Previous owners & history

[heikkisky]

I bought a 1959 Skyliner from Belgium and it has a faded IFRC sticker on it's window. Maybe someone here has owned it before.

Now I wonder if it would be possible to track down some history of the car with the VIN number? The paperwork that came with the car indicates that it was in the USA until mid-1990s when it was imported to Belgium.

According to data plate the car is made in San Jose plant 02/12/1959 and the previous title says it was registered for traffic in September 1959.

It's a style-tone blue/white 1959 with 352 & Cruise-O-Matic, continental kit and double spot lights.

247

[Administrator]

Congratulations on your "new" Skyliner! The IFRC has a database of known cars with VIN numbers. If you post the VIN I'll see if your car is in the database.

[heikkisky]

Thanks. It's been a long time dream for both me and my wife and now it's finally true :)

The VIN is H9RW141729

[Administrator]

Sorry, the VIN for your Skyliner is not in the club database. I will get it added for future reference.

[fogasu]

can you tell me more on my car H9RW124019
I purchased it from Don in Vancouver
and is now i Denmark
Thanks Jesper

[heikkisky]

Let's hope there will be more info also on Jesper's car.

Is there some way based on the VIN# to find out where the car was sold as new and who were the previous owners in US?

I have also a 1957 Chrysler and with the VIN# I was able to get records from Chrysler's archives about the car's manufacturing and dealership. Is there similar possibilities also for FoMoCo cars?

[Administrator]

There is only one previous owner, Don from Vancouver, in the database for Jesper's car. For some cars there is a history of more than one previous owner, but unfortunately in Jesper's case only the one previous owner is known.

I don't think information from Ford archives is available for 57-59 Skyliners. The story I heard years ago is that the Ford records for those years and maybe others burned up in a warehouse fire. Maybe someone else can chime in on the accuracy of that story.

[heikkisky]

The story I heard years ago is that the Ford records for those years and maybe others burned up in a warehouse fire. Maybe someone else can chime in on the accuracy of that story.

Yes that is a true story. I had forgotten the fire. It wasn't just any warehouse but the legendary Ford Rotunda which burned down in November 1962. I remember it was written in some book that some archives were destroyed and the rest were moved later to the Henry Ford Museum. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Rotunda )

So there is no way to figure out individual car's production data or get the information in which state or dealer it was originally sold. I guess not even the DMV's have so old records anymore.

[oldave57]

I realize that this is an old thread, but I was doing a search on "IFRC Sticker" and this turned up. I have a 57 Skyliner with an IFRC Sticker on the windshield and I am planning to replace the windshield this year so I am trying to locate a source for a new IFRC Sticker. Is there a source on this forum for stickers?

Thanks,
Dave

[Administrator]

The IFRC Office might have IFRC window stickers. Email address is IFRC.Office@skyliner.org, phone number is 315-877-6553.

[oldave57]

Thanks for the information. I'll give them a try.

Dave