California Ranchero in Canada

[57 ranchero]

Hi i bought a 57 ranchero recently, I cheaked the vin and found it was built at the san-jose plant in California. I live in Ontario  Canada. From what i can tell the car crossed over into Canada in 83 ,other that that I have no history. I am working at trying to track down previous owners. My question is that being built in California, what is more likely,it spent time in California  or was it built there and exported to another state to be sold. I don't know how it was done back then. Just wondering if anybody might have some insight. Thanks

[cokefirst]

You are probably out of luck.  California locked down the public information that you can get from the DMV after a stalker used the public records to find the home address of a television actress and murdered her.  After that, you cannot get the historic information on former vehicle ownership nor can you get anything on driver licenses.  Police can get some limited information by running the vin in the California system, but is it a misdemeanor to do that without a valid law enforcement reason.  Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.  I am a retired LE officer.

[djfordmanjack]

That is true.

there might also be more or less logic to each specific vehicle.
I bought one 57 wagon in England ( UK) and it lived most all of its life in the Napa valley/Bay area, CA. and, yes - was produced in San Jose!

I bought another 57 sdn delivery here in Austria/Europe and it came from LA, Ca. only to find out it was originally a Canadian built 6 cyl model !!!

On the other hand I bought another 57 wgn from Az and knew it had lived a long time on the Pacific coast, and after checking the VIN tag, of all places - it was built in - DEARBORN !!! 

I guess people and cars were all over the place back then and 60 years to come....
and as a side note - it never seems to rain in Southern California ( but it sure does)

[rmk57]

Did it cross over into Ontario from Michigan or from another Province or state ? Reason I'm asking is I brought a Ranchero from California to Vancouver in about that year.

[57 ranchero]

Well this ones custom  55 desoto grill 58 edsel  taillights  shaved handles ect  the int was salmon and white at one time 

[rmk57]

The one brought up was mostly original and I take it yours was customized when it was imported to Canada?

Heres the one I drove up from California. The yellow 1970 drag-pac was mine and the red 1969 was my mom and dads.

Forgot to mention the photo is in around 1985'ish.

[57 ranchero]

Nice  i think the customizing was done 60s 70s, judging by the parts used. The door seleniods are big 10 pounders.

[Jeff Norwell]

Please check your second thread..I found info for you.