Texas registration w/o a title...

[Revhead]

I don't have title for my '49. I have a bill of sale from a guy that probably never had it in his name either. It's the way of the country. Now I have to try and title it. I had the DMV search for the VIN and license and both are too old to be found. (last registered in 1968). So... I was wondering can I just walk in and say I lost my title and need a new one? If they have no record of who owns it, why can't I be that guy? Think this would work?

[BELLM]

Probably not. You could probably take the bill of sale, jump thru hoops, do a bunch of paperwork, eventually get a title. Or you could use a title service.
I just sent Broadway Title $136.00. Others in Texas tell me it works. Will know first hand soon.
Good luck!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Revhead]

let me know how that works out for you. Sounds like that's my best bet.

[Hellbilly_Buzzard]

take a look at this thread and an email i got on behalf of 53choptop . should be of good help to you.

Hey a fellow Rocketeer, nice Olds!!

Here is the info, on the 36 it may be easier to get a title for it since its older, don't know, but if you can find a serial number on it this is the cheapest way to do it.

The "Statement of Fact" is the main document, ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/vtr/forms/vtr-130-sof.pdf answer the questions on the form and do the following:

Get the serial numbers of the car, if you don't have em, they may be on the frame somewhere, my 53 for example had them on the front passengers side frame horn, if they are on the frame get a pencil etching of them.

Steps:

1. Go to your local Texas Dept of Transportation, now, If I remember correctly this is where I went. What we need to do is get the serial number cross referenced with the old title/previous owner, this way
we know if the car has been reported stolen. If that's a go, then you need to get the address of the previous owner and they should be able to give it to you right away. I didn't have problems
with this, but this was about 4 years ago. Unless you have a friend that is a police office that can run the serial numbers. What you want is to get the most recent owners address.

2. Once you get the address, send that address a letter, letting them know you have a car you purchased from a (fill in the blank) that was junked and you plan on fixing but can't proceed without the title, let them know if they want it back they have to pay you for storage, fee, etc give them a nice hefty amount to discourage them from wanting it back. Send it "Certified, Return Receipt Requested" mail, that way if this address has no one living there, then it will come back to you unopened, or if someone signs for it you will get a receipt of the signature. What we are trying to do is let the Vehicle Title and Registration (VTR) office that you attempted to/contacted the owner about the title and, if you get an unopened letter then that means you are home free. If you get a signed receipt back, then wait about 4-6 weeks for a response, no response constitutes no interest on the "owners" part to get the car back.

NOTE:
The only bad part about this process is if you happen to get a letter back from the owner wanting the car back. Legally you are entitled to it because you bought and there are ways of proving that, but if the previous owner is a prick and reports it stolen, just because he is an ass, then there is other paperwork you need to file before that happens. This is unlikely. It's all in the way you write the letter. Make it seem, without sounding harsh, as if it will cost them an arm and a leg for getting back a junked car. If you have started working on it, engine, suspension, don't let them know that. Let them think they will be paying to get back a basketcase they were trying to get rid of in the first place.

3. After you have everything in order, submit the paperwork at your local VTR office and wait for a hearing, which is really just the Tax Assessor signing the papers and asking you a couple of questions. Once the Bond hearing is approved you can now apply for a title. The cheapest way of doing this is just applying to get the car registered as an inoperable vehicle (if it is still under construction), this way you don't have to get insurance for it or have it inspected. Ask the VTR office about it once you get to this point. I remember correctly this way the title will come several months later instead of right away and you wont get plates either, that's why it only cost about $25 to register a car this way.


I have done this twice with no problems.

A couple of tips:

Don't give the "owner" (name on the title) a phone number, email address, etc., preferably just an address with a PO box number.
Try to make the letter as "sophisticated" as possible to confuse the reader and avoid dealing with whatever it is that your "selling", this way they won't reply, try to use legal jargon.
Make a copy of the letter just in case it comes back unopened you can show the person handling you hearing what the letter said.

That's about it. It's kinda long, and drawn out but its the cheapest way to get a car titled under your name. Most people don't like going through the hassle, but it worth it.

Hope it helps. Oh the second form is just in case you can't find the serial number you will need to have it inspected by the DMV, they may have other rules about that so you may want to look into it.

Rey

Here is where you get all the forms

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/vtrreginfo.htm?pg=form1

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB3&Number=478450&fpart=1 &PHPSESSID=

[Revhead]

awesome info Hellbilly. I'm gonna try that.

[willowbilly3]

It seems to depend on the local DMV. I have a friend with a 31 A coupe he pieced together. Local DMV in Canton gave him fits, wanted an appraisal and the title insurance for 1.5 times tha appraised value plus sales tax on the appraised value. blah blah blah, jump through hoops until you go postal. Goes to the next county over, walks in with a bill of sale, badda bing, badda boom he's reigistered and has a title. He had to use a friends mailing address in that county. I think it cost $50. Seems every county interprets the laws differently. The small countys like I live in have these sweet old ladys that can't find their ass with both hands and get all confused if you have something a little out of the norm. I spent an hour in there on day trying to register my 68 pickup as a classic, finally gave up.

[lesabre59]

I bought an out-of-state title from a title collector/seller, took the title ONLY to the Tax Accessor office and said i wanted a TITLE ONLY transfer, when the title came in i went back a couple months later a with my TEXAS TITLE, i told them i wanted to registrer it with antique plates (no inspection need) and its all legal now!

[Slide]

I don't know if this will give you anything to think about, but I had to jump thru some serious hoops to get my 52 registered in TX after moving from North Carolina. My situation is different but if you have already swapped motors, there might be something to consider.

My NC title had a VIN# that was "too long" for TX, so they wouldn't honor it as a valid VIN. (It was the serial number from the body and the serial # from the original engine combined.) According to TX, the VIN on a 52 Chevy should be the engine #. But I have a 74 model engine, which came from a truck that would use the body # as the VIN. Long story short, they had me produce a document that stated who/where I got the engine from, and they assigned a whole new VIN# to my car and had me stamp it on the engine block. If one of the other suggestions don't work out, then you might try getting a new VIN.

[lesabre59]

If you get the out of state title, and go for TITLE TRANSFER only, then they will waive the VIN validation, then after you get your texas tilte you can register it. If you dont want to go the Antique Plate route they will require an inspection first.

[jeffro]

Call this place!
LJB title 972-289-7022.
They are in Mesquite and have done WONDERS for me and my title problems.

[Slide]

[ QUOTE ]
If you get the out of state title, and go for TITLE TRANSFER only, then they will waive the VIN validation, then after you get your texas tilte you can register it. If you dont want to go the Antique Plate route they will require an inspection first.

[/ QUOTE ]

Believe me, I tried that first. Barney Fife has too many relatives working at the regional office in Carrollton.

[smittyshotrods]

Broadway Title--I have been using them for a few years now and it works great and is hassel free when you get to the DMV.

[53choptop]

Wow...I've been lucky I guess with the cars I have titled, either that or its probably the flirting http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[seymour]

there's also a lady that goes to all the DFW area swap meets that sells most her classic car titles for $35-$50.

[Revhead]

I thik I met her seymore at pate. All she had was a title that was already signed over to someone else. Those don't work I had one of those for my '54 chevy.

[ABone312]

The title to one of my cars was already signed to someone else when I got it. All we had to do was get one of those Statement of Facts forms and had it filled out, basically saying that the car was sold to this other person, but the deal went bad and he was now selling it to me. Took that down to the DMV and transferred the title.