I have a couple questions about titles.. I guess for all the ratrod guys that build a body out of 3 different cars.. how do you go about getting a title? Does it differ from state to state? If you buy a car that doesnt have a title, but the seller gives you a bill of sale, is that all you need to get a title? I remember seeing some pics here on the HAMB of some completely home/scratchbuilt bodies.. just curious how these guys are able to get pink slips and register these cars, because they need to be driven! Thanks for any info! Bryant
hi,i bought a mid 60s harley with just a bill of sale and it had to be inspected and passed by the police.then because i modified it so much they titled it 2002 special construction which sucked for insurance reasons.maybe if you buy one of those titles they sell for 100$?do they work?
Every state is different. Some states deal only in bill of sale on older cars, other states treat each vehicle like a million dollar car and needs matching paper work. find some local guys to get information on what they have run into with titles. Last, ask the local motor vehicle people and be prepared to receive 3 different answers from 2 people
Amen to what Tony said...in my state, the state gives a lot of leeway to the DMV employees. Meaning that one location may have different criteria from another one in the same state. And, lets not forget the "asshole" factor. I've had enough experience with my local DMV people to have a set day I go to talk to a certain old white haired car restorer who works in the registration dept.
In Missouri, you need a bill of sale for any and all parts of the car and have take it to a Highway Patrol inspection service. This requires an appointment. Using this method, the car SHOULD NOT be driven there. If you have a bill of sale for a whole car with the vin number included, then you can get the car titled as a Historical Vehicle. The easiest way to get a title is to "SELL" your car to a friend in Kansas. Give him or her about 75 dollars ccash and a signed, notarized bill of sale, including the vehicle id number. Your friend goes to the Kansas DVM and acquires an Antique Vehicle title, then "SELLS" the car back to you by signing on the back of the title as seller, You take to your state DVM and register the vehicle as yours. Done deal. I have had to friends use that method, Quick and efficient. . There are, of course, the individuals that will sell you an out of state title. Usually $100 to $150.00. Jim
I am told the worst state in the union for old car titles is Colorado. The have a process here that involve the VIN inspection by Hiway Patrol, title search at the state level, appraisal, bonding, and eventual application for a title. People have told me it is a 4-6 month process, and the car needs to be "roadworthy" to get more than a salvage title. I was told they dropped the bonding step for 25+old cars, but have not gone through the process. Fortunately I may have accidentally just sold mine to my brother in Kansas!
There is another method which is llightly more involved. Searching an old car salvage yard may produce a frame and title that matches The title and frame is sold to you as a complete car. You then cut the vin nimber from the frame(keep in mind that some of the earlier Fords, T models did not have a vin number) and cut the old number from your original frame, weld in the New number and, viola, you have a title for your car. A lot of work, but finished well, will pass the most strictest of inspections. Most salvage yards will take the frame back for their scrap metal sales, or you could sell it to your local scrap yard, yourself. JIm
as you can see by the previous posts, every state is different,you will have to find out what works in your state. whatever you do i would sugest you get a title for the year of the car and not a "new construction" title i'll tell you what works for me here minnesota. our state does not like those bought titles from the companies that advertise them,and will make you inspect and bond it. titles from new york,alabama,maryland (i think that's where some of the title companies are) are on their shit list too. i've had good luck "selling" cars to a buddy in New Hampshire and then "buying" them back from him after he gets the paperwork from his state what has worked the best is old minnesota registrations because of a loop hole in the system.. before 1973 minnesota did not have titles,only registations when you licensed a vehicle. thus a car licensed in 1972 and not in 1973 NEVER recieved a title...and is not in the DMV computer. so if you bring in an old minnesota registration ,and the vin mumber is not in the system as currently being used ( and you don't mind forging someone's signiture on the "seller sign here" part on the old registration)....the state will issue a title. this method has another advantage becuase many of the old reg's didn't have the body type on them....just make and year..so you can make them any body style you want one thing i have found out is to not get any special plates like sreet rod , collector, antique etc right away....that will send up a red flag. just get regular plates and wait a year before going for special plates
If model-t's did not have vin numbers on the frame, where do they get ther numbers from? Engine # maybe??
