plate shows no public records at all, and I am worried that when I give this car to my Mechanic friend the "Real" owner will show up to try to claim it. I have looked on the windshield pillar on the left side, and noted that the plate there is missing, all that's left is rivets. The only thing that uniquely identifies it is the Commissioning plate (with the CF number). Is that CF number the official VIN number for this vehicle? 

Best Regards, 
Mark

[YankeeTR5]

Mark,

Go down to Oregon's DMV  (or search online) and see if they can answer the question about how to gain title of an abandoned vehicle.   Your issue is one of title, not commission number.   Your DMV or vehicle licensing agency should be able to tell you at a minimum if the VIN # is still in the system.  It may not be as they purge inactive records over time so depending on how long its sat it may not be in the system.

There may be an abandoned vehicle process you can apply for, or like in Washington, you can apply for title and end up with a Bonded Title.   The bonded title allows you to register the car ect, BUT it comes with limitations if you want to sell the car within the bonded timeframe (WA is 3 years, some other states its 5).  Bonded means a surety bond is issued against the car in the event a prior owner shows up claiming ownership.  An auto dealer in WA is not allowed to resell bonded title cars, nor can a bonded title car be exported and, at least here, there are limitations to registering it in a different state.  Its not a bad process, but if your plan might be to fix it up, drive it a bit then sell you you'll want to do your research.  After the bonded timeframe passes you can then apply for a clean title and have one issued.

[foster461]

From the Oregon DMV

You cannot claim ownership of an abandoned vehicle on your property.  DMV cannot give you the name or address of the person who owns the vehicle.

To have an abandoned vehicle towed from your private property, you must first follow the steps in ORS 98.830. DMV does not provide a “form” for the notice, the information can be written on a piece of paper. Give the notice to the tow company who removes the vehicle.

To report an abandoned vehicle on a public road, contact your local law enforcement agency.

[john.r.davies]

Mark, you must rely on your compatriots knowledge of car property law in the US!    TR6 s date from before universal VINs, and the Commission No. Was the ID at Triumph.    '73 TR6s started CF. See http://tr6.danielsonfamily.org/Commission-Numbers.htm

[Charlie D]

10 hours ago, foster461 said:

To have an abandoned vehicle towed from your private property, you must first follow the steps in ORS 98.830. DMV does not provide a “form” for the notice, the information can be written on a piece of paper. Give the notice to the tow company who removes the vehicle.

If you did that, I wonder what the tow company would then do with the car?
Surely, they cannot just sell it, because that would be no different to you keeping it and selling it. If they did sell it, who would keep the money?

If they have to keep it for a certain amount of time, and the real owner turns up, the tow company would no doubt be able to charge them for storage. (Which you should be able to do, if it’s still in your shed and the real owner turns up.)

Lots of questions I’d be asking, but the end result is that the powers-that-be might say the car had to be crushed.

Charlie.

PS Just found the answer to the question of what does the tow company do with the car:

https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_98.812

It gives the impression that the tow company can get owner details of a towed car from the authorities (But maybe that is only if there is a licence plate attached.)

Know any friendly tow companies that might help or can you just pretend to be one yourself?

Edited March 12, 2022 by Charlie D

[foster461]

Typically the tow company will sell the towed vehicle at auction and you can go along and bid on the car. Mark may have a path where he can work with a local tow company.

 

Stan

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

Buy a wreck with title and create what we call a ringer?

Numerous vehicle titles were sold at car shows like Beaulieu  in the old days.   In UK   DVLA shut that little scam down.

I’ll get my anorak……

[Bill944T]

Have they? Perhaps I underestimate the collecting bug,  but why would anyone pay £200 for an old log book for let’s say, a Mini Cooper or Mk 1 Escort on that popular internet auction site?

Regards

Bill

Edited March 12, 2022 by Bill944T
Spelling!

[Bill944T]

I was way out on my pricing.......

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MK1-ESCORT-RS1600-Logbook-plates-Monza-Blue-RS-BDA-TWINCAM-/115263600462?hash=item1ad63ef74e%3Ag%3AfXMAAOSwaIViFTbS&nma=true&si=%2Bfp1R4l3mFwWGuxsogXiAdOBLoI%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Old-Green-Log-Book-Memorabilia-JAGUAR-ETYPE-OPEN-SPORTS-1965-/353947429165?hash=item5268e9292d%3Ag%3AO1cAAOSwI6ViImqX&nma=true&si=%2Bfp1R4l3mFwWGuxsogXiAdOBLoI%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Regards

Bill 

[barkerwilliams]

Is it different in the US, I thought if you bought a property then all the contents whatever they maybe become your property?

Alan

[dingle]

Mark-I suggest you contact the Triumph club in Portland for help- https://www.portlandtriumph.org/  Someone might remember the car.

Berry

[DRD]

On 3/13/2022 at 8:03 PM, barkerwilliams said:

Is it different in the US, I thought if you bought a property then all the contents whatever they maybe become your property?

Alan

That's what I would have thought. Surely you can just assume it belongs to you.