Who Has Bonded a Car in IOWA?

Like the title says-seeing If anyone has had this pleasure and what things/accessories were mandatory? Thanks for ANY info folks!

 

A couple of years ago, I got a bonded title for a '28 Tudor...fairly simple process.

Contacted the IA DOT, I think I got the forms on their web site, called the Rep, he came to my shop to inspect the car, got a surety bond from my insurance company.

The Rep dropped off the paper work after the VIN cleared. The County Treas. let me know when the plates / title were ready to pick up at the Courthouse.

I think the bond was $50, there's the usual taxes and fees for the title and plates.

Steve

 

I also needed a bill of sale from the seller...

 

I did one a couple of years ago. I didn't have any vin numbers on anything. A couple of things I learned are to contact the dmv at the state level. The local county usually doesn't know all the current rules because they seem to change every other day. The people at the state level seemed very helpful and sent out the paperwork immediately. Once they have some photos, bill of sale and discrption of what you have they will assign a vin and send a bond form for you to take to an insurance man so you can get the bond. The state will estimate the value of your car as is and the bond will be about 150% of there estimate. I think the bond costs 10% of the bond value. After the state gets the bond info an officer will contact you and make an appointment to see your car and affix a vin tag. Anything you send to the state you will never see again so make copies or duplicates. Your car should have wheels, tires, and the frame and body you will be using. The officer will likely take photos. Have a good place in a ft door jam for the sticker. Be very honest about everything. The officers are smart and know when you are BS ing. The officer went to his car and uploaded his info on the internet and came back into my shop and told me to go to the local court house and pick up my title. All in all a simple process if your are honest and start at the state level. CJS

 

Thanks guys! But did the person inspecting the car have a list of things it HAD to have? Like signals, seat belts, bumpers, mirrors, horn?

 

What fordy 6 said. The only thing I can add is that at the time I bonded my title,when the DOT man came over with the final paperwork, he authorized the issuance of a title but suspended the tags untill completion of the build, at which time he would come back and inspect the car and sign off on it. I believe what it had for original equipment is what they look at. No big deal. Done this with 2 cars now. Sold the first before completion and am still working on the second one. Good luck.

 

The Tudor I had bonded was an original car...the DOT might have a different set of rules for a modified car.

Can you still see the VIN on the frame? Bond it before you make any changes.

 

I had a friend who built a 32 glass car . When it was all done he tried to get a title for it and was able to aquire it but at the inspection he had no fenders, mirrors, emergency brake or wipers and the DOT wouldn't pass it. Would suck to get the car all painted and have to come back and modify it. It might be worth while to ask your local DOT man what the inpection includes to be safe.

 

I bonded my '65 cutlass 2 years ago. i had the complete history on the car, the car had the correct VIN tags. it was almost like a "lost" title cost me $50. we had the DOT inspector look over the model A hot rod project setting beside it. he looked it over and asked alot of questions, and offered some advise. one thing you don't want to do is BS these guys!! one thing he will be looking for is STOLLEN PARTS. it's his job!!!!! get paper work on every thing you buy. if they didn't dig through this stuff someone could steal my rod and have DOT give them a new title!! another thing: KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!!!!!! don't tell them any thing they don't ask for!!! a friend of mine is a DOT inspecter. he told me most guys are so busy shoot'n their mouth off that he could arrest them!!!!


important fact: never tell them the title was "junked" this doesn't have any thing to do with the car, once a title is sent to "junk" there is no way to get a title.
talk to the state and get the latest info, the rules change and each county does things differently

 

We're talking about a 29 model A, with the the original frame-so the vin is right behind the firewall on top of the frame rail. It also matches the one on the floor board just in front of the passenger seat. Unfortunately like an idiot I've waited until the car is pretty far along to do this.But I'm hoping to not have to install temporary signals, seat belts and a few other things to get it to pass.

 

So chronologically the order should go something like this?
1. Obtain State-furnished forms, fill them out, and return.
2. Contact insurer and purchase surety bond on agreed price/coverage of said car.
3. I will then be contacted for scheduling of inspection of car.
4. Inspector will make suggestions, or approve and promise to be in contact.
Sorry to keep at it fellas, but sometimes when it's a lengthy process I'll need it explained to me like I'm a 4-year old!

 

non of that has anything to do with getting a bonded title. That only comes into play when you do a safety inspection. Then it is only required to have what it originally came with from the factory...unless someone has added it...then it has to function. Although you may be required to install seat belts.....but don't worry about it until you have a title.

 

bob i think i have a list of requirements from when we had a guy come inspect out street legal golf cart we built a few years back , i'll dig it up and get it to ya , unfortunately yes theyre gonna prob say side mirrors , belts , windshield wipers , e brake , blah blah blah , guy we had was pretty cool though

 

The equipment requirements are on the IDOT website.

Are you meaning bonded or special construction?

I've done half dozen bonded titles on bikes. Whenever the inspector asked about lights and whatnot I just said I wasn't fixing anything till I had a title. Worked for me.

Special construction the inspector's going to verify proper equipment.

 

At a certain age it doesn't matter, I think twenty years old or older.

