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1STMP

1STMP

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FBBO Gold Member
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Location
Roswell, New Mexico
I have a post "Anyone Interested?" in
members builds and restorations.
I realize laws vary from state to state
on how to title, register, and insure a
custom built vehicle.
I have a friend who's car was impounded
after countless hours of hard work just
recently, due to serial number discrepancies.
Since my build has all body sheetmetal
purchased via a bill of sale, and a from the
"ground up" custom chassis, It would kill
me if my ride (after 26 years of effort)
would become state property.and be crushed.
On my end, everything that has transpired
has been on the up-and-up. Maybe the art
of titling your ride should become a sticky.
As I have not seen anything on this site
where some have had problems getting
their rides on the road. Any, and all input
is welcome.
 
I agree. Here in Pa. it’s a major pain in the ***. I’ve heard some notaries won’t accept a Vermont registration because it has become the easiest way to obtain a Pa. title.
 
I'm fully aware of the link supplied.
It still does not address the specifics
of the circumstance of my particular
build. Thanks for your input.
 
1STMP said:
I'm fully aware of the link supplied.
It still does not address the specifics
of the circumstance of my particular
build. Thanks for your input.
Click to expand...
Yea I don't know your particular predicament but thought the rules would apply to your situation.
 
As you know it's about the rules of the state that you live in. I can tell you the hoops that i jumped through and if it applies to you it may be of some value. I bought a 31' Model A around 2005 and took 6 years to do the build. During the build process i was told by many others in the hobby "Don't worry about getting it title , it's no big deal". Well, it became a big deal as all I had was a NY bill of sale. I guarantee this Model A didn't come from NY buts it's the only paperwork that i had . The car has an custom built perimeter frame which would have been the only place numbers would have besides the long gone banger engine. So how it played out for me is that my state won't accept anything but a pervious title which of course i didn't have. I "sold" the car to my sister in M.D. which is a great state to title a car in and then she sold it back to me a month later. Now i had a M.D. title, NJ would accept that and i was now good to go. They play games with the short sighted silly rules so you have to pay games also. I don't like it but that's how it is. I don't know if this gives you any ideas or is helpful ,i hope it is. Good luck with it.
 
I don’t know if this applies exactly to your situation, every car or truck that I have ever bought, I’ve always made sure that I have a title in my name, in my possession before any work was done to them. I learned that lesson many years ago.
 
Seen car's for sale with no title and no vin number. I stay away from that type of deal. When restoring a car sheet metal dose not have the vin stamped on them like from factory. Checked to see if I needed to do that but was told not needed as long as had clean title and Right vin tag. My radiator support was still good so the vin in stamped on it. Cross your T's and Dot you I's. Make's life a lot better in the end.
 
Last edited:
Dan64 said:
As you know it's about the rules of the state that you live in. I can tell you the hoops that i jumped through and if it applies to you it may be of some value. I bought a 31' Model A around 2005 and took 6 years to do the build. During the build process i was told by many others in the hobby "Don't worry about getting it title , it's no big deal". Well, it became a big deal as all I had was a NY bill of sale. I guarantee this Model A didn't come from NY buts it's the only paperwork that i had . The car has an custom built perimeter frame which would have been the only place numbers would have besides the long gone banger engine. So how it played out for me is that my state won't accept anything but a pervious title which of course i didn't have. I "sold" the car to my sister in M.D. which is a great state to title a car in and then she sold it back to me a month later. Now i had a M.D. title, NJ would accept that and i was now good to go. They play games with the short sighted silly rules so you have to pay games also. I don't like it but that's how it is. I don't know if this gives you any ideas or is helpful ,i hope it is. Good luck with it.
Click to expand...
Good to know about MD! Don't have a title for my Charger (only bill of sale) because the original owner I bought it from lost the NY transferable registration, and NY wouldn't give him a new title because they don't keep records that far back
 
Vermont does the bill of sale thing with just a VIN so they can collect the NADA tax at 6% of the value of the car. I need to get a Pa. title for my ‘68 Satellite, and “good” condition... which is debatable as it hasn’t run in almost 30 years... $9000 is the NADA value.

when I try to get a title in Pa. it will be the same... 6% of that.

So It’ll cost about $1200 to get a title.

I only paid $250 for it without one, but it’s from Arizona, and the DMV there says all records from a dead title for over 5 years are expunged.

I bet if the car was used in a bank robbery... they would be “unexpunged”:D
 
Thanks for the replies.
I built a whole new tube chassis designed
around the sheet metal ( cab, front fenders).
No frame, engine, or trans. 1940's Dodge/Plymouth
trucks had 3 separate serial numbers. On the
cab, frame, and engine. They were not tied
to each other. They were titled in different
states using any of the three numbers, Most
used the cab serial number as it was the
easiest to access. I have no idea which
number NM titled these trucks under.
I had DMV run the cab serial number
just to see if it was stolen. There was no
"vin" number back then, and I think that's
where DMV is going to get hung up.
It came back as no record found. I didn't
think I needed a title just for body parts.
The entire process of getting a title for this
truck is going to be difficult. Added to that
is this COVID crap. I have to make an
appointment with DMV, it's at present. a
3 week wait.
 
Does New Mexico has title agencies ( little mom and pop places that can do title work for you) or just the states DMV?
 
In Ohio, which is the WORST state to do anything automotive related thanks to our troopers, even has a 'self assembled' title. Tge way tgis works is you have to show a receipt for every part you used on it including body, frame, engine, etc. Usually they use a number stamped on a tag that they rivet to your vehicle somewhere and then they let you have a title. The troopers do the inspection and it can take many trips to get it done. I had a friend did this on an antique hot rod he built up from scratch, fiberglass body, etc, and they ran him ragged before he finally got a title. He swore he would never do it again.
 
Dan64 said:
As you know it's about the rules of the state that you live in. I can tell you the hoops that i jumped through and if it applies to you it may be of some value. I bought a 31' Model A around 2005 and took 6 years to do the build. During the build process i was told by many others in the hobby "Don't worry about getting it title , it's no big deal". Well, it became a big deal as all I had was a NY bill of sale. I guarantee this Model A didn't come from NY buts it's the only paperwork that i had . The car has an custom built perimeter frame which would have been the only place numbers would have besides the long gone banger engine. So how it played out for me is that my state won't accept anything but a pervious title which of course i didn't have. I "sold" the car to my sister in M.D. which is a great state to title a car in and then she sold it back to me a month later. Now i had a M.D. title, NJ would accept that and i was now good to go. They play games with the short sighted silly rules so you have to pay games also. I don't like it but that's how it is. I don't know if this gives you any ideas or is helpful ,i hope it is. Good luck with it.
Click to expand...
I am in the same situation and wish I had a relative there to help me out. I think I have it handled, but it's been a pain that I will not repeat.
 
I’ve been told by several different DMV agencies that anything with a 13 digit serial is not in any system. So that would be any vehicle sold in the USA before 1981 MY.

I don’t believe them.
 
440 PHIXX said:
I’ve been told by several different DMV agencies that anything with a 13 digit serial is not in any system. So that would be any vehicle sold in the USA before 1981 MY.

I don’t believe them.
Click to expand...
I don't believe that for a second either, think about how many have not changed hands in a long while. That would mean they don't know who owns them so how could they transfer a title?. Ask 3 people at DMV a question and get 5 different answers.
 
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