Title Anyone?

[RustWrangler]

Hey Guys, just looking for some thoughts on Vehicle Titles, a while back I pulled a 67 step-side Chevy out of a guys field and cant wait to get started on it. (waiting for my garage to finish being built *woohoo*) well on this field rescue there was no title which did not bother me at first because here in Georgia they will not title anything over I believe its 20 years old.

I'm kind of old school and really think I should have some kind of title on this vehicle especially with all the time, effort and money that will eventually be poured into it. has anyone else had similar issues?

Just kind of looking for solutions or opinions, does it matter? should I title it in another state? can I? etc any thoughts would be great

Thanks Guys!

[JimmyFloyd]

See if you can register in it Georgia with the Bill of Sale. If not, try a title company.

[tonypaul]

I would try to find a second parts truck with a title and swap cabs or the parts that you could use to get it titled.

I dont know how else to put it other than coming out and saying that- I feel that swapping vin tags on old restorations like this should be totally legal. As long as you have legally own both the trucks whats the harm? Its not like someone is stealing something. But thats just my opinion.....

[burb71]

Originally Posted by tonypaul

I would try to find a second parts truck with a title and swap cabs or the parts that you could use to get it titled.

I dont know how else to put it other than coming out and saying that- I feel that swapping vin tags on old restorations like this should be totally legal. As long as you have legally own both the trucks whats the harm? Its not like someone is stealing something. But thats just my opinion.....

I'm with you tonypaul !!!
Or if you can get your state to register it as older than 20 years, just as good!

[RustWrangler]

Registering it and getting a tag for it is no problem they just will not issue me a title for it because of its age. Georgia, go figure??

guess I just keep the thought in the back of my mind that if for some reason I ever wanted to sell it I would be limited to selling it in GA without a title. I may be wrong, not sure... and the fact that a Title says its MINE!

[KEL]

Here in Maine, they really do not want to issue a title on a vehicle that old.
They will, but it is an extreme circumstance (can't remember what) and you
pay for it. And strange enough, they just started requiring a bill of sale to go
along with the title on sale of newer vehicles. Makes no sense at all.

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by tonypaul

I would try to find a second parts truck with a title and swap cabs or the parts that you could use to get it titled.

I dont know how else to put it other than coming out and saying that- I feel that swapping vin tags on old restorations like this should be totally legal. As long as you have legally own both the trucks whats the harm? Its not like someone is stealing something. But thats just my opinion.....

Opinions aside....Please don't encourage anything illegal here.

The "harm" is nothing with an honest guy swapping parts around like you suggested......and an honest guy is what percentage of the general public? Besides, it only takes one theif to ruin it for everyone.

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by tonypaul

I feel that swapping vin tags on old restorations like this should be totally legal. As long as you have legally own both the trucks whats the harm? Its not like someone is stealing something. But thats just my opinion.....

Below is a photo of a friends small window stepside. It was stolen two days after this show and the vin tag was swapped with one from a wrecked truck using the correct rivets which were then aged with acid after the switch was made.
The thief sprayed it flat black but didn't change the wheels, grille or any of the rest of the details. When my friend saw it in a shopping center parking lot he checked for the fuel pump bracket I had welded to the frame above the rear axle...it was there, along with the stainless hardlines we installed for the holley pump. DMV and the local cops would not assist in the recovery as the donor wreck was leaglly titled out of state and then the title was transferred.

Mayhaps this will happen to you!

[tonypaul]

Originally Posted by Fitz

Below is a photo of a friends small window stepside. It was stolen two days after this show and the vin tag was swapped with one from a wrecked truck using the correct rivets which were then aged with acid after the switch was made.
The thief sprayed it flat black but didn't change the wheels, grille or any of the rest of the details. When my friend saw it in a shopping center parking lot he checked for the fuel pump bracket I had welded to the frame above the rear axle...it was there, along with the stainless hardlines we installed for the holley pump. DMV and the local cops would not assist in the recovery as the donor wreck was leaglly titled out of state and then the title was transferred.

Mayhaps this will happen to you!

cause if your actually read my statement I said if I owned both trucks, not owned one and stole another one..... My statement is this should be legal in the world of restorations.......

Oh course this is not legal, is it done in restorations? yes.... But if thieves want to steal someones truck they are going to. Swapping VINS in restoration projects has nothing to do with the fact that your buddies truck got stolen. The problem is that the thieves were so stupid not only to change the vin but they did nothing to change the appearance of that hiddious truck after they stole it.......

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by tonypaul

cause if your actually read my statement I said if I owned both trucks, not owned one and stole another one..... My statement is this should be legal in the world of restorations.......

