HELP! Need to find owner of a truck

[LEMHEAD16]

Nico Private Eyes please help.

A few months ago my uncle, who taught me everything I know about cars, passed away unexpectedly. He left behind his automotive shop full of customers cars. He was in the repair business for the most part, but he did take on the occasional restoration project. All of the cars that he had in his shop have been claimed by their owners except for 2.

1.) 1955 or 1956 Chevy Pickup in pretty good condition except that it is missing the carb. Registered last in Minnesota

2.) A late eighties Mercedes 380SL (say that ten times fast). This car is in unknown condition. It has been around his shop for years and years but I have never seen it move under it's own power. Registered in Oklahoma last.

I have the plate number and can get the VINs for these cars. I don't know how to find the owners so I can contact them to come get their cars. Does anybody know how I would find the owners. I would try the registration but the last time the plates were renewed on the Chevy was 1999 and the Merc was 2003. I don't know that the DMV would have records that old.

I guess the option to File a Mechanics lean on them is possible but I don't know how long you have to wait before I can file that. I am the executor of his estate which I believe gives me the right to file a lein on them. I am having an Auction in May to clear the shop of all his tools and need to move these before then.

I'd really like to keep the Truck if it goes unclaimed and restore it in memory of my uncle. If anybody has any ideas toss them out.

[Dattebayo]

Greg could probably find those guys for you.

[Bubba1]

Nico Private Eyes please help.

A few months ago my uncle, who taught me everything I know about cars, passed away unexpectedly. He left behind his automotive shop full of customers cars. He was in the repair business for the most part, but he did take on the occasional restoration project. All of the cars that he had in his shop have been claimed by their owners except for 2.

1.) 1955 or 1956 Chevy Pickup in pretty good condition except that it is missing the carb. Registered last in Minnesota

2.) A late eighties Mercedes 380SL (say that ten times fast). This car is in unknown condition. It has been around his shop for years and years but I have never seen it move under it's own power. Registered in Oklahoma last.

I have the plate number and can get the VINs for these cars. I don't know how to find the owners so I can contact them to come get their cars. Does anybody know how I would find the owners. I would try the registration but the last time the plates were renewed on the Chevy was 1999 and the Merc was 2003. I don't know that the DMV would have records that old.

I guess the option to File a Mechanics lean on them is possible but I don't know how long you have to wait before I can file that. I am the executor of his estate which I believe gives me the right to file a lein on them. I am having an Auction in May to clear the shop of all his tools and need to move these before then.

I'd really like to keep the Truck if it goes unclaimed and restore it in memory of my uncle. If anybody has any ideas toss them out.

I don't think you can just put a mechanic's lien on a car without the owner's owing something (like storage) or even without at least trying to identify who owns it. Unless you can somehow prove your Grandpa has a claim on them, they are considered abandoned.

As executor, you have some options besides the obvious (using last registration/license plate number) You can also look thru you Grandpa's paperwork to see if he wrote an extimate on those vehicles. Think about it, how many people hand a vehicle over to their mechanic and say, "uh restore it for me and bill me". If the search fails, then I would think you could contact your local police department and ask for a trace on the VINs (and or license plate if it has one). They might divert you to the DMV. It's also possible your grandpa owned those cars, received in trade on some other repairs, so there might be titles lurcking in Grandpas home/office. That's why I suggest looking thru his things first.

I was the executor for my parents estate. you never know what you're gonna find as you go thru things.

[LEMHEAD16]

Uncle not grandpa.

I've been through most of the paperwork at his shop and home and the only thing I can find on the Truck is half of a registration document. It has the truck description but the owner information is torn off. I'm still looking trying to find a title or bill of sale for it.

He was kind of a "Good ole boy" and it wouldn't surprise me if someone just dropped it off and said "Fix it". I'm still hoping someone calls, I had his shop and cell phone forwarded to me, but it's been 4 months now and nobody has called on those vehicles. All of the other cars he had in the shop have been claimed.

[LEMHEAD16]

bump for late night crew

[sbird1]

I say keep the truck, sell the Merc. Like Bubba said, I believe they are legally considered "abandoned" if you want to just keep them...