DVLA record for pre 80s vehicles

[Jukebag]

Anyone know why entering a car reg number before 1980 comes up with no search results?. I tried to put in the reg no. of one of my grandfather's past cars he owned in the 70s (no idea if car still existed after 1979) and search came up blank. I did the same with a couple of my dad's motors he owned in the early 80s (all long since been scrapped or sorned) and the records show the make, year of car, the last V5C and when it was last taxed or sorned, but it appears anything before the 80s draws a blank. I've even tried reg numbers of cars from only a few years ago and no details are found for that number.

[MrBen1]

The records were computerised in the early 80's, before that it was all manual. If the car no longer existed before computerisation they would not have been added.

[Jukebag]

That's why then.

[Allan L]

MrBen1 said:

The records were computerised in the early 80's, before that it was all manual. If the car no longer existed before computerisation they would not have been added.

If it's been scrapped or exported since, it won't show on the enquiry although if its number has been re-used that vehicle would appear

[Skyedriver]

Allan L said:

MrBen1 said:

The records were computerised in the early 80's, before that it was all manual. If the car no longer existed before computerisation they would not have been added.

If it's been scrapped or exported since, it won't show on the enquiry although if its number has been re-used that vehicle would appear

Interesting about numbers being re used.
Having watched "Get Carter" the 1976 film on TV the other week I jotted down a few registrations to see if the cars were still around.
Most weren't except Michael Caines Cortina Mk 2
However, the red Jaguar reg is now on a Morris 1300 and the reg on an MGB GT is now on a Spitfire

[john2443]

When the records were computerised, you could apply for a V5 then the car was added to the new records. You could do that even if the car was off the road - my car came off the road in 1968 and didn't go back on until 2007, but fortunately the previous owner was switched on enough that he got the V5 so it was easy to get it Taxed and MOTd, otherwise I'd have had to go through the process of recovering the reg; I think that's become more difficult over the years.

[StuntmanMike]

I’ve searched for my Dads cars, ‘60s and ‘70s stuff, they all come up.

However a car I owned in the nineties dose not!

[StuntmanMike]

Here you go.

[vpr]

I think you’ll find if the vehicle has t been scrapped or exported it’ll appear.

[Jimmy Recard]

Skyedriver said:

Interesting about numbers being re used.
Having watched "Get Carter" the 1976 film on TV the other week I jotted down a few registrations to see if the cars were still around.
Most weren't except Michael Caines Cortina Mk 2
However, the red Jaguar reg is now on a Morris 1300 and the reg on an MGB GT is now on a Spitfire

You didn’t happen to look up the Cadillac, did you?

[Yertis]

Skyedriver said:

"Get Carter" the 1976 film

Get Carter was a 1971 film.

Now behave yourself.

[Cliftonite]

Allan L said:

MrBen1 said:

The records were computerised in the early 80's, before that it was all manual. If the car no longer existed before computerisation they would not have been added.

If it's been scrapped or exported since, it won't show on the enquiry although if its number has been re-used that vehicle would appear

Registration numbers are never re-used. (Except to re-issue a vehicle's original index when a personal plate is removed). Numbers always die with the scrapped vehicle.

Edited by Cliftonite on Sunday 21st June 23:01