Oh course this is not legal, is it done in restorations? yes.... But if thieves want to steal someones truck they are going to. Swapping VINS in restoration projects has nothing to do with the fact that your buddies truck got stolen. The problem is that the thieves were so stupid not only to change the vin but they did nothing to change the appearance of that hiddious truck after they stole it.......

I read your entire post and understood it. When you allow swapping vin tags you open the door to crooks cheats and thieves. Keep that door firmly closed!

[jablack]

I've bought 3 of these old trucks without a title. I know someone who works at a dealership processing titles and I have her check out the vin before I buy. So far no problem. I do wish I could have a title though..

[fine69]

I would give my left testicle to live in a state where there were no titles needed for old stuff.

Consider yourself blessed.

[raycow]

Originally Posted by fine69

I would give my left testicle to live in a state where there were no titles needed for old stuff.

And which testicle would you like to give after your non-titled vintage truck gets stolen and you need to prove it's yours?

Ray

[milled]

I HATE THE DMV!!!!! They are the most unhelpfull people in the world

[72freak]

Originally Posted by raycow

And which testicle would you like to give after your non-titled vintage truck gets stolen and you need to prove it's yours?

Ray

Registration is proof of ownership...it comes with VIN numbers......However...YES....no title is STUPID!

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by 72freak

Registration is proof of ownership...it comes with VIN numbers......However...YES....no title is STUPID!

I agree. For the amount of money, time , blood and sweat we put into these trucks it is really dumb to start with one that has no title. There are plenty of them around with a clean title that will give you a whole lot of piece of mind vs. a truck with a questionable history or no documents to prove it is yours.

I would be afraid the last guy with the title for the truck would show up at my door and want his truck back after I had spent countless hours and dollars on it.

I had a Camaro for two years that I had a title for but when I got hit by a guy running a red light and the insurance company was looking it over they found it had mismatched VIN's. Turns out the car was stolen 20 years earlier and the dash VIN had been swapped with another Camaro of the same year. The VIN plate on the dash was held on with screws that were only visible when the dash pad was off the car. The insurance company that paid out the original claim 20 years earlier took the Camaro with no compensation to me what so ever.

Moral of the story, the last person with a legitimate title for the vehicle can take it from you at any time no matter what. A bill of sale from somebody who really doesn't own the vehicle legally or a title that really doesn't belong to that vehicle won't save you from the real owner with title in hand.

[4tiresngas]

RustWrangler. Georgia will give you a title. I have a 69, and they gave me a Georgia title last year. It just cost me $38.

[72freak]

Originally Posted by 4tiresngas

RustWrangler. Georgia will give you a title. I have a 69, and they gave me a Georgia title last year. It just cost me $38.

The above is only correct of the truck came with a valid title at the sale.

If there was no title at the sale, and the chain of title has been broken...Georgia will NOT issue a title. If you bought the truck and it came with a VALID title...they will issue one.

Now...with that said..........If the truck was last titled in the name of the person you bought it from and he has just lost the title......as long as you have NOT registered it in your name yet the truck is legally still his in the computer and he can apply for a duplicate title and then send it to you.

As long as the LAST legal owner of the truck had a title...that person can apply for a duplicate. If the person you bought it from did not title it but put tags on it in his name....the title issue id DONE and there will not be another one issued in GA.........

Now...there are several solutions and a few non legal ones have been mentioned above....the title companies DO NOT do Georgia last time I checked....BUT..the easiest, quickest and only legal way to do what you want if the chain of title has been broken is to sell the truck to a friend, family member or trusted board member in another state that does do titles (South Carolina) and once the S.C. title has been issued buy it back. South Carolina will issue a title on a Georgia Bill of sale, sale, and you dont even have to have proof of insurance to register it in S.C. You now have a titled truck. Its done every day and its legal!!!

[68 TT]

I'm a pessimist on this no title issue.

I would be worried that when you tried to get plates for the thing it would come back as a stolen vehicle when they ran the VIN number. Have the cops check it out before you spend a penny on it.

[67oneton]

Arizona DMV has a few ways through this wormhole.

1. If no title, they will do a VIN search. This is a Level II inspection (you bring vehicle to their facility).

If VIN comes back stolen, your vehicle is immediately impounded (can be as simple as a $500 frame/chassis or a $500k collector car like a title washed Shelby).

2. If VIN is clean, they check the door/dash plate with frame stampings and other numbers marked by the OEM.

If the numbers don't match or you have non-OEM fasteners (eg., sheet metal screws rather than the proper steel rivets) - start your yoga and bring the lubricant. Worst case; they impound the vehicle. Likely case, you're going to vista the courts. Best case, they deny title and send you back (although you leave with vehicle, minus some processing fees).