I used a junking certificate for Bill of Sale on one of my bikes.

 

Matching VIN's on the body and frame, but I fear the inspector will try and consider it a special construction. THEN I'll get raked I'm sure.
It's my car in my avatar that I'll be trying to get titled/bonded.

 

Bet not. I have had nothing but good experiences with the DOT people, but of course I've always had the same inspector YRMV. Don't know how big the inspectors' districts are. The woman that's looked at all my bikes I think came out of Tama.

FWIW the last bike I did I was my own bond holder. I sent the DOT the money they wanted for the bond. Two years later they mailed it back to me. Of course if someone would have shown up in that time claiming the bike I would have lost it, but that's not a very likely scenerio. I got tired of giving my insurance company money for what in my mind is a sure bet.

 

Last year I had to take my car, to the officer instead of him coming to me. New rules, also it had to done or what he called "street legal". Been doing this for 40+ years,always changing,sometines for the better,some for the worse,but you still can do it in Iowa , so thats great Like they say, say no more than asked and doin't lie. Good luck.

 

my son lives in Cedar Rapids, he does old vintage Japanese bikes - he said mainy you need a bill of sale and of course matching numbers,not a big deal....

 

How about the process in Kentucky? Anybody gone thru that. I am building a 48 Ford Tudor, and can't find any VIN #

 

For a moment I thought you said Bondoed. Anyway, this link came up in another recent thread which may be of help if you haven't seen it.

http://www.bipac.net/page.asp?content=tag_title_toolbox&g=SEMAGA

 

When I did a bonded title a year ago it went mostly like you thought 1 thru 3. Except they didn't make any suggestions or requirements for the car. I had it in a million parts, and nothing was put together. But he didn't ask to see any of the safety stuff like brakes or lights.

I did a 1926 touring and had an engine block with the number on it. Frame did not have a number on it. The engine was sitting in one corner of the garage, and frame was under the workbench.

He signed my certificate, checking the box saying "issue title and plates". I was sure he'd require another inspection after the car was assembled, but he didn't. Whew!

My brother is in the process of bonding a '34 truck right now, and they are a little more strict. They require pics of the vehicle in your first application paperwork. The next time I do one I'll have to throw all the parts together so they look like a car in the pics. Vise grips and C clamps will be required.

For your A I'd suggest removing any modern engine and setting the stock VIN-matching block right next to the car. If you have hot-roddish wheels, remove them and put the car on jack-stands.

 

It's finished-she now has a title and plates! This time I saved half my spring work bonus to have plenty to get this whole thing done, and it took less than half of it to get it done!Filled out the form and emailed it in with pictures.
At their request via emails, I went and got a $100 surety bond from my insurance company.
Sent a copy of it in toDes Moines.
Received call to schedule inspection.
Showed up and answered only the questions the inspector asked-nice guy.
He took my vin and engine block numbers and said it'll be about 3 days, but then check with my local d.o.t., and they'll have it to pick up.
Three days later I was very excited to find they did have it there for me!
Went down to courthouse, paid my fees ($250), and walked out with my new title and plates!!!
To say I am pleased with not needing to add a bunch of do-dads, and the whole experience it's self is a major understatement!!
Thanks for all the encouragement guys!

 

awesome bob ! beasty is legit now

 

Kinda -- but not really -- OT. What if you have a title but no VIN tag on the vehicle? I'm currently looking at a '40 Chevy in Oregon that no longer has the original VIN (serial) tag, but has a current, active Oregon title with the original VIN number.

The new "street rod" rules in Iowa never mention a VIN inspection - I assume because cars of this era commonly have replaced floor panels and firewalls which would have obliterated the numbers. The provision only mentions "ownership documents."

Any thoughts? Anyone try to title a car under the "street rod" provisions in Iowa?

 

If it has a current Oregon title, just transfer it to a Iowa title and don't worry about it.

 

HAve a car that was given away. Its clean, numbers good. Just a lost title. The county (Linn) wants a relative to come in and sign off. They want nothing to do with it (widows/Grandama's car) so will this bonded title be my next step. The car is too clean to part out.

 

Okey dokey.

The verbiage regarding the "street rod" provision is somewhat vague. The application for title does not ask if the car is a street rod. The regular titling code doesn't reference if all pre-'49 vehicles are automatically considered such and are, therefore, subject to the provisions described.

 

Hi Bob
Where did you get the form to start with? I have a 1936 truck cab with V.I.N. plate and bill of sale. I don't want to build a complete truck with fenders and hood ,stock wheels first and then rebuild it after I get title and plates. How would I do this? Build my frame and put the cab on it to start with or just have them look over the cab and V.I.N. plate first ? This is a big hold up for me to get started on this build.

Thanks

 

If you've got numbers it shouldn't be a big deal to get a bonded title, Bob. My truck had to have a specially constructed title and I have a whole list of requirements from Chris Leaman, the DOT guy I dealt with. Nothing really unreasonable, though. Only the temporary fenders and front bumper "fell" off after I got my tags. I'm sure the DOT guy knew they would "fall" off, too.

See you at the Cruise next week.

Blue