How to verify options w/o tank sticker

[dunagan]

How would I go about finding the history of my car? It was frame off restored by the prior owner but the tank sticker is missing. I have a 1967 convertible, 427/400, A/C, M21, PS, PB, AMFM, Headrests, Marina Blue with Bright Blue leather.
I contacted GM but they were worthless. I do not know who purchased the car from the prior owner.

Any help out there?

 

[J Lance Miller]

Without a tank sticker, this can be an awsome undertaking. It really is too bad that the tank sticker did not come with the purchase. The best you may be able to do is verify that the options that are on the car appear correct. Correct markings, colors, finish etc. Finding an NCRS judge and having him take a look may provide some insight into what appears to have been added after the fact but even that may not be too easy after a full restoration has taken place. Engine stamping seems to have developed into an art form as the prices of our "loved ones" have apprieciated.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Owner history

Dunagan,
I think this will also help. Here is the area of the CAC that gives you the guidelines on beginning a search of the past owners of your car. Often prior owners still have valuable documation on your car that they have kept for some reason. Somtimes even pictures, take off parts, and even original engines have been found. The more documantation you can find the more valuable your car will be.

Corvette Action Center | Tech Center | Owner Information Center | Build Sheets | Documentation

There have also been many articles written in the NCRS
Restorer magazine as well as other Corvette publications about researching your cars history. It has often been said that there have been more '67 435 hp cars judged Top Flight by the NCRS than were ever built. Some of these cars started out life as small block cars but have been so accurately duplicated that even the best judge can be fooled. This is why it is so important to varify that your car is what it seems to be.

Good luck on your search.

Tom

 

[dunagan]

How do you get DMV's to do title search

Thanks for the post. Now, how do I convince the DMV's in 49 states to do a search for me on the car? Is there a web site that specializes in tracking down cars?

 

[Tom Bryant]

The link I listed above will give you a map of the states and addresses/web sites for motor vehicle depts in the USA and elsewhere. They will do a title search for a fee as far back as they keep records. Some states are better than others.

Start with the state that your car was titled in when you bought it. Work back from there. With any luck your cars didn't have too many owners and you can trace it back to the beginning. This will take some time as this will not be a high priority for the DMV workers.

Good luck,
Tom