3. If everything checks out up to this point...AZ DMV will print and affix a permanent AZ VIN stamp to the vehicle and create a new title to match. (you'll want to have lots of documented proof of ownership with notary stamps and all).

Or...the DMV might register the vehicle as a "owner constructed" unit and give it a new title, VIN, etc. Unfortunately, the vehicle is now considered a 2010 (assuming this year) model and must meet 2010 AZ Emissions tests, etc.

OUCH.....up to this point.

However, the economic collapse of '09 has a silver lining. I recently bought a truck in Colorado and took it down to my local AZ DMV. Normally, out of state vehicles (regardless of paper) need an inspection before plates. The DMV's budget got cut by the state (AZ is going broke like California). They gave me plates without the inspection. Evidently, Level II's are more the exception than the rule.


Long answer to a simple question. Bottom line - I would not buy a vehicle for use in AZ without a real title. Would also not buy on a GA Bill of Sale. Too much risk that some day down the road, somebody shows contesting ownership and my car/truck gets locked up in some storage yard as I pay lawyers.

[72freak]

Originally Posted by 67oneton

Arizona DMV has a few ways through this wormhole.

1. If no title, they will do a VIN search. This is a Level II inspection (you bring vehicle to their facility).

If VIN comes back stolen, your vehicle is immediately impounded (can be as simple as a $500 frame/chassis or a $500k collector car like a title washed Shelby).

2. If VIN is clean, they check the door/dash plate with frame stampings and other numbers marked by the OEM.

If the numbers don't match or you have non-OEM fasteners (eg., sheet metal screws rather than the proper steel rivets) - start your yoga and bring the lubricant. Worst case; they impound the vehicle. Likely case, you're going to vista the courts. Best case, they deny title and send you back (although you leave with vehicle, minus some processing fees).

3. If everything checks out up to this point...AZ DMV will print and affix a permanent AZ VIN stamp to the vehicle and create a new title to match. (you'll want to have lots of documented proof of ownership with notary stamps and all).

Or...the DMV might register the vehicle as a "owner constructed" unit and give it a new title, VIN, etc. Unfortunately, the vehicle is now considered a 2010 (assuming this year) model and must meet 2010 AZ Emissions tests, etc.

OUCH.....up to this point.

However, the economic collapse of '09 has a silver lining. I recently bought a truck in Colorado and took it down to my local AZ DMV. Normally, out of state vehicles (regardless of paper) need an inspection before plates. The DMV's budget got cut by the state (AZ is going broke like California). They gave me plates without the inspection. Evidently, Level II's are more the exception than the rule.


Long answer to a simple question. Bottom line - I would not buy a vehicle for use in AZ without a real title. Would also not buy on a GA Bill of Sale. Too much risk that some day down the road, somebody shows contesting ownership and my car/truck gets locked up in some storage yard as I pay lawyers.

It should be that way everywhere........But Georgia wont do it! once chain of title is broken.....its done!

[ehuth1]

Originally Posted by 72freak

the easiest, quickest and only legal way to do what you want if the chain of title has been broken is to sell the truck to a friend, family member or trusted board member in another state that does do titles (South Carolina) and once the S.C. title has been issued buy it back. South Carolina will issue a title on a Georgia Bill of sale, sale, and you dont even have to have proof of insurance to register it in S.C. You now have a titled truck. Its done every day and its legal!!!

So who is our S.C. hookup on this board? I'm having a title problem as well.

[72freak]

Originally Posted by ehuth1

So who is our S.C. hookup on this board? I'm having a title problem as well.

There are plenty of SC board members.....my contact is not on the board.

[mr48chev]

If you have or can get a notarized bill if sale from the guy you bought it from that should work to get a title on it. Ideally the seller would have had (usually someone from the sheriff's dept) inspect it and fill out the form that they use. If you haven't touched it yet and are inclined to do that I would see if you can have it inspected and give you the filled out inspection sheet. Your reason to give the sheriff is that it has been sitting on your property for X amount of time and you would like to do something with it. They run the vin and make sure it isn't reported as stolen and then you proceed to get it in your name.

There are fully legal ways to do these things but you do have to do your homework and jump through a few flaming hoops some times.

The GA info is here https://etax.dor.ga.gov/ but I think we have a lot simpler way of doing things here in WA.

And it looks like there are some flaming hoops to jump through. The main thing is that you want to be proof positive that the truck wasn't stolen at one time and dumped on that farm. If it has an old tag on it or an old registration slip or old insurance slip in the glove box there is a pretty good chance you can do some hunting and get it squared away.

[big d's red67]

Here in Jokelahoma if you give the vin to your local DMV office and pay a small fee, you can file for lost title. Don't know if it's the same in GA but it may be worth a try.