Hey guys, a couple questions about bonding for a****le. I bought a 26 T coupe, have the eng serial number, a bill of sale, and a letter from the DOT the prev. owner has stating the car does not have a****le. So I understand the car has to be appraised, and the someone can claim the car for 1 1/2 times the declared value for up to 3 years. Question 1. Do I start working on the car before going into this process, cause right now 1.5 x the value is about a 6 pack. So if in 3 years I have panels repaired, the frame and drivetrain done, some body could in theory claim it as their long lost ride? Question 2. Who or where do I start the process with? I have the form from the DOT for bonding, but I dont quite understand the process Question 3. How much will all this cost? Any other info is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys Brad
First thing that you will want to do is check with your insurance co. State farm bonded mine with no problems. They will want to know the value of the T and then will bond it for a percentage of what the bond was worth. It cost me $50 and a week of waiting.I have the DOT inspectors hot line I will P.M it to you later. they are a really good source for info. I'd get it to you now but I'm running late to work and the number is in the shop.
Thanks Master, I think I saw your ride at torquefest last year, but I never got to meet up with ya. Appreciate any help, im way excited about this Model T. Brad
brad - no info at the moment but i'll check w a friend of mine who would know ! now get to work on that thing ! you still goin y block ?
I think so, I bought one cheap that ran, but not many affordable options for 4 or 5 speeds so Im not sure yet, will see what parts come my way. Brad
grew up in north iowa, here in arizona you can have a car inspected and file for an abandoned****le, Very simple, not sure if Iowa has anything like that but worth a try. The bonded****le idea made me nervous like you said, hate to have someone claim your car after all the work
If you haven't already asked, your county treasurers motor vehicle license department could probebly answer the questions.
Not sure about Iowa,but Illinois is a nitemare to get a bonded****le .Have a friend thats been trying to****le a stock Model A for better than 9 months. It had a clear current out of state****le but they couldnt read the engine number on the car and he didnt want to pull the body to check the frame so they told him bonded was all he could do. And here it has to be running drivable before they will do it ,plus thats when it has to be appraised. Good Luck.
I've never done a car, but have done half a dozen bikes. Most of your original post is wrong from what I've gone through. The DOT will****ign a value, and set the bond amount. If someone steps up to claim it, the bond's theirs not the car. Last bike I did I was my own bondholder(sent the DOT a check). Got it back at the end of the term. No interest, but better than*****ting it out to the ins co. If you're in the same zone as me the DOT lady that comes to inspect is super easy to get along with. http://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/ovs/bonded.htm
I've never done the bonded****le thing personally, but a friend did, and found it fairly painless. But he was building a street rod and had a lot of modern parts on his car.... I'm interested in hearing from the other guys who have done it about the final inspection. I noticed on the DOT site that things like turn signals and wipers are inspected and I hadn't planned on installing either on my AV8PU.
Unfortunately I don't remember the details since it was decades ago, but I had a 33 Ford with a New York "title" that the Iowa licensing folks didn't like. I bonded the car with a State Farm agent, and then received a clear****le one or two years later. However, last month I had the DOT inspect a 59 El Camino that I bought out of New York. No****le, just had a registration slip. The DOT guy checked the VIN number, finding that it indeed was for a 59 Elky and that there were no claims against it. He okayed the car on the spot, giving me a copy of his paperwork and FAXing a copy to the Marshalltown registration office. Same day I went there and received an Iowa****le, paid my fees, and left a happy camper. By the way, the DOT officer was Ryan Ridout. You might get his cell # from your county treasurer's office. He filled out a "Special/Reconstructed****le and VIN Approval " form. A nice guy; give him a call.
I have gone through the Iowa bonding criteria and it was mostly just a bunch of technical paperwork. I had to submit photos from three sides of the car and a rubbing of the VIN. Send out a registered letter to the last known address of the previous owner, and then greet a DOT inspector to look over the vehicle and varify the VIN. He informed me of the things that would need to be fixed to get it licensed for the road, and was also a car nut, so very helpful. He then sent back a value and I had to find an insurance agent to buy a bond for 1-1/2 times the amount of the value stated by the inspector. Like has been stated , the bond is to compensate a previous owner in the three years you wait for a real****le. I was told that anyone coming forward in that time claiming the car would have to sue to get it back and without a police record on file for theft, it would be considered abandoned. No case.
Wow, tons of iowa guys online today, Thanks to all for the info. I have talked to the county people, they gave me the bonding form for the dot. I am concerned as far all I have is the body and a rubbing of the serial number from the engine block. I did not take the engine since I have no use for it. So if someone where to inspect it now, they would see a coupe body, a model a frame, a couple y blocks and a 40 ford front axle. Thats all I have thus far. I have to be thrifty on this car so most parts will be used. Again, thanks for all the info, Hamb rules. Brad
Of the bikes I've done there may have been one of them that ran/rode, everything worked. When she comes to inspect and asks about lights and whatnot I just tell her I'm not putting a penny in the thing until it's****led. Pretty common sense. FWIW I helped a buddy do a 70s TA he'd bought several years ago from an impound yard in CO. First he was gonna do a Texas****le or transfer VINs off another shell he had. I told him this was cheaper, easier and legal. When the car was inspected he got to talking with the officer and fessed up what he'd originally been thinking. She told him they'd been cracking down on that sort of thing and basically you're opening yourself up to a world of trouble.
Thanks again for the info, talked the dot several times on the phone, this really doesnt seem to bad so far. I sent in my paper work today, They will mail me an****igned vin number so I can get a bond for 1.5 times the value they declare, I mail the bond back to them, then they inspect and stamp my frame and finish with a****le. I will update as things progress. Brad
Well good news on the****le front. The dot required a bond of 10500 dollars for the t. That cost 105 dollars so good deal Im thinking. I got the bond in the mail today, signed it and sent it to the dot. Next step is the inspection of the parts and them to stamp the frame with the vin they****igned my car. I will let yall know how that goes. Thanks again for all the advice on this. Brad
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