I'm looking to buy a glass '32 body that came off a running car. I comes with a 'title' and generic looking VIN tag but I'm wondering what problems I will run into with it when I go to transfer it at the CA DMV. I notice that the title calls the VIN the 'engine' number. That won't match on my car. Have any of you dealt with this? My simple mind says that as long as I have a valid, signed title and pay the sales tax I should be good with the VIN tag affixed to the chassis. Am I missing something? The title looks official enough in the pic....... Is there another section I should post this question? Thanks in advance for your help.
Look at the paper this "Title" is printed on. You will see that it is just regular paper stained with tea and then ironed. Study the quality of the embroidery printed around the edge, this is a copy of a title not an actual printed title Now look at the paper from any other title you have that you know is real and you will notice the difference in thickness and type of paper .
Does the serial number on the title match either the ACTUAL serial number or the engine number that you will use ?
That's some amazing shit just from looking at a picture! CSI-- HAMB! Is the State seal a really embossed?If so, it's probably OK, if not, it's junk Do you have an old registration? Bill of Sale with VIN # and buyer and sellers names?? Gotta have all 3 in Mass., or all hell brakes loose. (and you can't copy a title; they've got built in "blockers" so it shows up as a white space.) If it is, go in and try it and act DUMB ( "This is what the previous owner gave me. I just want it changed to a new title in MY name")End of conversation! No big long explanations! Hopefully THEY'LL act dumb too, not knowing anything about old cars. If they start to question it, ask for it back " so you can get more info.", and screw. Re-group, and try another Registry Office. Sometimes they suck, sometimes they don't. Good Luck.
In most states, whether a particular document is adequate to transfer title depends on the whims of the person behind the counter at the DMV. You'll get a hundred answers from people here, and none of our opinions matter at all, especially not the ones from North Carolina, or Wisconsin, or Massachusetts, and particularly that idiot from Colorado. None of them know dick about California law. The only opinion that matters is the person behind the counter at your local DMV in Cali. If you have a title and the car has a VIN tag with the engine number shown on the title, it's worth a try. If you need anything more, the person behind the counter will tell you.
Why not ask the CA, DMV? All the info you get here is just guessing. All the titles I have ever seen are issued to the chassis and engine number. As for how real the paper title you now have, who knows. The title that I received for my '46 Wagon from the state of New Jersey was a work of art comparable to a stock certificate. Unfortunately the NY, DMV made me surrender it when they issued a new registration. I pleaded with the agent but he wouldn't "bend the rules".
How can the date on a title for a fiberglass car be dated 6/12/39? Fiberglass had not been invented yet in 1939. I would run, not walk away from that cluster fuck.
I'd advise looking into a bonded title, through a local title company that does land deals. Less hoops to jump through & trustworthy enough to then go get your new tags. I've dealt with Mo Dot in the past , bought a 65 Scout at an auction & my title was given to another buyer, who held it hostage until the seller got his title which was lost. Upon receiving it , the original 1965 title I'd noticed the joker had put white out over the original owners name thus nullifying it. A few trips with it on the trailer to let State Troopers sign off on it & I was on my way to finally getting a solid title. What a mess & lesson learned. Flux
All the titles I have seen in my many years either have the BODY SERIAL NUMBER or the ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER, but never both. I agree, all the info you get here is guessing, because of the rules in our own individual states. Contact your CA DMV, their answers will be guesses, as well, but their guesses become the rules you must follow. If you have not purchased this body yet, my personal advise would be to walk away and find another body. Trying to right a wrong is NOT worth the personal azz aches.
Mike Bowling.... I think that's the best advice once I have it in my hand. I won't have the body yet so I can just say "I'll come back with the car and title." Elsewhere on the interweb (so it MUST be true!!) I found some other 1930's Missouri car titles and they all looked just like this one and the paper was fairly thin because the lettering on the back was coming through. I haven't bought the body yet and am just doing my due diligence. The deal is pretty good so even if this doesn't work I'm no worse off than I am now..... a pile o' parts and no title. Thank you all for the feedback..... I think I'll go ahead with the buy and roll the dice. I'll let you know what happens!
