Okay, I get it. I had thought the engine was only pulled. Can he contact the seller and maybe borrow the transmission for his purposes? I realize time has passed, the seller may have used it by now, sold it, etc.
That just kicks the can down the road. The problem reoccurs when the time comes to sell it, especially if the sale is being done by his executer
I have suggested he call the guy and ask him about this registration as that would answer a lot of questions around this. He says he will but so far hasn't. The number he has on the registration looks to me to be from a Model A motor. Now I don't know the guy he bought it from and I have no idea how he did whatever he did with the car to get it on the road, but it looks to me as if he used a Model A motor number to get it registered so he could drive it. and then pulled that, if he ever had it in there, and put the flathead in, which he took out prior to selling it. We have photos of the car with the flatty in it at different venues so we know it had it at one point. My brother has the paperwork from Brookeville showing that the guy bought the body and frame from them along with the bill of sale. I think if he goes in and shows them the car was a collection of parts until he assembled it into a complete car they will be more likely to assign a VIN to it. Appreciate the suggestions guys.
What does your brother have from the seller? Bill of Sale only? Does he have a copy of the seller’s registration?
He has a notorized bill of sale, a copy of a registration that he got from the guy, and the paperwork showing the guy had purchased the body and frame from Brookeville.
Have your brother sell it to you for $1. Then you title it in your state with a state applied serial number plate attached to the body. Then it doesn't matter what engine is in it. Then give it back to him for $1 with the new title that matches the body number. Then he should be able to get a title in his name in his state.
So there is a plate/etc on the body or frame that has numbers on it? edit: I may have miss read something
Not at all helpful here but another reminder not to buy a car without a clear title, but also if you do, don't put a dime into the car until the title mess is sorted out.
Budget36 no. There is no plate on the body or numbers on the frame. They are both reproductions. I hear ya 5window and that is pretty much how I operate now. Just so you guys can see what we are working with here is his car. The way it was when he got it and the way it was when the guy in NY had it.
^^^^^ @GordonC So how was it registered or titled in the beginning? I see Model A body on 32 rails ! ! For One thing NO Pre War Ford body's had a Vin #, Just Trains ,Frame ,Rear ,, Body is Universal .. This is why you will see on old H-Rs have there SS #s all over the body .. The frame is what you need to register / title Have brother sale you the Frame ,
If you two go this route, be aware that MA charges sales tax on the value of the vehicle, not on the sales price, so he will be paying tax on the value of the vehicle, not on $1 when he buys it back. Still might be worth it to get this task completed, just FYI.
i would talk to your insurer if they are local and see if they can send it in with all their other paperwork they did this for me and things went very smoothly
Thanks guys. I think he is going to go the assigned VIN route as it has no numbers now. Didn't in NY either from what we can tell. The only number we have been able to find anywhere is on the NY registration he has and that is a Model A engine number. He is a slow mover when it comes to this stuff but I will come back and do an update for anyone unfortunate enough to have to deal with this problem. Again, appreciate the input.
how to fix it...move to another state that is warmer and not so anel like i did now california is a fu### mess but the dmv is easy 1975 and older just pay the fees and you are good to go i said good by to mass a chew shits in 1972
So after all is said and done, you have a reproduction; which essentially leaves you no other option other than a state assigned VIN. Find out what MA. requires... and abide.
A lot of states do not require sales tax when vehicles are sold between family members. Don't know if this applies here though.
MCjim. Yes the car is a reproduction and I am encouraging him to go the route of getting an assigned VIN number. BJR I believe you are correct on the tax thing. Sales between family members were not taxed as I recall.
Would have been helpful to have that information when there was all the discussion about finding the original Ford numbers.
You only mentioned that the frame was a reproduction in your post #42. Reading through the various replies, some of us thought that only the body was a repro (Brookeville). Otherwise there probably wouldn't have been discussion about finding the Ford numbers on the frame.
There are Bills in the Massachusetts legislature presently in process to correct the sales and excise tax calculations, At this point a state assigned vin number is most likely the legal alternative. According to the law as written a bill of sale for major components as in the motor and 5 speed he installed with identifying numbers would be required and verified by the state inspector at vin number assigning and inspection at least. More forms and fees for the state.
In MA you can fill out a form saying it's a gift. They bury the link to it. IDK where it is these days
On one of my cars I got the runaround for a long time because it had never been titled in Texas but someone found a Wisconsin title with the frame serial number, which I was able to transfer normally. Crazy coincidence! Sidewards is right, these people don't know or care and it doesn't matter once you put plates on it. You are going through the motions to satisfy the man that he got his slice of your cake.
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