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Posted by: defianty Sep 25 2006, 12:34 PM

I've recently become the owner of a '73 2.0L

I know nothing about the cars history before it arrived in the UK sometime in 2000. Is there any way of finding these details? I know you can do this in the UK with a UK car but have no idea about the US.

Maybe even one of you guys owned it!

VIN: 4732900045

I think this is British enough

Posted by: plymouth37 Sep 25 2006, 03:39 PM

nice car! all I can tell you is that that is one heck of an early '73 car. 45th to be exact!
P.S. didn't the first 1000 '73 914s have vinyl wrapped windscreen frames?

Posted by: defianty Sep 25 2006, 04:01 PM

Thanks, yep sure is an early one. Infact the manufacture date is
08/72. Strange but I've heard of other '73 2.0's built then too.

Vinyl wrapped windscreen frame? I've never seen this. Anyone got a pic?

Posted by: hcdmueller Sep 25 2006, 04:02 PM

That is beautiful. Great looking car and a nice day in London.

Off topic but do you get a lower road tax on a classic car?

Posted by: defianty Sep 25 2006, 04:07 PM

Yes and no. The rules changed a few years ago, to the disgust of many classic car owners. As it stands at the moment if the car was registered before 12/12/72 then it's tax exempt. The old rules stated that a car was tax exempt if was older than 25years. Luckly mine just gets in which means I pay nothing and save approx $350 per year.

Posted by: hcdmueller Sep 25 2006, 04:15 PM

[/quote]
Luckly mine just gets in which means I pay nothing and save approx $350 per year.
[/quote]

Good deal for you on that. I heard they had changed the rules but at the time I didn't own an older vehicle.

Sorry I can't help you with the owner history stuff. I just miss living in England. I like driving on the left side of the road.

Posted by: anthony Sep 25 2006, 04:19 PM

Other than getting a stack of receipts with the car I don't think there is much you can do.

And anyway, what secrets of the universe will these previous owners reveal? My feeling is to just leave previous owners alone even if you have names and addresses.

Posted by: defianty Sep 25 2006, 04:44 PM

Well my car spent 27years in the US. It would just be nice to have info like how many owners and where in the country in came from. I like said maybe someone here even owned it once.

I appreciate your views though.

Posted by: bd1308 Sep 25 2006, 04:48 PM

maybe the US DMV has that info?

but you probably wont be able to get that info.

PLus i think the info drops off after x amount of years.

Posted by: anthony Sep 25 2006, 07:26 PM

There is no "US" DMV (Dept. of Motor Vehicles). Every state runs their own agency and yes, I'm sure it's impossible to get the info retroactively.

Some people have researched cars by looking for the vin in Panorama Classifieds. But without a big stack of back issues and a lot of time on your hands, it would be difficult.

Maybe someone here will know the car.

It seems like the easiest track might be tracing it back to whoever imported into the UK.

Posted by: defianty Sep 26 2006, 03:22 AM

Yes, I think you may be right. I'm trying just that now. Thanks for you help guys

Posted by: RON S. Sep 26 2006, 07:19 AM

I too face the same dilemma.

I have just about finished the resto on my -6r,and since my car was a european model,I would like to know where my car has been,and what stories it could tell.

I had the previous owners full name,cause it was on the bill of sale I rec'd when I bought my car.The car as I got it had a Fort Hood Texas base pass sticker on it.

So,I recently did a people search offa one of the internet people finders,about 12 bucks.

Sure enough,the name and city I typed in drew a match.I mailed the guy a 2 paragraph letter with all my contact info,and 3 or 4 nice pictures of the car currently,and got absolutely no reply.Oh well,at least I tried.

Maybe you'll have better luck.



Hey,anyone in El Paso know a Leonard Bradham?



Ron

Posted by: 9146986 Sep 26 2006, 09:34 AM

Sometimes you can get a title history from a state DMV, but not all states.

Posted by: plymouth37 Sep 26 2006, 11:53 AM

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=40443&hl=

Posted by: defianty Sep 26 2006, 02:06 PM

Thanks for that, an interesting read. Looks as if it possibly did have vinyl on it at one point. It was repainted a few years ago.

Posted by: Pat Garvey Sep 26 2006, 07:28 PM

When I took my 72 in for its 750 miles oil change (July 72 production) the first (in my area) 914S was at the dealer, but with no vinyl in the windshield frame.

Interestingly, my Appearance Group optioned 72 was delivered with 4 1/2" steelies & I was a little upset. Dealer offered the Fuchs alloys from the 914S for $100 to placate me. Didn't like them (at the time) so he gave me a set of chrome 5 1/2"'ers & a Bursch exhaust instead. Thought it was agood deal, but don't know how I'd handle it today, though I could never have passed the Fuchs off as original.