Keep in mind, back in 1932, the serial number was not known as "vehicle identification number", as stated on that VIN tag that you have.
Yeah..... I'm gonna have to do something about that. CA titles don't have engine numbers so I assume that'll be the new VIN.
Artificial, bogus, dummy, ersatz, factitious, imitation, false, faux, imitative, man-made, mimic, mock, pretend, sham, simulated, substitute, synthetic. RUN!
Be aware that some DMV folks are very knowledgeable about the proper placement and letter style of the official Ford numbers. They will laugh and maybe have your car visited by an impound truck driver when they see that fake tag. No such thing as a serial number on a tag in 1932 Fordland.
Looks real pretty next to the METRIC bolt. This is a fake tag. Every CHP officer that I know can spot this in half a heartbeat.
I agree that the tag itself is bogus...just one of those generic tags that can be bought and stamped with any number you choose. The number itself, however, begins with '18' and that, at leas, is what a 1932 Ford serial number begins with. My guess is, the title (an "Historic Document") was purchased somewhere along the line, the tag obtained and stamped with the serial/engine number that is on the title, and affixed to the body. The fact that the title was issued in 1939 'screams' that it has no legitimate relationship to whatever vehicle, or in this case 'part of a vehicle', it is now being passed along with. Were the title and body genuinely associated, I'd have to believe the title would be in the 'Seller's' name and have been issued in a much more recent decade. You may have some success transferring the title to your name, providing a vehicle inspection/verification isn't required. But I doubt that will be the case. No Inspection worthy of the name would accept that "VIN" tag as legitimate in it's own right, much less attached to a fiberglass replica clearly non-existent in 1939. ( "Hey Charlie, come here, you aren't gonna believe this one!"). Since you are okay with having the body on a "no title" basis, I suppose none of this matters. But I would damn sure get a properly detailed Bill of Sale as proof of ownership transfer because that Title sure ain't it. Ray
Bogus as hell. The "date" of the title is 1939 but the body is fiberglass? Yeah, right. Also, that title (including the "seal") looks pristine...like it just came off the press -- which it probably did. Stinks to high heaven.
In Missouri you can file to have a new vin tag installed, but they are provided by the DOR and installed by the highway patrol. They would also have all of the forms to back it up along with a new title. We also have to have a VIN verification done by the highway patrol or inspection station when transferring a title from another state. They look at the title, VIN tag, motor number and fill out the form required to title it in Missouri. In the process they mark if it is being "rebuilt". A lot of states are going towards that, not sure if California has or not. There are also some states like Illinios that have went back and verified the last 10 years worth of title transfers and confiscated a lot of cars that had paper trails/VIN numbers like this one. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I had one of those same fake Missouri titles in my hands once, someone is making them, and making the tags to go along with them. In a state like Wisconsin, where getting a new title doesn't involve anyone checking the numbers on the car, it might fly and it might not, depends on the person behind the desk. If the number on the title isn't being used somewhere else and they issue you a new title, run that fucker, why not, fuck the DMV. But that's Wisconsin so apparently my advice means very little. However I can tell you for sure that the title pictured is absolutely, 100% recently made fake BS and not in any way a real state issued document. I had the exact same one but with the numbers changed. The seal is surprisingly authentic looking, someone must have found or made an old timey notary punch. If they could find some old brown linen type paper, they'd be more authentic looking.
Also, I was under the impression that most state installed serial number tags were riveted in place instead of a sticky-back tag.
The '32 Ford (I assume it is a Ford) had the serial number stamped into the top of the left frame rail and not on a tag. If you get someone that knows what you are doing there will be a problem. Charlie Stephens
I think that California is the LAST place I'd try to pass that title off as real....didn't some big name car builders face jail time in the last decade or two for fake paperwork ?? It's pretty obvious that this stuff (title and ID plate) are completely fake...
To, the best of my knowledge, Illinois did not confiscate vehicles....but they DID recall Titles and licenses issued in those cases. Ray
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