Original ownership of your vintage Ford

[ktgarcia]

I wondered if anyone else has tried to find the heritage of their vehicle. I have owned my 1939 Ford Pickup since 1972 but know the history back to 1966.

I wonder if there is a source that I could go to find out owners that might have owned the vehicle that I now own.

Does anyone know if there is a place/site that I could go to, to find out the heritage of the vehicle that I now own?

Thanks.

[1963turnerjohn]

I am lucky as my 41 belonged to my Grandpa since 41 - he hopped it up a bit before WWII then finished it in late 46/47 - now she is all mine!!

The car had 2 additional owners between Grandpa and me - luckily his pals kept track of where their hops up were located through the years - and I came along to bring her home.

Best of luck on your search
John

[TonyM]

The only owner of my 1937 Ford De Luxe Fordor who I cannot identify is the first owner. He owned the car for only two years. The second owner, who saved a lot of the documents, had the car from 1939 until 1990. The third owner had the car from 1990 until his family sold it to me from his estate in 2012. Now it is my car for a while.

[trainguy]

I am the third owner of a 1910 Ford and have pictures of th orig and 2nd owner.I also have a 1931 model A phaeton that also is a 3 owner car and have pictures of the 2nd owner.(he bought it in 1933)Phil

[SUHRsc]

My '39 Sedan Delivery was bought new by a company called "Real French Cleaners". Then sold around WWII to the Stahl family to deliver produce from their farm. In 1948 it was parked in a shed when Mr Stahl got married and moved into town. I bought it from the Stahl family a couple years ago.

Zach

[jrhaelig]

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I understand that my 1939 pickup was purchased new by a funeral parlor in Lancacster county, PA. It was used to haul caskets and furniture until the sons fixed it up a bit and painted it in the late '70's.

They sold it to the guy who flipped it to me within a few months. He told me the name of the funeral family and that he asked if there were any books or other stuff in the same barn, but I forget the names now.

[GreenMonster48]

My 48 F1 stayed in the original family until I got it in 2007. The original owner sold it to his nephew in 1964, and then that guy gave it to HIS nephew some time in the late 80s to early 90s to haul hay etc. at his farm. The truck had served as a shop truck for a machine shop for a number of years before 'retirement'.

[Vic Piano]

I bought our '53 Crestline Sunliner from the Nephew of the original owner in '73. The second owner of our '39 Lincoln Zephyr Convertible Club Coupe, who bought the car in '48, gave me the complete history including information on the original owner, a Doctor from the East end of Long Island. Additionally, I was able to get the "build sheet" on the Zephyr from the Henry Ford museum. I have information on some of our other vehicles pertaining to their original owners however, I've not been able to trace all of them back that far. It would be cool to know the history of each.

[PeterC]

My 35 Coupe came with the original 1st registration/owner name / address in the glove box!

[2935ford]

I can only get back to 1956 with my '29 Roadster....from a farmer who had it in a barn in Kentucky and unfortunately....he's gone now. At least I know and have talked to all owners forward of him.

[4dFord/SC]

I am the fourth owner of my '40 Tudor Sedan, and have the original owner's title certificate. He bought it new from a dealer in Bloomington, IN, in 1941, and kept it until he died in the 1970's. His widow sold it to a man in Indianapolis who had it restored, and his estate sold it to a fellow in Kerrville, TX, from whom I bought it 10 years ago.

But back to OP's original question, I'm not aware of any site or service that can provide past ownership information for old cars

[cmbrucew]

My Red 1950 F1 was assembled in the Long Beach Ford plant. Bought by a plumber in Phoenix, AZ. When he died it sat in the widows back yard for about twenty five years.
She gave it to the guy who flipped it to me, for some yard cleanup.
I hope to be driving it this summer.

Bruce

Works good
Lasts long time

[ford38v8]

My '38 was found at the back of an Alameda Ca used car lot in '63 with no engine. While doing a door latch repair, I discovered a couple of Alameda political cards, also from Alameda in '38.

[Chris in MA]

I am told that my dad bought my 40 from the original owners in 1973. I have a few registrations from the late sixties with their info.

[Shu47]

My Grandfather bought my truck form a dealer but don't know if it was new or used at the time. Ownership passed thru a couple uncles until my Dad ended up with it and then he gave it to me.

[19Fordy]

RE:
Does anyone know if there is a place/site that I could go to, to find out the heritage of the vehicle that I now own?

I am pretty sure no such site exists.

[Ford46]

Sadly, most of the Ford factory to dealer records were destroyed in a fire. One possible location for information is the Benson Ford Fesearch Center (at "The Henry Ford" museum). There is an online method of requesting information on their website. Most people are unable to trace their car especially with "Privacy Laws" and the motor vehicle departments of various states refusing to release records. I hit a dead end on my car because of this....LouB.

[woodiewagon46]

When I resto rodded my '46 woodie I saved the lube stickers from the drivers side post, that showed the car was serviced in a small town in Iowa. When we drove cross country in 2010 we went to the service station and actually met the guy who serviced my car from 1946 until 1962. He told us or the history up until '62 and after the owner died the trail was lost.

[Sixseven]

Originally Posted by ktgarcia

I wonder if there is a source that I could go to find out owners that might have owned the vehicle that I now own.

Does anyone know if there is a place/site that I could go to, to find out the heritage of the vehicle that I now own?

Thanks.

No sources exist.

[BlueSunoco]

Illinois USED to be really helpful here, I traced at least two old cars I owned in the 70's but when I tried a couple of years ago on another car, I ran into a brick wall. They will not help you at all. 'Privacy Laws' they told me and that was the end of that. Plus now a policeman friend told me that the State of Illinois destroys any records of cars over 25 years old.

So much for that. I sent several letters to the family who I know owned the car I was trying to hunt down, they owned it in the early 70's but they refused to communicate with me. They would not answer my letters. So I sent letters with return postage and envelopes and still no reply. All I wanted were names and dates. Next come the phone calls. One slammed the phone down in my ear, another told me to take a hike (only in a lot stronger words that would make Miley Cyrus blush) and then hung up the phone. It's a result of society today, where NObody trusts anybody anymore and they think you are a scam artist of some sort.

Ah, today's world.................................