Request for help - DMV California

[dewiant]

Hi!

For a year now I'm trying to get a vehicle ownership history for my Mach 1 1971 from DMV Cali.

Unfortunately, I'm from Poland so that's really tricky and takes many weeks to send them a mail and get some responses back.

I've tried 3 times already (twice via traditional mail - as suggested by DMV online chat, once via my friend who tried to visid DMV personally).

Unfortunately, I've never managed to succeed. My direct request were always denied due to payment issues - I don't have a possibility to issue a check, that way of payment is almost impossible to make in Poland. I am not allowed by DMV to make money transfer, and my Money Order via Western Union was denied by DMV (even tho their online chat support confirmed that way of payment T_T).

My friend from Cali is not really familiar with DMV and those kind of requests so I'm here, asking you for some help.
Maybe there is someone who has some spare time and experience to help me get this ownership history from DMV?

I am an owner of the car here, in Europe. I have it's VIN. Unfortunately, I don't have it's plate numbers from USA since it's beed imported to EU in 1974.
Thats is also why I want to recreate documented history of that vehicle. That's really rare for this kind of car, to be imported so early (only 3 yr after production) to communist country as Poland back in the day.

Also, the fact that it was registered in Cali is just my assumption - based on Marti Report and dealer's address.

Please, let me know if anyone in here is able to help me get those documents.

Cheers and all the best for you and your families, Merry Christmas!

 

[Big Red Mach 1]

My guess is that if you have all of the documentation on the Poland side of things from 1974-Present, and a Marti Report, that's probably as good as it's going to get. The DMV isn't going to have things like the original bill of sale, window sticker, etc. At most they might know the plate numbers from 71-74, but I'd be surprised if copies of those actual registration cards are available. Do you have the original Owners Card with the original purchaser's information on it? If so, you could probably hunt that person down if they are still alive, but chances of them retaining any docs on a car this old that they haven't owned in 50+ years is probably not great either.

Merry Christmas!

 

[dewiant]

I just want the name(s) of owner(s) from USA. Once I have this, I plan to do some digging in digitized documents and news papers from 1974 to find out how did that happen this car got here.

In 1974, importing such machine, had to be something. I bet someone describe it somewhere.

I would love to recreate the history of that car. Not to reach anyone from USA, just to know how it happen

 

[dewiant]

My guess is that if you have all of the documentation on the Poland side of things from 1974-Present, and a Marti Report, that's probably as good as it's going to get. The DMV isn't going to have things like the original bill of sale, window sticker, etc. At most they might know the plate numbers from 71-74, but I'd be surprised if copies of those actual registration cards are available. Do you have the original Owners Card with the original purchaser's information on it? If so, you could probably hunt that person down if they are still alive, but chances of them retaining any docs on a car this old that they haven't owned in 50+ years is probably not great either.

Merry Christmas!

Sorry, forgot to answer actual question. No, I don't have the Owner Card from 1971.

This car was stored on a public parking for many many years. I know it had 3 owners in Poland before me. But the documentation is poor, nothing from 1971/4.

 

[Stanglover]

Just a thought. Back around that time frame, many US service men bought cars over to England as they were allowed to bring them as personal items. We always got a laugh out of how big and ugly they were. I'm wondering if your car could have been bought into Poland or Europe the same way, via a US serviceman.
When I got my info from the Cal DMV, all they would give me was the names and dates of previous owners and no personal info like addresses.
I would have thought it would be too hard to get that basic info.

 

[ib4stangs]

Might want to go through a "tag and title company" since they have regular interactions with the DMV. That way they could resolve any "payment issues" on your behalf and maybe give you a better direction on how to get the info...

 

[detritusmaximus]

Hi!

For a year now I'm trying to get a vehicle ownership history for my Mach 1 1971 from DMV Cali.

Unfortunately, I'm from Poland so that's really tricky and takes many weeks to send them a mail and get some responses back.

I've tried 3 times already (twice via traditional mail - as suggested by DMV online chat, once via my friend who tried to visid DMV personally).

Unfortunately, I've never managed to succeed. My direct request were always denied due to payment issues - I don't have a possibility to issue a check, that way of payment is almost impossible to make in Poland. I am not allowed by DMV to make money transfer, and my Money Order via Western Union was denied by DMV (even tho their online chat support confirmed that way of payment T_T).

My friend from Cali is not really familiar with DMV and those kind of requests so I'm here, asking you for some help.
Maybe there is someone who has some spare time and experience to help me get this ownership history from DMV?

I am an owner of the car here, in Europe. I have it's VIN. Unfortunately, I don't have it's plate numbers from USA since it's beed imported to EU in 1974.
Thats is also why I want to recreate documented history of that vehicle. That's really rare for this kind of car, to be imported so early (only 3 yr after production) to communist country as Poland back in the day.

Also, the fact that it was registered in Cali is just my assumption - based on Marti Report and dealer's address.

Please, let me know if anyone in here is able to help me get those documents.

Cheers and all the best for you and your families, Merry Christmas!

