Locating/searching for a Car in Ontario

[EZ Nova]

Ok I'm trying to locate my grandfathers 1976 Caddy Coupe De Ville. It was a gift from my grandmother to him as a retirement gift back in 1976. I know the name of the guy who bought it off them after his passing and I knew he had it about 8 years ago.

DO NOT have a VIN just grandpa's name and the second owners name and that's it.

Car is a 1976 Caddy Coupe De Ville. Maroon with white 1/2 vinyl roof and red interior.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, John

[CamaroNOS]

Hello John,

Does any family member have any old insurance slips with a VIN on it?

Paul

[EZ Nova]

Doubt it. Was about 95 when the family sold it.

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

A friend at MTO May be able to get this info?

Ryan W.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Is the old Plate # known or any chance of old pics w/ it showing?
If your family's still insured w/ the same broker, it may be worth asking if Vin still in their files?
Do you know where the buyer was from also what's his name...PM if necessary.
Best of luck w/ your quest!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[EZ Nova]

So was at a family wedding last night. I knew to 2nd owners first name and my uncle who happen to just sell his '67 GTO knew his last name. Sso got that now.

Never thought of maybe an old licence plate in picture might help. Will look into this. It will take some time so I think it will be a long road.

Thank you for the ideas

[ZiggyL78]

I went to MTO a few months ago and asked for a readout of all the cars I had ever owned.
The girl punched in my info and the machine started typing. I got 6 pages of say 50 cars. I have already located one of my L78 Novas. The girl was surprised on how many sheets were created. She asked me if I was a dealer :)

She told me I could also get a more detailed report on each car for $2.45.It would be worth effort for someone to get a job there and start digging.

If it is really important to you John you could hire a Private Detective. You could also talk to George or Frank at the GM Vintage Vehicle Services. They may not have any info but maybe an idea on where to look. You could also try any Cadillac forums. Any chance of finding out where the car was serviced?A long shot I know.

Good Luck

[EZ Nova]

Ziggy, you must have did your search with your driver's lic. #, correct?

Obviously I know my grandfathers name and address, year, make, model, and color of car. But that is about it.

My dad was the oldest of 5 kids. He passed away almost 2 years ago now. In my DADS memory I WILL be buying a 1967 427 Corvette. Dad was a car guy when younger and ALMOST got back into it back in 1967 when the 427 Vette's came out. My older brother always told me dad wanted to buy the Vette in 1967, but with me being born in '66, he needed a 4 seater, so he bought a Sport Fury. Dad always like Vettes and he got a brain tumor in summer of 2014. Dr took his lic and he never drove on the road after. Spring of 2017 local GM dealer had 8 new Vette's on their lot, and dad again started talking about getting a new Vette. Well I had heard that enough over the years. So I got my mom and dad into his Benz SUV and went to the dealership. Salesguy comes out as were looking and I tell him were here to buy NOW. Look at dad and say pick the one you want. Mom takes him for a ride and they come back and dad couldn't get out of the car without help. So that ended the Vette days for him. BUT NOT ME.

Grandfather was always very proud of his Coupe De Ville. I drove it in 1978 when I was 12 around the parking lots in Florida. First car I drove. It was a gift from my grandmother to grandfather for his retirement in 1976. She bought it local and told grandpa she wanted to look at new cars, even though he just bought a new Buick in 1975. Car was stilling out front, all nice and shiny with plates on it. I guess grandpa was looking at it and really liked it, BUT it had plates on it already. Dealers said "take it for a test drive, I don't think the owner would mind?" He then looked at grandma and asked if it was ok if he drove the car? She said "SURE IT'S IN HIS NAME ANYWAY".

So now being financially ok and was close to both grandparents, (actually name after this grandfather too), I'm thinking it would be nice to have grandpa's old Caddy in my collection as a summer driver, in his momory/honour. Nice that 1976 is also the last year of the BIG Caddy's and the 500" motors too as bonuses.

Thanks John

[fsc66]

Are you saying you know the guy’s name who bought it and he passed or your grandfather passed? What is person’s name who bought the car?

[Northernforce]

Good luck in the search John-if you know who your Grandfather dealt with for car insurance they should still have the VIN etc in their records.Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends!
Keep on Cruising!
Dave

[EZ Nova]

Yes I knew the guys first name, Rollie. That was it. My uncle only recalled his last name. So now we have first and last name. Going to a smaller rural lic office with that info and car info plus grandfathers info and hopefully I can find out more.

