Gathering the history of your Series

Just a few short notes if you like me are after some history of your Series. These are just odds n sods that I've learnt whilst researching mine.

1. Previous Keeper
2. DVLA V888 Form
3. Heritage Certificate from Gaydon
4. Google maps/searches
5. MOT History

First stop - Previous Keeper especially if you've only just acquired your Series. They might have already done a chunk of legwork for you!! Mine hadn't so now the fun begins.

DVLA V888 Request - Download the form or get one from the Post Office - fill it in, attach your cheque/PO for £5, also don't forget your bill/proof of ID (you don't get it back, so nowt important). I requested details of previous keepers, MOT info, VED info, SORN info, Colour changes, Engine Changes and any other details they might think would build a nice history file.

Got it back this morning, DVLA don't hold MOT info, so that's another request. I did however get back, scans of the 1975 'V5' which is the first one they had post computerisation in 1974. I also had a list of previous keepers along with scans of the 'V5' keeper change slips. I also found out my Series 3 has had a colour change and engine change. I have a list of Tax Discs/SORN Periods going back to 1999. There was also the mystery of the 2nd keeper who had given a dodgy address so have I got a Series with 1 less keeper than registered?!? Not according to the DVLA - so a potential history gap there then but nothing major like colour/engine change so no biggy in my view.

So the DVLA V888 is a goldmine - takes about 4-6 weeks and costs a few quid - well worth it if yours has a few keepers and you suspect colour changes etc.

Heritage certificate from Gaydon - £40-60 depending on how posh you want it - lower end gets you a laser printed piece of paper with your Series' details on it. Upper end - a posh looking certificate and recorded delivery.
Did this for FiL's Lightweight for his 65th birthday gift - was it worth it - maybe for a lightweight or if you're going the whole hog of nuts n bolts resto, but for curiosity maybe a bit rich. Also, this is what you need to prove the historic status to get tax exempt status with the DVLA, so it might save you a few quid in the long run if the 40 year rule is coming up for you.

I then had a quick mooch about on Google maps just to be a bit nosey and see the sort of areas my Series had frequented - he started life in London in what now seem to be quite decently priced areas. 1st keeper had him for 14 years and moved once. Then he came to Wales and seemingly did farming duties for the next 19 years before moving to Cardiff. This is where Google scored a hit - a googlewagen mapped the street where Mulberry was sat in July 2008 - so I can see not a lot has changed since then to when I got him. Incidentally, this owner I suspect did the engine and colour change or at least registered them with the DVLA.

The new MOT history site is pretty decent for giving an idea of your Series' mileage and 'faults' down the years. I'm going to do a request to the DVSA (Vosa) for previous MOT stuff and see what comes from that. My Series seems to have done no/very little mileage so that's my reason for checking - Is my speedo duff?? Seems OK to me as it moves and the speed reads OK when tailing the wife's modern Mondeo on a straight at various pre agreed speeds to check its roughly right.

That's it for now - as I discover more, if indeed I do, I'll add the methods here.

Good work! Will have to do mine now

I would certainly like to know more about mine! Its certainly got some History with me being the 13th owner! Some good advice there

If you need any pointers - give us a shout - I did take photo's of the filled in form so I could post them up with my details scratched.

Done a bit more research yesterday - 1974/5 was the time when the DLVA took over registering vehicles and local councils who'd previously carried out this duty should have kept the records, but alas, with the passage of time and merging/reorganisations in the mean time you might be hard pressed to find any pre-74/75 records in existence.

Mulberry was a Londoner to start - London/Middlesex county council - only a handful of records from 1914-1920 exist apparently due to London being so big and being bombed etc so I haven't even ventured a request with the London Metropolitan Archive people. There is another 'group' who might hold records for vehicles from elsewhere but they are a volunteer group and charge £10 and it might or might not be worth bothering. The website is www.kitheadtrust.org.uk - please read through it before just jumping in as they are volunteers and have put quite a lot of useful stuff on their site which will give you pointers as to whether or not its worth proceeding.

Perhaps we could start a History of Series' thread proper and try and help each other with titbits of knowledge we dig up.

one of the other bidders on my s1 kindly gave me its military history which he had obtained prior to bidding which I thought was very generous, he got it from someone that runs one of the ex mod clubs

I did most of the things you suggest with mine. 13 previous owners - I haven't found the motivation to start sending letters! I know the first 3 owners were farmers, the first in Abney near Hathersage and the two later owners both in Derbyshire. Several owners later it lived in Exeter, then Scotland before coming South again!

It is nice knowing at some of the history. Good tips and suggestions.

Sounds very interesting. There are a few previous owners of mine I'd like to slap.