Anyone know how to find an old car we used to own?

[Adrian87]

I have the license plate number when I owned it about 15 years ago (age 16) - ZTX 166 - Arkansas tag. 1970 Olds Cutlass. I've looked at a few on line sites and they all look like $30 scams. Anyone have an idea? I figure that tag name can't have been used more than 15 times in the last 15 years since I owned the car and the Arkansas DMV would have a list of all vehicles with that tag number, but I doubt they'd give me the VIN for it. I tried my old insurance agent I had 15 years ago and they didn't have records going back that far. I did find on a Missouri court datebase where I got a ticket in it 15 years ago, and am going to try that route tomorrow to get a VIN number. Anyone have any other ideas? I'd love to buy this old thing back if I could.

 

[Rivical]

Oldsmobile sites are notoriously unhelpful or even cranky, so that's out.

The license number would be useless today the way these things get sold across state lines with regularity. They just don't stay close to home anymore. But 15years ago, weren't you still on a paper system? Your previous certificate of title should still be on file under your name at the county title office then. I was truly shocked one time when I went looking for a particular car, and they came up with a whole thick file of titles I'd had in my name over the years in the same county. Once you have the VIN again the search is worth undertaking. You might try contacting Auction Houses to see what they'd charge to run it through their databases for a match at that point. Or if you have any cop friends, have them run the VIN as a possible abandoned, and that will tell who it would be registered to today or last if it is still in your state.

 

[Adrian87]

Holy ****. I just called the county court house and got the VIN! Where do I plug it in?!

 

[Adrian87]

Ok, so I called a buddy that works at a car lot. He tried the VIN and nothing came up. What could the situation be and what can I try next? I know I should be able to find this thing with the VIN, right?

I plugged it into an online VIN decoder and it worked, so I know the VIN is correct.

Suggestions?

VIN Format: 1965-1971 GM

Decoding: 336870M269696

Digit Usage VIN Decoded
1 Mfgr 3 Oldsmobile
2-3 Series 36 Cutlass V8
4-5 Body Type 87 2dr Sport Coupe (fastback)
6 Year 0 1970
7 Plant M Lansing MI
8-13 Sequential Serial # 269696 269696

 

[ZNix]

You would have to run it through the DMV/RMV iirc.

 

[salvageV6]

I drove my '70 Cutlass to the boneyard right after I got my WE4.

It was a sad day for sure and it only had 186K on it.

It's not in my driveway.