Ownership History : Australian Export

[111Robin]

What is the best means of tracing ownership history of a car that was exported new to Australia from the factory (1964) ?.

[Spider]

That's very difficult !

Heritage Records usually show the car was dispatched to Nuffield Exports and that's where that trail runs cold.

After that, hopefully the successive owners kept and passed on paperwork - registration papers and receipts.

[111Robin]

Thanks, I figured it wouldn't be easy. All we have is from the heritage certificate, originally shipped to Westco of Brisbane then purchased by Western Transport of Queensland who appear to have been operating in the oilfield industry at that time.

[Tim]

Unless you can find someone who knew the car there's not much chance.

Each state manages its own registrations seperately and they all have their own idiosyncracies. Cars can be re-registered multiple times throughout their lives and If a car is moved interstate it must be re-registered in the new state. Even if you contacted each state individually, they won't give out information because of privacy concerns.

According to the western Transport museum Westco Motors and Western Transport were parts of the same company.
https://westerntransportmuseum.com/about.php

Tim

[111Robin]

Further digging shows that Western Transport is actually the same company as Westco so it was the dealer that was the first owner, or at least registered it first, possibly as a demonstrator.

[1071 S]

As Tim says, State rego authorities are not much use. As well as the "privacy regulations excuse", rego records (I can really only speak for the ACT and NSW) were digitised in the 90s. My 1071 became a "brown Clubman" at this time. In 1991 I fitted a thick flange S block to the S. When the annual re-registration paperwork arrived, my "red Morris Cooper S" had morphed into a "brown Clubman"..... Later research showed the block had originally belonged to an early 1275GT (the first 800 odd GTs were fitted with left over MkII S motors). Luckily I was able to convince the State inspectors that it was the same car and new (correct) paperwork was provided. I was told that much go the digitising was done locally and manually and the old documentation was then destroyed.

Of course, each State's authorities are independent and if your car changes State then you get new papers with no acknowledgement as to where it came from. The losing State requires you to surrender the old number plates (which is hardly ever enforced) but there's no record as to why or where the vehicle went. And of course every time the car changes State .. or the registration lapses for more than a few months (maybe put in storage) you get a new number (with no connection to the old one).

My own Heritage Certificate shows my car was shipped on 11 October 63 "to Australia".

The short answer is that; if you (or an immediate PO) don't have the paperwork, there is no "ownership history"...

Cheers, Ian

PS... and the added twist ... Rego papers refers to the "registered keeper" and notes that registration papers are not proof of ownership anyway.

[111Robin]

Thanks folks, looks like a non starter but worth asking anyway.

[Tim]

My Moke went from a 2 seater to a 5 seater when they digitized the registration - would have been a tight squeeze with 4 people in the passenger seat.

In Tasmania older vehicles were/are identifed by the engine number, not car no. or VIN. I went to re-register my first Mini and it was apparently a white Morris 1100, previous owner "known to police".

Tim