Update w/ VIN #
1G1AY8767B5108751

Well I traded my 95 C4 for this C3.
My first two Corvettes were C4's (1989 & 1995) and this is my 1st C3.
So I feel like a newbie here, but I guess I am new to the C3 area.
Anyway...my question is this...
I am trying to research my VIN # and I'm comming up with nothing.
Carfax recoqnized the VIN# correctly as a 1981 Corvette but had zero information, and I mean zero information further than that?
When I paid the $$ for the carfax I got a red paragraph telling me they had no information on my car. How is that possible?

The guy I traded with was sort of local and only had this car for a couple of months becuase he traded his 69 GTO for it and I guess it wasn't what he was looking for. So he didn't have any information on the original owner. Could it be that the original owner did his own work on the car and never took it to the dealer? Is that why I can't find any information on my VIN? I have done a bunch of online searches looking for any info on "my" new to me C3 and I'm comming up with zero. Any suggestions? Here is a picture I took of my new baby yesterday.
#'s matching, all pretty much stock except for the Hooker headers, true dual Flowmaster exhaust, and a new carb. Sounds awesome!!
Thanks for taking the time to read my post....Scott

 

Could be too old to have a carfax.
Good looking vette!

 

Nice looking car, enjoy. Can't help with the carfax question, I have no use for carfax.

 

I don't think 1981 is too old for a carfax, I have an 1981 and have ran a carfax on mine and also an Autocheck.

OP what is the VIN#?

 

In my opinion, CarFax wasn't around back when this car was new, therefore it probably wasn't "registered" with whomever tracks the data. And as time went on, unless service/repairs were made at a shop that tracked this data, it probably just never got logged....

 

carfax is only as good as the database it retrieves from.. there is no data on your car's VIN#..

whatever entities that subscribe and send info to carfax , these entities have never worked on your car, or they sent it in with a wrong vin..

i presume carfax gave you your money back?

 

Go here and see if Allied-Vaughn has your VIN in their files. http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...x.php?cmd=area If so, you can obtain a copy of the original dealer invoice for your 81. That will not give you the original owner's name, but it will tell you where the car was shipped after it left the assembly plant.

If you have a Bowling Green car, you can contact the NCM to see if they have a copy of the build sheet. BUT no first owner there either.

Any original documentation with the car?

You can begin a title search in the state where the car was last titled and work backwards. Be aware, due to confidentiality laws, DMVs in many states are limited to the amount of information they can release concerning prior owners of record.

You can join the NCRS http://www.ncrs.org/ and seek prior owner information in their publications.

Good luck.



P.S. Buy a center cap for that left front.

 

Carfax didn't exist nationally on the interweeb till LONG after your car became an old, used car. Records were not added retroactively.

 

You might try looking for the build sheet. I was able to find mine inside the car under the sound proof mat in the rear. Just a thought.

 

I appreciate your input guys.
I just assumed that I would have pages of data come back from carfax and was pretty surprized when I got a big fat zero.
I really don't care about "who" the previous owners were, but it would be kind of nice to know a couple of things like, am I the second, third or twenty third owner, is this a Florida car....stuff like that.
I will definetly check out those web sites you provided and start my search.
Yes...I did ask Carfax for a refund, and I got an automated email telling me that it was in process....let's hope they come through.
I really do appreciate your input everyone...thanks.

 

That is on my top 5 ...."to buy" list.

 

I didn't know that was back there...I will sure look for it.
Thanks for that info.

 

Bought our '81 about 2 months ago. Carfax had a complete set of info on it.

 

81 was the first year for the 17 digit vin number which Carfax uses for their databases.
By no means does carfax have a complete history for every modern car either.

 

She'll thank you for it.

 

nice car welcome to the c3 side!!!!

 

Thanks Larry...It took me awhile...but I'm glad I'm here.

 

SGAL1. Nice looking 81! What is the color code on this Vette? Is it the original paint color?

 

Thanks...I'm really happy with it. I was told this is the original paint yes....and from what I can tell the color code is: 06 Mahogany metallic?

 

Great looking car. Good luck and I hope you enjoy it!