I don't know how Poland registered cars back then, or now. In the UK, the car gets a number plate that is different than the VIN. That number plate can stay with the car thru many owners, or if it is a desirable number, can actually be sold off separately. In the US, everytime a car changes hands, it gets a new number plate (license plate) that is issued by that state. Or if it has just sat a long time, but not changed ownership.

So, a number plate (license plate) may not be of any help.

 

[dewiant]

Just a thought. Back around that time frame, many US service men bought cars over to England as they were allowed to bring them as personal items. We always got a laugh out of how big and ugly they were. I'm wondering if your car could have been bought into Poland or Europe the same way, via a US serviceman.
When I got my info from the Cal DMV, all they would give me was the names and dates of previous owners and no personal info like addresses.
I would have thought it would be too hard to get that basic info.

Hmmm. Don't know what US Service Mans are... I'm not expecting much. Just names of the prev owners from US.

Might want to go through a "tag and title company" since they have regular interactions with the DMV. That way they could resolve any "payment issues" on your behalf and maybe give you a better direction on how to get the info...

What "tag and title company" is? Where to find them?

I don't know how Poland registered cars back then, or now. In the UK, the car gets a number plate that is different than the VIN. That number plate can stay with the car thru many owners, or if it is a desirable number, can actually be sold off separately. In the US, everytime a car changes hands, it gets a new number plate (license plate) that is issued by that state. Or if it has just sat a long time, but not changed ownership.

So, a number plate (license plate) may not be of any help.

In Poland it used to be the same. New registration, new plates. It is not anymore but it doesn't change a thing. I'm looking for help with getting info from DMV for now.

 

[Stanglover]

Hmmm. Don't know what US Service Mans are... I'm not expecting much. Just names of the prev owners from US.



What "tag and title company" is? Where to find them?



In Poland it used to be the same. New registration, new plates. It is not anymore but it doesn't change a thing. I'm looking for help with getting info from DMV for now.

US servicemen are people who serve in the US Airforce, Army or Navy based in European or other countries.
Especially back in the 60's and 70's there were thousands of US Airforce people based in the UK and many bought cars with them. I just thought maybe the same for Poland or other European countries nearby, and that is how your car came to be in Poland.

 

[detritusmaximus]

Hmmm. Don't know what US Service Mans are... I'm not expecting much. Just names of the prev owners from US.



What "tag and title company" is? Where to find them?



In Poland it used to be the same. New registration, new plates. It is not anymore but it doesn't change a thing. I'm looking for help with getting info from DMV for now.

Service Men are military. It was common for US military or diplomats to bring their cars when stationed in Europe or buy European cars and ship them back. Although, to Poland in 1974?....I think that would have to be a defection, unless we had a diplomatic office in Poland.

Tag and title companies assist in getting titles (based on VIN) for cars that have 'lost' titles. The suggestion is that they may have more ways of getting that information for you than an average person. Hemmings Motor News is a good source for finding almost anything vehicle related (I just tried to find some listing on Hemmings, unlike the old days, it was less than helpful).

My point was that even if you have a number plate, it may be of little use as many states didn't keep all their records that far back. In fact, some states no longer issued a title after a car was a certain age, just a registration.

 

[Steve McMahan]

Tag and Title Co. in California could probably help you, at lest run down if what you’re speaking is even possible. Search for Registration companies, not the DMV on Google. You can start at the Ca DMV website and they have a list of companies that are authorized to help. I suspect they can handle your money transfer issues. Good luck, just a thought.

 

[73 Mach 1 4 me]

I just want the name(s) of owner(s) from USA. Once I have this, I plan to do some digging in digitized documents and news papers from 1974 to find out how did that happen this car got here.

In 1974, importing such machine, had to be something. I bet someone describe it somewhere.

I would love to recreate the history of that car. Not to reach anyone from USA, just to know how it happen

Because of privacy laws it against the law for the DMV to give out names and addresses of previous owners of a vehicle. I got lucky and called the DMV in Arkansas which is where my car spent its entire live before I purchased it. They gave me the dates that title transfers were made but that was it. I was able to find out I was the 4th owner. I was happy with that information. When I bought the car on eBay the dealer gave me the title from the previous owner I was able to google him but he wasn’t to cooperative and I got the feeling he was bitter about selling the car. He had the car for 19 years and took really good care of it.

 

[dewiant]

Because of privacy laws it against the law for the DMV to give out names and addresses of previous owners of a vehicle. I got lucky and called the DMV in Arkansas which is where my car spent its entire live before I purchased it. They gave me the dates that title transfers were made but that was it. I was able to find out I was the 4th owner. I was happy with that information. When I bought the car on eBay the dealer gave me the title from the previous owner I was able to google him but he wasn’t to cooperative and I got the feeling he was bitter about selling the car. He had the car for 19 years and took really good care of it.

I've heard, maybe incorrectly, that Name and Surname of previous owners (without any address details) are officially public information which you can get after placing proper request form.

I've reached out to 3 private companies which were listed on DMV Cali's website as official partners. Hopefully, some of them will be able to help me.
Thank you very much for all suggestions