Cars Without Titles

[Willowbilly3]

This kind of seems like a post about really stupid things gearheads do so I'll ad mine. I answered an ad for a 66 olds F-85 coupe with a V8 stickshift. The guy has no title and claims to be the rightful owner through some convoluted chain of events. I run the tags and vin through the cops and it is clean, pay him the $100. Then I find out what all it takes to do the bonded title thing and in the course of that I find the last registered owner. I call him and he says he gave the car to his nephew a few years back and I need to talk to him. After a bunch of phone tag I get in contact and he claims the car was stolen from him. Well he won't pay me the $100 I have in it or sell me the title. After a few months I sold it and another 4 door I did have a title for, only I told the seller the truth. He didn't care and used the 4 door title.
Sooo.. even though I coverd the bases, I still het a dead end and just abamdoned the project instead of dumping any $$ into it.

A couple years later I got to be good friends with the owner of a wrecker service and I would just have him impound my titless cars and run them through the legal impound process and get them titled that way.

 

[hitman]

A couple years later I got to be good friends with the owner of a wrecker service and I would just have him impound my titless cars and run them through the legal impound process and get them titled that way.

Exactly. It is infinately easier to buy a unit that already has a title, but if your pushed into a corner this is the easiest way to go. I kinda took the long way around in explaining that in my last post.

 

[Willowbilly3]

so where would i look for numbers on my 30 model a? i have the frame it came with...and another frame i got from a friend that is under it now...

where would numbers be on the body? lets say it has no numbers....can i get it stamped like a trailer...stating it was "home made" or "custom built" ???

thanks, joe

The engine had the vin but it is also supposed to be about right under the cowl but I have never looked for or found it.

 

[RODMAN58]

I have had similar **** happen

not to that degree but I have had to pay off a bank lein on a old truck. A very old lein. I have also had X wives with hold titles to vehicles estranged husbands have sold (with bills of sale). Always get some kind of paper work.
Unless you plan to use it as a parts car beware. And before you dump a butt
load into it make sure you got clean paper.
Rod

 

[RUSTY50F1]

This is what I'm going thru . I bought my truck a yr ago and have been making payments on it. I made my last payment but the guy has moved, and I can't find him. I know he has the title. So what can I do to title the truck? Can I file a title 42 and get one.

 

[RUSTY50F1]

Bump!!!!!!!

 

[flatheadgary]

i don't mean to be a ****, but this is why i build more drag cars than street cars.

 

[Broncobilly]

Hello all,
I just came over here from the HAMB, after a few folks recommended this site. Like what I see!!! Anyway; I bought a 53 50th anniversary Ford F250 about a month back, on Ebay. The seller has no title for the truck. This is the first time I have ever bought a project vehicle, sans no title. The truck is in NE, and will be titled in WI (where I work on my projects at my parents garage). I won't be able to pick up the 53 until Memorial Day.
My worry is; I will be towing the 53 on my flatbed on I-80 through Iowa and NE. As some of you my know, the IOWA state fuzz is pretty vicious. I am sure if they see me towing my 53 heap, they will probably curb me, in order to check vin #'s etc. So; I am wondering if anyone can suggest a qualified titling service? I guess my first step would be, to run the Vin on the frame or glove box of the 53 - with some police agency, to see if it is stolen? Next would be to see if I can find the last title holder? I guess going through the NE DMV? If anyone could offer some advice, on obtaining a title, I would be greatful! You could send me a PM. Thanks all!

 

[Bonehead]

Around here you would need a bill of sale to start. Even if you are hauling the truck and do get stopped, here in America you are innocent until proven guilty. The Po Po runs the vin on the truck, and it comes up clear, ( no record found), and you are on your way. Another cool thing we have here in America, is a "reasonable suspicon" rule for stopping people. Unless you are doing something wrong, ie speeding, lights not working, weaving, etc.
So haul on BrocoBilly, and bring us back pictures of your truck.

 

[joehalford01]

i agree dude, you can haul it with no worries. find out what your state requires and have all the paperwork ready for the seller to sign when you pick it up.