Anything more than a handfull is a sprained thumb. Oh, I thought it said titties ... I wondered the same thing, who in Michigan has titled a t-bucket or modified, and what did you need to do it? Did you have to show vins? Is it registered as "new"? Thanks, Jay
Yes, Ts had engine #s only. When you bought a replacement motor, the pad was blank. The mechanic stamped your old # on there. Many were left blank, many were mis stamped..........I'll let you figure the rest out Oh yeah, after production switched over in 1927, they made a few thousand more motors for replacement stock. These had #s.
you're in california,so let me tell you how it works here.go to the DMV with your bill of sale,and any numbers you can find on the frame/body (don't bring in engine #'s unless it's for a motorcycle) and tell them you want to register this car you bought.BE NICE!!! don't go in there and get all huffy and impatient because they look at you like you're crazy,you are,which is why you build hot rods.don't tell them it's a project,tell them you're "restoring" it.try to look confused and dumb.this is usually pretty easy,and they like to show off how good they are at their job when this happens.they're gonna run the numbers to make sure it ain't hot.if they don't give you a plate then and there they might send you to the CHP to have it inspected by an officer.if so,load up the beast on a trailer or tow dolly and haul it down there.act just like you did at the DMV.if the officer say's it checks out to him,then go back to the DMV and pay up.hopefully this won't cost too much at this point because you DID have the person you bought it from say it only cost $300, right?
[ QUOTE ] How about Washington (state) ? [/ QUOTE ] If you have no title it can be a real problem. A friend went through a process that included a several year wait where he was able to register and drive, but not get a title. After three years or so he was able to get a title. With an out-of-state title they used to require a state police inspection, but now only require a search to verify its not listed as stolen. I went through much of the process with a Texas title a year ago, the inspection and everything. Then the title had the engine number on it instead of the serial number, so I went through an inspection to get that changed before I pulled the old broken motor out. Last I knew it was a felony in Washington to change the serial number on a vehicle. The rules seem to keep changing, and they do have a lot of information on the state web site.
Yorg is mostly right, in CA you have to take the vehicle to the DMV or highway patrol and get the VIN inspected. Then they run it in their system to make sure it is clear, but of course you already know it is clear, see next paragraph. Then with several different forms and appropriate signatures, finally they will issue a title. I just went through this for my modified, it is a real PITA, several trips and hassles with the paperwork. The best thing to do is go down there, without the vehicle, but with the VIN you want to use. Ask them what is needed for paperwork or other documents. Have them check the VIN in their system to make sure it's clear, anything older than 10 years since last reg date is out of the system. Start the process with the different forms you need. Act real nice and smile to the person a bunch while asking for their assistance. Be polite and kinda dumb, but not letting on that you are trying to figure out the system. The key is to have all the forms filled out CORRECTLY, even the DMV person does not always know, but all the paperwork is checked in Sacramento, so they will reject it for even the smallest error. They mail it all back to you, so that you make the corrections, and then you have to mail it back and wait some more. The process is not actually that much money, but it will try your patience.
When I registered my fiberglass home built 26 T in Calif. as a 26 Ford Roadster, I went to DMV (make an appointment) with a VIN #. I told them I've owned the car since I was 16, and was in the process of restoring it. I payed the fee, right around $100.00, was given a VIN inspection form, and a pink temporay to drive it with, and was told it had to be inspected by a law inforcement officer, any law inforcement officer, not just the Highway patrol. I called the Fremont police dept. and requested a rookie to come by to inspect the VIN #. After I showed her how to fill out the form, I went back to DMV (with another appointment)turned in my form, and was given my plates. In about 6 weeks I received a Calif. title showing 1926 Ford Roadster on it. I did stamp the VIN # in my frame, left top frame rail, right in front of the firewall. Dean
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