10 replies to this topic

[adam_93rio]

as the title suggests, im trying to track down one of my grandads old minis
it was grey/beige and he sold it at some point in the 60's
the details are a bit vage as you can imagine almost 50 years on
anyway here are the pictures
i would love to buy it back and restore it back to how he had it




any help at all would cheer my grandad up no end, he would love to know what happened to it.
you may see this in miniworld/minimag soon

[smorg]

i did a tax check hoping to get something even though its tax exempt but it did not have any information about it got this:

VEHICLE ENQUIRY Services Provided By DVLA:

Vehicle details could not be found

As it has not been possible to locate the vehicle details, your enquiry cannot proceed and has been cancelled.

If you want to check the vehicle record held by DVLA...


Please contact Vehicle Enquiries: Phone: 0870 240 0010
Fax: 0870 850 1285
Textphone: 01792 766 426

An advisor will be able to assist you 8.00am - 8.30pm Monday to Friday and 8.00am - 5.30pm on Saturday.

also did a check to see if it was insured just incase and seems that it isnt and got this:

RJL920 is NOT on the Motor Insurance Database today

[adam_93rio]

i did a tax check hoping to get something even though its tax exempt but it did not have any information about it got this:

VEHICLE ENQUIRY Services Provided By DVLA:

Vehicle details could not be found

As it has not been possible to locate the vehicle details, your enquiry cannot proceed and has been cancelled.

If you want to check the vehicle record held by DVLA...


Please contact Vehicle Enquiries: Phone: 0870 240 0010
Fax: 0870 850 1285
Textphone: 01792 766 426

An advisor will be able to assist you 8.00am - 8.30pm Monday to Friday and 8.00am - 5.30pm on Saturday.

also did a check to see if it was insured just incase and seems that it isnt and got this:

RJL920 is NOT on the Motor Insurance Database today

hmm do you think it hasbeen scrapped then?
i really hope not
i did that text check to the dvla and got absolutly nothing from them either, ill have to call them monday, it might be a bit late now

[M44K TS]

unfortunatley, looks like it's either lying in a barn somewhere or has been scrapped. Would be nice to find it and restore it though.

[philsford]

Problem is pre reg plates were often taken off and used as privete reg numbers so the reg could be on retention and the car on a non transeferable number. Long shot I know but a possibility.

[Goopster]

They are great pictures! They capture the period brilliantly with the old round topped caravans in the background too. Who is the young lad sat on the bonnet, is it you or your Dad by chance?

Sadly, as has already been mentioned, there's little record of this one available. I checked a VRM database here on a car parts system that my friend has in his motor shop (and cross referenced autotrader, which has a rudimentary registration plate checker), and it's coming up with nothing. If the registration plate had been reassigned to a new vehicle it would show there - so it is either on retention or may have gone with the car if it was unfortunately scrapped. I guess the only hope is that the car is sat in a barn or garage somewhere; it would have to have been for some time, as the DVLA tax database also comes up with nothing for me too, and I think the data for that was established in the late 1970's? My Mini Countryman (which I scrapped due to losing storage space - i'll regret that decision for life, but that's another story), still shows up on the DVLA database and it was last taxed in 1981.

It doesn't mean it's not out there somewhere though - so don't give up! Good luck with your search, it would be fantastic to locate it and get it back on the road.

All the best,

Goopster

Edited by Goopster, 14 June 2009 - 08:23 AM.

[minijo]

If it was scrapped it usually says scrapped on the search (assuming it was done after they computerised it). I had trouble with Leyla, although I had the owner docs, she didn't come up on the search as she had been off the road since the late 70's in a garage, so when I sent away for the V5 in my name....nothing. I had to go into DVLA, hey presto, now the records have been updated, she appears on the search.

My point it that it may just have been garaged for the last 20 odd years. There's still hope.

[adam_93rio]

thanks for all you replies, it would mean so much to me and my dad if we could get it back, rebuild it then take it to show him

They are great pictures! They capture the period brilliantly with the old round topped caravans in the background too. Who is the young lad sat on the bonnet, is it you or your Dad by chance?

Sadly, as has already been mentioned, there's little record of this one available. I checked a VRM database here on a car parts system that my friend has in his motor shop (and cross referenced autotrader, which has a rudimentary registration plate checker), and it's coming up with nothing. If the registration plate had been reassigned to a new vehicle it would show there - so it is either on retention or may have gone with the car if it was unfortunately scrapped. I guess the only hope is that the car is sat in a barn or garage somewhere; it would have to have been for some time, as the DVLA tax database also comes up with nothing for me too, and I think the data for that was established in the late 1970's? My Mini Countryman (which I scrapped due to losing storage space - i'll regret that decision for life, but that's another story), still shows up on the DVLA database and it was last taxed in 1981.

It doesn't mean it's not out there somewhere though - so don't give up! Good luck with your search, it would be fantastic to locate it and get it back on the road.

All the best,

Goopster

in the picture sat on the bonnet is my uncle, these pictures were taken before my dad was born,
the man in the picture with the dogs is my great grandad who unfortunatly died when i was younger

it would have been nice to have a photo with my grandad with his car but it seemed he was always behind the camera
if i send this off to mini world and minimag how long would it take before it was in the magazine?

[adam_93rio]

ok, just had a confermation email saying it will be in the where are they now section of miniworld

[LOWRIDERHORNET]

I serspected it not on the DVLA records anymore

A few years ago my dad got a letter for his zephur that he had to declare it was still of the road or they will delete the numper plate of there records

So that what might have been done to this little mini

[adam_93rio]

I serspected it not on the DVLA records anymore

A few years ago my dad got a letter for his zephur that he had to declare it was still of the road or they will delete the numper plate of there records

So that what might have been done to this little mini

wow thats really harsh, was it just off the road for so long they didnt know
i really hope this little car is still out there somewhere