French Ownership History?

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  • 24th February 2026 at 9:12 pm #37927
    1166
    Participant

      I would like to investigate the ownership history of my Paris-built Traction, and I am guessing that other TOC members may already have experience of doing this. I understand that DVLA can provide, on request, details of previous owners of UK registered cars. Is there any similar facility in France?

      My 11BL was first registered in June 1957. The last owner in France lived at an address in Le Mans. He sold the car in September 1989 and I have a copy of that last French registration document, dated 1986. I know the UK ownership history of my car.

      Can any other TOC members help me by explaining the procedure for requesting details of past vehicle ownership in France?

      Thanks

       

      Maurice Millar

      Perthshire

      25th February 2026 at 1:15 pm #37929
      Bernie
      Participant

        Maurice,

        I have asked the question of my contacts in France.

        B….

        25th February 2026 at 1:37 pm #37931
        1166
        Participant

          Thank you.

          25th February 2026 at 5:29 pm #37933
          Robert Filbey
          Participant

            I’m also interested in this topic as I would like to do the same with my Paris built Traction.

             

            25th February 2026 at 6:00 pm #37935
            1166
            Participant

              Hello Robert,

              How much information do you have for your car?

              An appendix in Olivier de Serres’ ‘La Grand Livre’ gives serial numbers for each type of Traction for each year of production, so it is possible to estimate when your car was made using your car’s serial number pro-rata between the first and last numbers. For example, first and last serial number for 11BL for 1953, or whatever.

              I am aware of a very detailed recent new (Dutch??) book analysing Traction production numbers, but I don’t have access to a copy of that book.

              For my car, my estimate is week 16 (starting 15 April 1957) or week 20 (starting 15 May) – there is some doubt over whether the number of serial numbers actually represents completed cars, but this is because 1957 was the last and incomplete production year, to 25 July 1957.

              if you share your serial number and model type, then I should be able to give you the first and last serial number for your car type and year.

              This doesn’t help with ownership history, but it points to when the car was first sold.

              26th February 2026 at 9:46 am #37939
              Bernie
              Participant

                Maurice,

                My French spy is askng ….

                Do you still have it’s original 72 suffix plates, or did you have them when you bought it, or had it already been “imported” by A N Other?

                With respect to the Dutch? Book ….

                Called “Traction, The Numbers”, it is the life work of a Danish friend of mine and written in English.  The Club does have a copy in the keeping of Steve Reed and the Helpline.

                20260226_093632

                B…..

                 

                26th February 2026 at 1:12 pm #37941
                1166
                Participant

                  Yes – I have the previous 72 French plates and these match the last French registration document. I registered my car in the UK.

                  That’s the book that I was thinking of.

                  26th February 2026 at 1:28 pm #37943
                  Bernie
                  Participant

                    Ok, I’ll pass that on and see what transpires, but from the feedback I have so far, it does not sound very hopeful.

                    B…

                    26th February 2026 at 7:09 pm #37945
                    Robert Filbey
                    Participant

                      Yes, I also have the Traction Numbers book.  Very interesting and from the information in the book I’m fairly certain my car was built in June 1953.  I also know the plate number of my car when it was in France and I have the owners name at the time of the sale of the car (probably in the mid 1980s).  It would be interesting to know who all owned my car from 1953 onward in France or if the person listed on the sales document was the original owner.

                      27th February 2026 at 1:45 pm #37947
                      Bernie
                      Participant

                        Still not found anybody with actual knowledge or first-hand experience.

                        However, someone has come up with the following Google search which does appear to lead to potentially relevant sites …..

                        https://www.google.com/search?q=d%C3%A9couvre+l+histoire+de+ton+v%C3%A9hicule&sca_esv=9977c0f731d603ad&sxsrf=ANbL-n5Mi-nPGLzJRfIPGgpckI6C4HxuZQ%3A1772190434299&source=hp&ei=4nqhaeC6EISE7M8P9uOu8As&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaaGI8h6LHvSSyAECPfE5SWAZZap1McSn&oq=L%27histoire+de+ton+&gs_lp=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-Xw5DnpIHBDE1LjSgB-OqArIHBDE0LjS4B4oMwgcGMi0xMS44yAeCAYAIAA&sclient=gws-wiz

                        Bon courage.

                        B…..

                        27th February 2026 at 2:48 pm #37949
                        1166
                        Participant

                          Thank you.

                          https://histovec.interieur.gouv.fr/histovec/accueil

                          This site seems to provide a free certificate confirming my car is not stolen; and that there are no outstanding problems concerning the ownership and registration. From the French logbook information which I have entered, it has recognised my French registration number and has identified that my car is a Citroen and it shows the correct chassis number. This appears to offer some reassurance for new owners or potential buyers, but there is no additional past ownership information.

                          Other websites lead back to the same historvec website or they only deal with modern vehicles.

                          ============

                          https://www.carvertical.com/fr/precheck/pricing?vin=631CW72

                          This site offers a report for one vehicle for 31.99 euro. It is not clear to me if the scope of this report is much more than that available free of charge at the historvec website. Again this could be aimed at much more modern vehicles, but it says the report can include –

                          “ Des informations concernant les propriétaires passés, les accidents, les vols et les relevés kilométriques” – it isn’t confirmed that is what the report for my car would actually include.

                          Given my rudimentary knowledge of the French language, I am reluctant to risk paying for a report which may be largely blank. Maybe your spies will come back with some reassurance or guidance. Let’s wait and see.

                          Thanks again for your help.

                           

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