Hello all, Excuse me if this has been discussed before, I just want to run this by all fellow MN HAMBers... I contacted the DVS and asked them about my options for titling a car of which I have no title. I have two cars that I will need to do this to a '41 Chevy that likely has a VIN and a T coupe that has no VIN (no frame or engine). They told me that I have to apply for a reconstructed vehicle title and it must be fully reconstructed before the application process can be started (I assume this means running but hopefully not painted etc.). The process appears to only require that I save all the receipts for parts, get it inspected at completion and possibly get it bonded. Ultimately, I am fine with all this aside from one concern....time passes as I work on the car, which could very well be 10+ years, and they change their policies and I am out all the money I sank into the car because I can't get it titled. So the question to fellow Minnesotans who have gone through this, are there any other options? Or, should I just go through with the rebuild process? thanks much, -david
For the one that has a VIN If it has not been registered in the last seven years in Mn you can just bond the Title Super easy. Goto DMV say you want to bond it but make sure you say something like the car was on my property when I bought the land because if you tell them that you bought it from someone they make you goto them to go get it bonded. You will have to talk with your insurance agent and he -she will bond it The bond stays with the title for three years As far as the T goes try to find a vin that is close in year and put it on do same process.
Model T's have the serial number stamped on the side of the engine. When the inspector comes to check it over for your bonded title, he will want to see that number on your engine block. No engine, no dice for that T.
So if I say something like it was in the barn at my uncles farm, its all good? Not sure anyone would believe me if I say it was at my house when I bought it...I live in the city. Does it matter if the car with the VIN is complete? It is mostly all there but has no interior, the engine isn't complete...etc... here is a picture: 344084.jpg by bradberry00 posted Nov 28, 2011 at 8:18 PM
So it is truthfully sitting at my uncles farm, my uncle however passed away 2-3 years ago. Unfortunately, not a made up story. But may put me into the right with the DMV.
Then your uncles estate owns it. If it was not mentioned in a will. Whoever is the executor of the estate is the owner now. Here you need a death certificate and the court papers. Whoever is in charge signs the bill of sale and you carry on as usual. Also here you need a completed car before the inspection and replacement VIN. If a preVIN car falls out of the system in must be issued a replacement modern VIN here. So that means painted, running, ready to be inspected and with all receipts for materials. That is so they can set the value of the car so you can pay taxes to register it.
I don't know what things are like these days, but in 2014, I applied for a duplicate title for a car I owned that had not been titled since 1968. As a matter of fact, I had lost the title (divorce, etc.). I applied for a duplicate title, and it was a snap. They required 4 photographs of the car (front, back, and both sides), and a signed affidavit stating the circumstances, along with a one page form I filled out. I had been dragging this car from one storage site to another the last 40 years, and it was in no way close to complete (there was no engine in it). I submitted the information along with the fees (less than $100), and received the duplicate title less than a month later; I also received a set of collector plates. They even gave me a temporary permit that would have allowed me to drive the car in the interim! I think there are two important factors here. The first is I was applying for a duplicate title, not a new one, and I did have the VIN number from back in the day. The second is that I worked with a woman at the Deputy Registrar that was very familiar with all of the ins and outs of the system and had a positive attitude towards what I was trying to do. Things may be a bit different these days, but I had no problem 3 years ago. On the Chevy, I would try to get your uncle's estate (or whoever now "owns" the car) to try to get a duplicate title which they can then transfer to you. On the Model "T", you're on your own, although if you could come up with the original VIN, it would ease things a lot. BTW, the State of Minnesota has an online VIN and Drivers License search function so you can see if the vehicle is still in the system. If it is, you have a different problem. Also, you may have to try several Deputy Registrars until you can find one with a person that has the requisite knowledge and the proper attitude.
