Original ownership of your vintage Ford

[41 Fords ohio]

In 1965 I bought my first 1941 Ford Super Deluxe coupe, from the widow of the original owner. All I know about him is he was a Tech Sgt. in the 8th Army Air Force during WWII. Sadly he never made it back. I still have the car today. It had 8,000 miles on it.

[std1940]

I am third owner of my my 40.
First owner new in 1940 was Agnes Agnew.
Traded in 1960 at Lowell Motor Sales for a new 1960 Falcon and received $75.00 trade in allowance.
Second owner was Lowell Motor Sales salesman Harry Bedell.
I purchased from Harry Bedell in 1961 for $500.00 and have owned for 53 years now.

[Rand]

My 50 Mercury 4dor was bought new by a Illinois farmer when he struck oil on his property. He must of used it on his farm with only dirt roads because the rockers were packed solid with dirt when I got it. When he passed away he willed it to his nephew. (yr?) In 1981 I bought it from the Nephew who had polio and was getting to old to drive it. I wish that I had pictures of them with the Merc or even some paper work or even there names. And I too will have this car for a long...long time. I tease my kids that when I die I want to be strapped in the drivers seat and dropped into the ocean lol so that makes me the 3rd owner Randy

[tubman]

I'm pretty lucky. When I got my '51, it came with a lot of documentation : a carbon copy of the original pencil written order, a carbon copy of the original invoice, the new car delivery checklist, plus a bunch of other papers and a picture of the car when it was new and another taken in 1961. The car was purchased new by two bachelor farmer brothers and used as their "Sunday car". When the last one died, the left the car to his cleaning lady who couldn't drive a stick. She passed it to her nephew who had some minor body work done and had the car painted black (it was originally "Seafoam Green"). I got it from him in 1987.

[Drbrown]

New York State also destroys it motor vehicle records (cars, boats, everything) after a certain time. Save your old registrations. Guess we should do the old "Leroy was here" thing and mark our names, the date and residence location above our headliner (epoxy paint ?). Imagine the future adventures you'll have.

I was once restoring an 1890 house and found one of the original plaster worker's signature carved in his work - of course I let it remain.

[JIM, WI]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

In 1937 two batchelor farmer brothers that lived together bought new Fords in a small town about 7 miles from where I live. Bill bought a Deluxe Fordor and Oscar bought a standard coupe. When Oscar died, Bill owned them both. Bill died in 1968, so there was an estate auction. I bought the coupe with 14,625 original miles on it. It has 23,550 miles on it now. The Fordor had about 35,000 miles.

[3738]

My 1937 Tudor came with a Prince Phillip tobacco can stuffed full of all the expired registrations from the same owner going back to ~ 1940...

[Tom Walker]

The first owner of my '32 Tudor was Father Erik Bruun of Hornborg, Flemming, Denmark. The Aalholm Museum on Lolland Island Denmark bought it from him in 1958 and I bought it from them in August 2012!

This summer we are driving over to Denmark in the V8 to visit the little village of Hornborg to see if anyone remembers Father Bruun!

[jim1932]

I have a few pieces of mine. My Uncle bought it in 1959 and I have that bill of sale. From what I was able to determine, the person he bought it from was kinda the local hood. I also still had a drivers license on the steering column That dates it back to mid 40's. Unfortunately both have passed so I can't go back further.

[Brendan]

my 36 pickup wad bought by a guy named Anton Billingmire in 1937, it was painted Commercial yellow and Washington blue. I used to know Loren Sorenson, he told me that Ford painted there trucks that color to attract people into the dealership.

Anton was a house painter, he painted the pickup Cloud mist gray, and used it as a work truck intil 1973.i ended up with it about 6 years ago

I met his son and he told me about his Dad, the son was 90 years old. I found him in the phone book and drove the pickup to hid house. he lived about 7 miles from me. he was very happy that I had his Dads pickup

[1963turnerjohn]

Brendan - cool story and that PU is a good looking truck!

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by 1963turnerjohn

Brendan - cool story and that PU is a good looking truck!

Thanks!

[41panelmark]

To answer your question there is no site that I am aware of, some times depending upon the history or local people you can gain helpful information and if you are lucky. I have heard of some people being able to find information from local clerk and recorder but most destroy or get rid of records after a short time and in some case records were destroyed in fires or the like.

Occasionally you can trace it through previous owners. I have the full history on my panel and continue to uncover more so keep trying, you might get lucky.

[blucar]

In a way I'm the second owner of my '36 cpe. The original owner was one of my school teachers.
The whole story: In 1952 a friend of mine, Dean. that worked in a service station was on duty when the school teacher that owned the '36 came in driving a new '52 Ford. Dean knew the '36 very well because he had serviced it many times, the station sat across the street from the school.. Very handy..
Dean asked the teacher, what had happened to the '36? The teacher said he was going to junk it because of the mechanical brakes.. Dean talked him into selling to him.
Dean had gotten married quite young, when he went home and told his wife what he done, she blew a gasket. Dean had to sell the car, I ended up with it.
Before my friend passed away a few years ago I had him make out a statement of facts about the transaction..

[CC33]

I was lucky enough to trace the ownership of my '33 back to the original owner by researching old documents found with the car. I am the 4th owner and the original owners family sent me the dealers invoice for the car dated 1933. What a great document to have with a car from that generation.

I agree though, there is no source to search for vehicle history. Now if you had a vintage Mustang, that's different.

[Russ/40]

My '40 was first sold only a few miles from my home, and has always lived in San Diego county. I got the complete history including names of prior owners, who all but the original owner and myself were speculators. I also had a '49 sedan that was also sold in SD and I purchased from the original owner. Cars like these do spoil you, as I will not buy a car with rust.

[FL&WVMIKE]

My 1934 Phaeton was originally owned by a family in Conn., who only used it to tow their boat, back in forth to the ocean.
They, then, let their teenage children have it while they were in highschool. I have never been able to find out their names or location.
It was sold off the estate in about 1956 for the sum of $90.00.
It was bought by another fellow in Conn., who answered a friend of mine's ad in "Hemmings", looking for a Ford roadster. This was in 1959. He wanted $200.00, for it.
My friend, Bob Harrington, bought it, cleaned it up mechanically, bought a bunch of NOS parts and did a lot of work to it, keeping everything original.
I bought it from him in 1963.
More photos of it can be seen in my album.
MIKE (mikeburch)
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE - Twice

[FL&WVMIKE]

My 1935 Cabriolet was originally bought by a lady school teacher in Vermont. I have never been able to find out her name.
When she died, it was willed to her nephew, an insurance man in Charleston, West Virginia. This was in about 1950. He drove it as a second car, for several years. I can remember seeing it, on occasion, as a high school student, never thinking that I would someday own it.
It was sold to a friend of his, John Giltnan, an antique car enthuiest, in about 1960.
I bought it from John Giltnan in 1963.
His son, a currator at the Elliot Antique Car Museum, in Stuart, Florida, is on the short list, who want the car when I would decide to sell it. See a video of the Museum .... http://www.elliottmuseumfl.org
MIKE (mikeburch)
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE - Twice

[johnh7]

My 38 Pickup has been in my family since the mid 50's. My mother got it from her boyfriend at that time who got it from his father. It is unknown if he bought it new. Everyone has passed on now and I can't find out anything additional. I believe it has always been a California vehicle, but California won't give you any information.

I learned to drive in it so it is special for me to own and drive it now.

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by blucar

Before my friend passed away a few years ago I had him make out a statement of facts about the transaction..

Ouch......