VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 34 chevy 5 window coupe vin #

My mentally ill brother sold my Dad's 34 Chevy 5 window coupe
out from underneath me. The dirty rat! How do I find the current owner? It was sold in Littleton Colorado in the last
5 or so years. The Vin # is 4163036....Too short to be picked up by today's vin tracker sites.

Thanks, Jim

Start off with the sale.. Hi Gomer..good looking old car you got there...YUP. I'm from(insert name of town) 1st clue.. Whatcha looking to get for it?? Dunno. Well me being a nice guy,I'll give you the top end scrap price..Not much demand for these old crates..80.00 bucks American and Charly here will haul her away. Sign this title over 2nd clue. Use the computer to find the dirty-lowdown Bxxxxxx that would take advantage of ahandicapped person,. Just a thought

Being the new kid on the block...This is the post I should have authored. I will give a $100 cash reward for information that shows me how to use a vin # to track down an old car. 99.9% of Vin tracking sites require 17 digits..
As you experts know..1934 Chevys had only 7. Who has been successful in tracking down old cars with old vin #s? Howgadoit?

The sale has been recent in Arapahoe County...Littleton, CO.
But they won't give me the time of day.

Probably legislated privacy issues is why they will not talk to you about it ???

Consult a lawyer in that area.
mike

You could try a couple of things. You could go to you MVD & ask them to do a nation wide search using that number which is probably the engine serial number. Some state registered car by that number. They can't give you an owners name but they may tell you where the car is at, providing he transfered titles. If you can get that far, try putting an ad on Craigslist to see if anybody know of a 34 coupe in that area.
If you know for sure it's in the Littleton area, you could post an ad & see if you get any help.
Don't wait too long as records are only kept for only 7 years in some states
Good luck, Joe

Thanks for the input. Colorado DMV won't devulge any information unless you have a hot shot attorney or court order. They won't even tell you IF it is registered let alone to whom.

Your suggestion to put an ad on Craigslist is something I didn't think about and is a GOOD ONE!

I WILL pay $100 to the person who's tip leads me to the car!!!

Try the MVD there in Tenn....Joe

No way car is in Tennessee! But, thanks anyway!!!

If the car was at least 1/2 yours then you can allege theft and possibly get a understanding official to help trace it.

Also if you have a friend in the police force you can ask him to run the number(s) in the national system. He may not be able to tell you who owns it but may where it is registered. As long as he knows it will not come back to bite him he may help.

Jim
I know it's not in Tenn but MVD like the police force Chipper has mentioned can run a 50 state search. You don't need to call Colorado
Joe

Thanks again, Joe!!!

FYI...I'm still up to my eye-balls searching for the "missing heirloom". Here's what I've learned. There is a HUGE difference between acquiring information (finding if the car is registered in their state) from state to state. Colorado, for instance, will treat you like a serial killer who blows up school buses and shares the remains with Jeffrey Dahmer. Don't waste your time with these "Big Shots". Instead pick a state where they're probably NOT too busy to embrace customer service. And the BEST state? In just a minute. There is a state where they will tell you if your car is registered in your state AND....drum roll please... if the car is registered in ANY state. How about a Christmas present just for you guys tracking that "missing car" How about THE state and....what
the heck....I'll throw in the phone number. The state is
North Dakota and the phone number is 701)328-2725. I've talked with two ladies and they are both delightful. It is as if "here's your number, Sir... and would you like fries with that"...
Ask for Nancy!

Post Script to my previous post. Ask if your car is registered in North Dakota first. Make up some story about a recent sale and you are tracking to make sure it is registered properly. Then ask.."Well, can you tell me if it is registered in YOUR STATE or anywhere in the nation. Let me know how it goes for you! We have to band together against these bureaucrats. This isn't Russia...or is it?

DMVs are only as good as the people you happen to talk to. (not all "public servants" are the same)
So, glad you found some friendly help, but did you find the car?

Hi Ed! Thanks for your post! All my research indicates...so far..the car is not registered. I have many irons in the fire and a lot of folks working on it! I will report, immediately,
when I find the "missing family heirloom"!!!

Watch on eBay for that car. If you're lucky, he;ll post enough pictures to make it recognizable.

If the reports you have coming back are saying it's not registered, than it has to be longer than 7 years since it's been gone as most state hold the information for usally 7 years. Other wise it would still show in the family name
....Joe

GR888 idea Pat. Thanks! I'll do it!

Does anyone know how far back I can trace EBay sales? This car could have been sold years ago! Thanks!

usually about 2-4 weeks max.

how about this.....take out a word wanted advert in hemmings motor news in the 1911-1954 chevrolet cars wanted section. Run it every month.
Note...just put in the ad that your looking for a 34 chevrolet master series 5 window coupe.......with rumble seat ?? or without. Do not mention it was your fathers or anything like that.....your just looking for one. Once you get some sellers contacting you, ask for the firewall plate numbers info. Keep at it until you find the car. Hopefully it will turn up again for sale.

The car might be in the process of being restored or hot rodded, you just don't know. GOOD LUCK

Hopefully this will lead you to the car.

mike

Thanks a Zillion, Mike. I will do exactly that! I follow up on every lead I get from you guys.

On another note...40 years ago today I married the most wonderful girl in the World and my BEST FRIEND!!!

Still crazy 'bout her!

Jim

a 1934 chevrolet 5 window coupe full fendered has been listed on ebay this morning.....advert title is : 1934 chevy 5 window coupe... and the listing car is in colorado.

heres hoping for you

mike

TKS tons, Mike! This is NOT the car. How do I post a picture?

Happy New Year to you and the other cool cats on this gr888
site.

Jim

to post a picture i guess you need to find the thread about doing it, somewhere on this iste or hopefully somebody will direct you to it.

mike

Go to the upper right of this page and click on FAQ, scroll down to item #10 and there is your answer.

An old insurance policy lists the vin # as 1463036. Would this
be the engine serial # or a vin # appropriate for '34 chevy's?
I've heard that if the plate with the vin # is missing, the engine serial number would suffice for insurance and title purposes. I do know that it is the original engine!

Do any of you Chevy owners with cars in that time period care to share their number info with me? This would give me a clue as to what that # represents. Any and all opinions welcome!

Thanks,

Jim

That number would've been the engine serial number which was used by many states. The car serial number was used by some states also. Some states don't reconize either & want to give it a new number.

When I purchased my 33 Standard coupe from Washington state it was titled by the engine number. When I took it to MVD in Arizona they changed the title to reflect the car serial number. If this has happened to the car you once had it may be lost for ever.
Keep digging. I wish you luck, Joe

Thanks Joe!!! What would be a representative Vin # of an original Chevy in that time period?

Best!

Jim

Jim
There were no VIN then...only serial numbers, either car or engine. The body number would have a "DA" in part of the sequince for the car you had. 5W coupes were only available in the Master series..Joe

Thanks again, Joe!

Very interesting about the 5 windows being available in Master series only!

Does anyone have a sample serial number that is NOT the engine
number?

While I'm in the arena of "the experts"...what is more valuable
___the 3 or 5 window '34 Chevys?

Jim

The 1934 Master three window coupe was the sport model with rumble seat, so I would bet on it being of greater value, regarding cars of similar condition.

Roger

Jim
An example would be 6DA043457. The "6" being the plant code. "6" is Oakland. There are several more plants. "DA"
1934 Master."04", month of production. "3457" tail end of the serial number.....Joe

Thanks again, Joe!

Jim