Grandfather passed mid 1980's around 1987 IIRC. Not sure if Rollie is still alive. But now I have some info.

Hell I would pay $500 finders see even if that helps locate the car? Or if it's even still around???

[67BelAir427]

I went to MTO a few months ago and asked for a readout of all the cars I had ever owned.
The girl punched in my info and the machine started typing. I got 6 pages of say 50 cars. I have already located one of my L78 Novas. The girl was surprised on how many sheets were created. She asked me if I was a dealer :)

She told me I could also get a more detailed report on each car for $2.45.It would be worth effort for someone to get a job there and start digging.

If it is really important to you John you could hire a Private Detective. You could also talk to George or Frank at the GM Vintage Vehicle Services. They may not have any info but maybe an idea on where to look. You could also try any Cadillac forums. Any chance of finding out where the car was serviced?A long shot I know.

Good Luck

Hey Ken, did you know that if any of your cars left the province or country that you may still be the registered owner in Ontario? All you then have to do is pay the $10 for a new ownership. And then buy the car back with no HST.

[ZiggyL78]

[QUOTE=EZ Nova;1466896]Ziggy, you must have did your search with your driver's lic. #, correct?

No idea. The girl at the MTO office was transferring an ownership for me when I asked about my vehicle history report. She already had my license,ownership and insurance slip in front of her. I don't know which one she used to do the search. I would be surprized if someone who lost their priviledge to drive and their license slip was canceled,could not get a vehicle history report. If the MTO office has records going back to the 60s, it would seem weird that they don't have a record of your grandfathers Cadillac.

Where did your grandfather work? Maybe they would have some info.

[ZiggyL78]

Hey Ken, did you know that if any of your cars left the province or country that you may still be the registered owner in Ontario? All you then have to do is pay the $10 for a new ownership. And then buy the car back with no HST.

Hi Marc.

A replacement ownership is a wopping $32 and as if that is not detrimental enough you also need an insurance slip to get a new ownership.To top it all off how are you going to find the car if the guy never updated the ownership? ;)

Great info though.Thanks.

[67BelAir427]

I have kept in touch with a number of new owners of many of the cars I have sold so I know where they are. The insurance slip must be a new requirement that did not exist previously. I was offered up a copy without any question about insurance. The cost is a lot higher now than previously thanks to Kathleen Wynn.

[EZ Nova]

Ken, not sure on when the ownership thing changed as when I bought my 67 Nova last fall, i got an imediate ownership without insurance, but was UNFIT for road going purposed.

Can't be serious about the sold car ownership deal??

[67BelAir427]

Ken, not sure on when the ownership thing changed as when I bought my 67 Nova last fall, i got an imediate ownership without insurance, but was UNFIT for road going purposed.

Can't be serious about the sold car ownership deal??

If the car is registered in another province then you can't as they trade info. But if the car is another province and has not been registered then you can. Lots of collectors do not register with MTO or the DMV to save sales tax. So if the other jurisdiction does not know about the
sale then in the eyes of the MTO you are still the owner.

[EZ Nova]

If the car is registered in another province then you can't as they trade info. But if the car is another province and has not been registered then you can. Lots of collectors do not register with MTO or the DMV to save sales tax. So if the other jurisdiction does not know about the
sale then in the eyes of the MTO you are still the owner.

YES you "could" possibly save taxes. But it was looking like IF you sold the car, and the new owner didn't register/change-the-ownership it is still in your name, just go get a new ownership and go collect the car????

Now if who you sold the car is will to sell it back and the ownership hasn't been change, then ya you could possibly save tax $$$. EVERYCAR I have ever dealt with has a strong paper trail with a couple signed off documents. So even when I didn't change the ownership over (like in one of my race/TRACK ONLY CARS) I still had the deposit amount and signed with balance owing. Then balanced PAID IF FULL also signed and dated by 3 signatures and usually a picture or 2. They all sit in a file together and IF somewhere were to come at me after the fact, I have documentation that I bought the car, paid in full, yet haven't transferred the ownership yet. Plus the back of the ownership IS SIGNED off on sale of car as well.

[67BelAir427]

I am talking about buying back cars that you previously sold.No one is coming to claim a car that you bought. I sent you a PM .