Technical Changes to the rules for VIN/Serial verification in California.

Keep in mind that vehicles from that era were usually titled and identified by engine numbers. If the engine has been changed at some point you might be at the end of the road toward registration.

 

If it is a Model A the engine number also appeared on the left frame rail just under the body (you have to pull the body to see it). The '32 and up Fords used the serial number that was on the frame and visible on the top of the left frame rail near the steering.

Charlie Stephens

 

Is this a complete, or reasonably complete vehicle?

If so, DMV will look at it, and verify the numbers. If they don't approve, they will send you to CHP to check them.

It is only when you have a pile of parts, and no paperwork that this becomes an issue. If you have no complete vehicle, a bill-of-sale is not enough.

 

It's looks like a car, I think it's only really missing the tail lights, rear glass and some motor parts. I can put the rest back together to look the part. At this point I really hope it's still in the system, but I can hold onto it and wait until I move and try there.
Hi, My name is Oldtimer and I have a problem.....

 

You're moving? Where to and when?

 

If it's that together, then DMV will just inspect it.

Trailer it there. If they ask about any missing components, say you are searching, they are hard to find, and it will be non-op, until complete.

 

Still the same, possibly in 6 years after retirement.......just have to find the spot.

 

If it's still in the system, it's registered to someone who theoretically has the pink slip.

 

That could be bad....but I hope it's to the person I bought it from.

 

I got lucky with my '46 Ford recently. Bought it with a title, but when going to register it here in SoCal they wanted to see the serial number or vin on the vehicle. So fortunately I was able to cut a section in the trunk to reveal it on the driver side frame rail.
Took it back to AAA but was told CHP had to verify.
Took it to them (very friendly) and they said yep it matches! Back to AAA and finished the CA registration.
GB

 

I found the Vin and was thinking on making an appt with the DMV........I guess that out of the question right now. Maybe in the future the system might reset.....yeah I know wishful thinking.

Car in question. Looks bad with multi color spray paint on it and side/rear glass out of it:

 

Neat-o....a little Hilman or Anglia ?

 

Making it more and more difficult to get a title so that you can register a car and give them money every year, typical bureacrat thinking.

 

Not really.

This is Making it more and more difficult to get an unlawful title so that you can register a car and give them money every year.

Once more, for the people in the back row, who may not have heard me. This rule change was pushed for by insurance companies, to tighten up on fraudulent titles being obtained for stolen cars.

Not at all sure how theft deterrence, and keeping insurance rates low are your idea of bureaucratic thinking.

 

California is at the top in stolen cars of US states, because it is at the top in cars of US states. It is a simple numbers game.

California has over 32,000,000 active registration records for vehicles, as of this time. That is pretty good, for a state with 39,560,000 people.

Of that 32,000,000, only a tiny percentage are customized, in any way. Of that tiny percentage, the number that pertain to folks like us are another tiny percentage. Rods and customs were, rightly so, not ever considered when these rules were changed. I say rightly so, because you cannot have one set of laws that deters fraud for a certain class of vehicles not apply to other vehicles.

Every possible illegal scenario involving high-dollar cars is present in every large metro area. As California is the largest state, by population, those are all here, and thriving. You see posts on this board, regularly, about car and trailer theft. It is a fact-of-life in all 50-states. We just have more cars, and better weather here.

Due to the large population, and the large size of the state, there is a constant appetite for car purchases. There is a huge profit to be made in breaking the law, if you can manage to get away with it.

Yes, these rule changes do make it harder to title a car that has no paperwork, but it does not make it impossible.

Some of you might like to disagree, but it should be difficult to title a car that has no paperwork!

If it were otherwise, we would be right back to a free-for-all of vehicle theft. Please tell me that none of you are actually for that.

I just managed to get my project titled. If I can do it, you can do it, too.

 

If/when the DMV is open, call in the VIN/serial and ask if there are any records on the car.

Get some wheels on it, and get it on a trailer. Make an appointment with the DMV, when we are off lockdown.

The seller needs to fill out REG262. You can figure out how to make this have the correct info. That is up to you

DMV or CHP will fill out REG31.

You will need to fill out REG227, and Planned Non-Operation form, REG102, if that's what you are after, REG343, and section C of REG256.

Make sure that the VIN/serial is clean, and easy to read.

Take the car to DMV, just like that, plus wheels, and have them verify the number.

If they tell you that you need to get a bond, go here, and get one: https://www.suretybonds.com/

The process is described here: https://www.suretybonds.com/blog/how-to-get-a-bonded-title-in-california-in-4-steps/

The cost is: "$10 per $1,000 of coverage, starting at $100". There are some rules and exceptions, but none should apply to you. Take that bod back to the DMV.

In 10 or so days, you should have a title.

 

Oh crap!! Nevada will re-write their rules to match California, they allways follow Cal.

 

btt

 

Gimpy, thanks for sharing all the DMV knowledge with registering a vehicle.

Question regarding Serial and Engine numbers.
What would be the correct way to fix the VIN so it corresponds to the hull rather than the block? Is this the procedure?
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/reg_hdbk/ch22/ch22_10

Thanks.

 

Yup, and a statement-of-facts, describing what you are trying to do, and why, which is REG256.

You will need a verifier to check the numbers, or haul it to the DMV, They will fill out REG31.

 

Hillman Husky
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1958-59-hillman-husky-build.1109102/

Thanks again Gimpy, you gave me hope. Sounds like a plan after this mess is over. Maybe I'll put as much of the interior/exterior together as I can with the parts that came with the car just to make it look more like a complete car.