# Finding a previously owned car of mine

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/finding-a-previously-owned-car-of-mine/44243>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [February 10, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/finding-a-previously-owned-car-of-mine/44243 "2010-02-10T19:55:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![woodyvo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4da419/32.png) [@woodyvo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/woodyvo)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/finding-a-previously-owned-car-of-mine/44243/1 "2010-02-10T19:55:28Z")

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i’m trying to find records of a 1969 austin healy sprite that i owned from about 1974 to 1976/7. the “VIN” i have is an old one so there are less than 17 numbers (HANU974092G) Any ideas how to go about this? (it WAS registered in the state of Pennsylvania)

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**Author:** ![twotone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@twotone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/twotone)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/finding-a-previously-owned-car-of-mine/44243/2 "2010-02-10T19:56:18Z")

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I would start with the Austin Healy owners club – see if they have a web site.  
Twotone

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**Author:** ![woodyvo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4da419/32.png) [@woodyvo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/woodyvo)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/finding-a-previously-owned-car-of-mine/44243/3 "2010-02-10T19:59:01Z")

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DIDN’T even know there was such a thing. Thanks!

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**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/finding-a-previously-owned-car-of-mine/44243/4 "2010-02-10T19:59:18Z")

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Let go. 🙂 just kidding, good advice, I’ve had luck doing the same on other items (sailboats)…ie, web sites that specialize in my long “lost” item.

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**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/finding-a-previously-owned-car-of-mine/44243/5 "2010-02-11T00:43:43Z")

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For a few Pesos more…There are companies, for a price, that will do a nation-wide VIN search. I don’t know how legit they are…But be warned, a VIN can just disappear if the car was scrapped years ago…Junkyards are not known for their meticulous bookkeeping…