Ok, I'll try and tell you how I did my roadster. I called the DMV in St. Paul--There is a lady that works in the St. Paul office that does a lot of street rod applications. She told me to fill out form PS2000-37 which is application to title a vehicle. And to fill out form 2002-01 which is a statement of facts. The statement of facts tells them how you got the body and who you got it from. And also form PS2025-E1 which is affidavit to correct the ownership record. All your receipts. Filled out all the forms and went to local DMV and got the ball rolling in 2 weeks I got a letter to make an appointment to get the car inspected. About 4 weeks later I took it back for them to put the new VIN number on it. And 5 weeks later I had my title and plates. All in all I thought it was a painless ordeal. I had enough receipts and paper work that I did not have to bond it. For not having any numbers on the frame or body that really surprised me. Good luck
Tubman, you are right - under make it says spec. and under model it says roadster and on the next line it says 1931 Ford reconstructed. Bob
When I lived in Mn, I tried to get a title for my '37 chevy pickup. I had a bill of sale from my uncle, who's farm it sat on since the 40's, which it belonged to his Dad, my grandpa. They told me NO! I had to do the bond thing with all the receipts after getting it running. I said the hell with it, and sold it to my brother. He did finish it, and tried to get a title also. They gave him a run around, he had every damn receipt!, and wouldn't give him one either. I believe there's 3 different ways to get a title then, 2006. He tried all ways, ended up selling it to a guy that won a 25 mil lottery. He tried everything to get a title also. Mean while he had it completely had it redone to the T's. He told my brother he could not get it titled. My brother told him he would give him his money back, just return the truck. Never heard from him again. I had done it with a '67 Camaro back in the 70's. They gave me a 3 month title & plates. They pulled it for no reason, and wouldn't issue another, and I had a signed receipt from the original owner, who had moved out of state for schooling. I brought my '27 Tudor sedan with me to TN, I gave the 3 pictures of the empty bare body, and they gave me a title, 10 minutes. My pictures I took when still in Mn before leaving for here. Go out of state! Pat
Fill out the statement of facts and submit 4 pictures. Procedures changed last year so that now they no longer want to bond title a car missing a lot of stuff like sheetmetal. They want what looks like a car not a pile of stuff. Some have received titles after filing some have had to apply for a bond.Seems to be a crap shoot what the state does. Finding a insurance company to issue a bond are getting tough to do although I did the procedure this spring on a OT car and did find one. I know some who have done the special construction route and received titles although I would avoid that route if possible.
My words of wisdom are don't messs with or move the vin tag, Ihave a 1947 Willys p/u built from varoius cars , the moment ya do anything with vin ....now you find out about MN issued VIN ,not that big a deal ..just adds time to the process
I will run through exactly what I did last year to bond a title for a 54 Chevy I pulled out of the woods. Walk into a dmv office said I need the paper work to bond a title for a car. Of course at the dmv you will be dealing with idiots and probably only the manager will have a clue what to give you but I digress. Once I got that I filled out all that asked for and took the four pics of car and one of the vin. Next took that to my insurance guy. the big corporate or internet insurance guys will not work. Needs to be the small ma and pop Main Street guy that is willing to help u out. He took all my stuff filed what he needed to with the big wigs at State Farm and when bonding u pay 1.5 times car value. Which mine was only worth $100 cuz it was junk. But they would not bond less than $1000 value. So I write out a check for $150. He sent that in to get all signed and had it mailed to me. Then took all the paperwork from insurance guy and the dmv forms I filled out and brought back to dmv. Paid the fees and had a green title in hand three weeks later. Just had bonded stamped on it. Which stays with for three years. I even sold the car and the bond transferred to him. Basically bonding is the insurance company insuring the car for 1.5 times the value to the dmv saying if it's stolen. We(te insurance company will be responsible for car and pay damages) pheeeew
Oh ya don't use dead uncle story. Will make u get a death cert. My story I used was I pulled it home for parts 15 years ago and I do not even remember where from and was going to crush it. Now I want to restore it. Use no names or I got it from this persons etc. they wil say find that person and have them get a duplicate
Minnesota did not issue titles to cars until 1973 , before that there was just a registration. if the car was not licensed in 1973 it was not issued a title if you can find one for your car old Minnesota registrations can come in handy
Ill try the bond method first I guess. For clarification it was never my uncles car. It is mine I bought it 15+ years ago for a couple hundred bucks and it has been sitting in my uncles pole barn for the last 10 or so. I will just tell them that it was pulled out of a shelter belt for parts 10-15 years ago and I don't know anything else about it. I imagine this will be easier to do in a smaller town, maybe I will drive out to a less busy DMV. thanks for the suggestions -david
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