M818 WO/W info requested!

[RedTop]

New to this page and military vehicles in general. We have acquired 2 military trucks that have been sitting in our impound yard for several months. We are required to notify the last known/registered owner that their vehicle is in our possession and give them the opportunity to claim the vehicle. We have been able to track down info and get a letter sent out for one truck, but the other is proving to be much more difficult. The DMV has tried to help by doing a VIN lookup but this is coming up blank. This truck is a 5 Ton 6x6 M818 WO/W. It has an ID # 05E66971C12414373, although the painted number on the rear of the truck appears to start with an OS or 0S. Is it possible it was registered under one of the several other numbers on the plate on the dash, or just not registered at all? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[big block 88]

Probably never registered is my guess.

 

[RedTop]

That's kind of what I'm thinking which means it'll be pretty much impossible to track down a previous owner. Any idea what the year might be? Can't seem to find that anywhere either and the ID # clearly doesn't decode like a regular VIN because there is no way this is a 2001

 

[big block 88]

Data plate in the cab will have year and make on it.

 

[NDT]

The VIN is C12414373. That is what is stamped on the frame. Try running that. It's a 1971 model.

 

[m16ty]

If it never was transferred from the government to a individual (SF-97), it could be hard to find the owner. Did you tow it to the impound? If so, where did you pick it up? There are some people that would know, probably Government Liquidation, GSA, GovDeals, or GovPlanet, but getting them to provide that info could prove difficult. There is also the slight possibility that it still belongs to the government.

Around here (TN), all you have to do is run a notice in the local paper. That satisfies the requirement to make effort to contact the owner.

 

[RedTop]

It's a complicated situation. The trucks were being stored here by a previous employee for his friend. Employment ended on not so ideal terms so this employee is no longer speaking to us. He left the trucks here without any info for his friend who owned the trucks, so we would like to be able to notify his friend as it is not his fault, before we proceed with trying to title and resell the vehicles. In ND the process can be a bit more difficult for vehicles that do not come up with info on a VIN search because it then has to go through the courts which is a giant pain. Not to mention that in order to title the M818 since it is not coming up in the system we would have to make a bunch of modifications first.

 

[Nomadic]

in that case, you should verify with the police they were not reported stolen.

 

[RedTop]

Tried running the VIN that NDT recommended. Still a no go. Where on the frame would it be stamped? I'll send the guys out today to crawl around in the snow and find it. Lol

 

[RedTop]

in that case, you should verify with the police they were not reported stolen.

Already did. Plus the PD here will actually call around to the 2 impound lots in town if anything is ever reported.

 

[lindsey97]

Sometimes the insurance company or tag office adds x's or 0's to the end of a vin # to make it 17 digits, to get along with computer systems when registered/insured. Be sure that isn't the case.

 

[m16ty]

I'd be willing to bet the SF-97 was never applied for or never converted to civilian title. If that's the case, the military, or the auction house is the only ones that would have info on them.