Tracking my model A's history

[Willynch]

Any advice on learning about my car's history? I was able to find owners back to the 90's. How can I find out where it was first sold? Original color,...

[Mike V. Florida]

Unless you find the original owner there are no company records of serial number, where sold, and color.

[Steve Plucker]

If your car has an assembly plant code...then you can at least figure that out providing it is an all original assembled car and not one that has been peiced together after the fact.

To find the assembly plant information...go to my website www.plucks329s.org then go to Additional Studies then go to Letters, Numbers and Codes and educate yourself.

Pluck

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Steve Plucker

If your car has an assembly plant code...then you can at least figure that out providing it is an all original assembled car and not one that has been peiced together after the fact.

To find the assembly plant information...go to my website www.plucks329s.org then go to Additional Studies then go to Letters, Numbers and Codes and educate yourself.

Pluck

Shortcut;
http://www.plucks329s.org/pdf/studie...ND%20CODES.pdf

[Hoogah]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Plucker View Post
If your car has an assembly plant code...then you can at least figure that out providing it is an all original assembled car and not one that has been peiced together after the fact.

To find the assembly plant information...go to my website www.plucks329s.org then go to Additional Studies then go to Letters, Numbers and Codes and educate yourself.

Pluck

Originally Posted by forever4

Why do you not ever provide a direct link?

Bit harsh! I can think of a couple of reasons without too much effort.

[31Abone]

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my 31 phaeton came with a book full of history from Stowe Vermont ski area..,Has photo of car in 40's or 50s etc. and the people who owned it in the 30's etc..one of early owners 1934 I think was a descendant of John Quincy Adams ..another was a conductor Boston trolly car.so kind of interesting to read all that stuff about car and people..unrestored running car now...think I'am the 4th owner but not sure.car driven almost daily.

[mhsprecher]

In theory, like the deed to property, one could track the ownership of the car. The records may still exist or they might have been destroyed. It would likely vary from state to state. I don't know that anyone has ever done this. If it sold from one state to another, that would make it even more difficult, if not impossible to trace.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I found my 29 Tudor original color under the door handle.
I'd bet it took a lot longer to mask off the handle, rather than removing the 2 screws that hold it in place.

[Stew Masche]

Check with the Michigan State Historical Society. I live in Wisconsin, and had always wanted to find out who the original owner of our '31 dump truck was. A couple of years ago, I found out our state historical society had the Wisconsin DMV Registration records from 1905 to 1948 for trucks, and into the 50's or 60's for cars. It is a fun, interesting, but time consuming search (ongoing), but I did find out who the original owners were, by tracking the VIN, and the family of that owner still run an excavating company! I have been in touch with them, and they are looking thru family photos to see if there are any of the truck from 'back in the day'. I am continuing to research additional records to see who else has owned this truck. It has been in our family since 1967.

Possibly the Michigan Historical Society may have similar records, or can point you in the right direction.

Good Luck !

Stew

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Stew Masche

Check with the Michigan State Historical Society. I live in Wisconsin, and had always wanted to find out who the original owner of our '31 dump truck was. A couple of years ago, I found out our state historical society had the Wisconsin DMV Registration records from 1905 to 1948 for trucks, and into the 50's or 60's for cars. It is a fun, interesting, but time consuming search (ongoing), but I did find out who the original owners were, by tracking the VIN, and the family of that owner still run an excavating company! I have been in touch with them, and they are looking thru family photos to see if there are any of the truck from 'back in the day'. I am continuing to research additional records to see who else has owned this truck. It has been in our family since 1967.

Possibly the Michigan Historical Society may have similar records, or can point you in the right direction.

Good Luck !

Stew

You guys are lucky to have that resource!!

[Stew Masche]

I asked a person at the research desk ' Do these films get checked out much?' He replied that he hasn't known anyone to look at them. When I made my first excursion to try and discover who originally registered the truck in '31, all I really had to go on was the VIN. The records are arranged by weight class, which narrowed it down considerably, and each section is arranged by license plate number, starting with number 1 for each category. In my first attempt, I was luck enough to find my trucks VIN on page 33..... of Volume 17..... the license plate number was
D-23341. It only took me 10 hours of continually looking at a screen, running filmstrips of photographs of the original DMV books! And I only took two restroom breaks! My dads old truck is my passion, and I have much curiosity and determination to satisfy that curiosity. The kicker is, there were many more pages of registration before I would have reached the last page, and if it had not originally been from Wisconsin, I would have never located it, and then would have thought I missed something and would have started over! Since then, I have gone back twice (only a 30 mile drive) and found it's license plate number for 31-32, D-9747, and for 32-33, D-12887. The second time only took me eight hours, the third, under five. I'm going to continue to search through the remaining years, to 1948, which is the last year of records available. Then I'm going to search for my 30 Tudor, and attempt to write complete histories of the vehicles. It will probably be a long read, so you may just want to wait for the movie to come out! Once I get the license plate numbers, the hunt is on for the plates!

Your Determined Badger,

Stew

P.S. The Wisconsin Historical Society Archives are a wonderful collection covering an almost endless variety of subjects! Yes we are VERY fortunate to have this resource.

[Willynch]

Thanks to all. I have been able to track owners back a few decades but ran into a dead end. I live near Dearborn, MI and Greenfield Village. The museum has records available I will try when I get the chance. Our old farm house was once owned by Henry Ford. Just would be fun to learn what I can.

Engine was May 1930. I have not been able to find a body number or chassis ID.

Wheels are black, which seems "correct" but there appears to be the apple green underneath. Not sure which was the original.

[Mitch//pa]

the easiest way to find out is just talk to the car directly. i talk to my cars all the time and you'll find that they are pretty smart and also have a great memory. its best to do this when nobody is around thats when they seem to open up and divulge more information.

[mshmodela]

Mitch is right with that one... My car tells me she does not like to sit for long periods of time. I know she did not like that she only driven 3 times in 5 years from the fellow who owed her before me...