 

[Broncobilly]

Bone & Joe,
Thanks for the input! I will have a bill of sale from the seller, as well as a printed out copy of the Ebay sale. I will see if I can have the vin # run, before I haul the truck. Just to be on the safe side I have relatives in NE (Near Geneva), so I have ridden I-80 many a time. Often I have seen the "State PO PO" pull over a hot rodder/restorer, with his 'new' project on the trailer. I guess there looking for meth or something, hidden in the rusted carcus

 

[Bonehead]

The are also regs on tiedowns, you should have 4 seperate tiedowns as far as I know.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Around here you would need a bill of sale to start. Even if you are hauling the truck and do get stopped, here in America you are innocent until proven guilty. The Po Po runs the vin on the truck, and it comes up clear, ( no record found), and you are on your way. Another cool thing we have here in America, is a "reasonable suspicon" rule for stopping people. Unless you are doing something wrong, ie speeding, lights not working, weaving, etc.
So haul on BrocoBilly, and bring us back pictures of your truck.

Several years ago I sold an unfinished and untitled 1934 Harley VLD that I had built. It really wasn't for sale but this wannabe biker ask me to put a price on it and he took it. I offered to go down and get a notorized bill of sale with him and he refused saying his mom worked at the dmv. A few days later he is hauling the bike through Colorado and gets pulled over. He ended up in the slammer for not having any paper work on the bike.

 

[Bonehead]

Sounds like there might be more to the story. It is also against the law to remove or alter the VIN.

 

[RatHead]

Sounds like there might be more to the story. It is also against the law to remove or alter the VIN.

Correct and THEY can tell IF the pop rivets are original or not..IF not then it will be inpounded...

 

[Old Gold]

I'm in Michigan and if I purchase a car from a state that does'nt issue titles on cars a certain age, as long as I have a bill of sale I have a chance. Registrations from those states don't help. The car MUST have a vin tag tho.
All vehicles here need a title(i.e. trailer). The vehicle has to be checked by the State Police, they run the no.'s, if its clear we get a slip to title thru the DMV. I can also purchase a car locally without a title and do the same process. In all cases it is BUYER BEWARE. I can still get stung. Make sure all paperwork is approved before investing any more money. We can also get a build title, need all receipts and if any major component from another vehicle was used you have to have a salvage title from that vehicle or bill of sale from an approved recycling yard. It's pretty touch and go and all at the descretion of who you may be dealing with.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Sounds like there might be more to the story. It is also against the law to remove or alter the VIN.

In many places Harleys kind of have different rules. A good friend of mine bought a 56 Panhead from the original owner back in the 60s. Many years later he got pulled over in Stugis during the rally for having his goggles up. They went over his bike with a fine toth comb and with a mirror decided the casting #s on the bottom of the engine case halves didn't match and impounded the bike and he spent the night in jail and the next 6 months getting his bike back. Apparently the original owner had to replace one of the engine casrs at some point. In Colorado, I'm told, not having any proof of ownership is the same as stolen on Harleys.
Oh, and on the rivets, I know there is a mustang restoration place that sells the correct rivets for 60s and 70s Fords. I am sure you could find GM and maybe Mopar ones too.

 

[YoungBlood]

Is this for real?

http://www.getnewtitle.com/

All you need is a vin number and some dough apparently.

My buddy is doing this for his 37 Chevy pick up. He filled out the application and sent them $350 and apparently a title is on the way.

Damn. I wish my truck had a vin number.

 

[RUSTY50F1]

My VN is on the fire wall; I am going to cut the old fire wall out and put another one in, because mine is in bad shape. So what do I do about the VN tag. If your not suppose to remove it.

 

[RatHead]

My VN is on the fire wall; I am going to cut the old fire wall out and put another one in, because mine is in bad shape. So what do I do about the VN tag. If your not suppose to remove it.

That is a great question and depends from what state you are in...when i lived in illinois the Secretary of State Police where the one's that would handle this..hope this helps.keep us posted...