Lesson learned today...Never trust a random car seller. Over a year ago while deployed I saw a craigslist ad for a 1949 Ford 2 Door. I didn't know much about the car but I liked the looks of it, and the price was right (It was just a rolling shell) My wife and a friend went and got the car, brought it home and here in AZ it sat, while I finished up my deployment, redeployed and spent almost a year in El Paso, TX while waiting to get out of the Army. I am sure you know where this is going.... I got home and decided this week I really wanted to start working on the car, doing some research I started to noticed that my car did not look like a 49, but a 50. I pulled the title from my files and sure enough, it said 1949. I called my buddy and he assured me that he had checked the title against the 'VIN". To me that was a warning sign, I know that these cars don't have a VIN like most but a data plate with a serial number. So tonight armed with a flashlight and some cleaner I went hunting my data plate. Found it on the firewall; right were it should be...for a 1950 Ford. I used some paint stripper to remove the layers of paint on the plate(hum, kinda hard to verify it if it is covered in paint; thanks bud). I wrote down the serial number and came inside, where I quickly verified my fears. The car is a 1950 Ford 2 Door, not a 1949. The serial number on the title does not match the serial number on the car. I got hosed. My wife can't find the guys info and I have since gotten rid of my laptop from Iraq and didn't save the emails. It is in the end my fault. I feel like an idiot. I got cheated and I could have easily caught it. So now what to do? File for an Abandoned or Salvage title on the 1950 serial number? Call the DMV and give them my story? What to do about a 1949 title that I don't have the car to? Buyer Beware for sure. Last time I ever buy a car without looking at it myself.
Two things you could do, 1. Register it with the '49 title, drive it and never try to sell it as long as it never gets inspected by the state, or 2. Get the thing titled with the correct serial number whatever the hoops you have to jump through in Arizona so that someday if you wanted to sell it you could. Go to the DMV and just see what they want from you to get it titled correctly. and... I hope that their is a special place in Hell for someone that would knowingly cheat a deployed serviceman.
I live in Illinois, so I am not familiar with Arizona Motor Vehicle laws. However, first thing I would do is research the AZ regs about obtaining a title for a "no title" car. I would not, at this time introduce the '49 title into the conversation. Just do research to see what it takes if you had bought the car with no title in the first place. Once you know that, you'll be better equipped to decide the next step. In my state you can obtain a bonded title. That amounts to getting an appraisal, a bond for three times that amount (fairly inexpensive), pay the normal state use taxd title fees and you are in business. Most states have something similar. You will probably be advised to "use a Title Service", like Broadway Title, Alabama or wherever. Not sure they are still in business, but several states, mine included, have become wise to that approach and I have been told their paperwork is no longer accepted. Ray
Am I missing a part of the story? Both your wife and your friend went somewhere to pick up the car right? ... sit them both down and have them tell you where they got it. Show up (wearing your uniform) and start asking questions ... there is a remote chance the seller gave you the wrong ownership. I do realize this happened over a year ago but they must remember where they bought it I would think.
Call your local Highway patrol or DMV and explain the situation . Or you can call Broadway title or other title companies and they can search that vin and if it is not on record you are probably good . and thanks for your service .
They did go get it. They remember that it was off the 303 loop but that is it. My wife is the type of person that can never find anything twice without a GPS. I love her, but land nav is not her thing. My friend, well, no luck there. And it has been over a year for them; a lot has gone on since then. I wish I knew where the guy was. I'd love to talk with him, because you are right; it may have been an honest mistake.
Thanks for the tips guys. I think my best bet right now is to try for an abandoned title. I won't just use the 49 title because I refuse to put money and work into a car I don't have the right paperwork for.
It's too bad they can't lead you back to the seller ... As far as I am concerned that ownership is useless for anything. Best bet is to try to title the car legally using the number on the tag. Keep in mind that it could come back as stolen when they run the numbers. As you stated, not worth putting a penny into it until you settle the ownership issue.
Ah..didn't think about the fact it could come back stolen. Joy. To top things off, I sold my 1962 Continental this week so I could fund the project.
I think the risk of it being stolen is very low.........getting a title still remains a problem though. Best wishes. Ray
az title processes are fairly simple. first have the vin # ran to see if its stolen, if it checks out file for a bonded title. the whole process usually takes about a month.
find another '50 that needs body work that you can use parts from current '50. strip it and just sell as a parts car so it will not be a total loss. rethink whether or not you really want this car, year, body style, etc. maybe just move on to a ride that you really like. we all make deals that we should not have done. don't beat yourself up about it. Thank-You for your service to our Country and all that you have done.
keep in mind they may have bought it that way also. mistakes can happen. or he might have had a title , and bought a close shell to match.
Thanks for the tip. Will the MVD run the VIN for stolen? Again, thanks; glad to hear that it is not a ridiculous process.
Thanks for your service! Sorry you got hosed, try contacting a lawyer who does work for a dealership in your area. they seem to know the right people.
Just because you don't still have the computer it doesn't mean that you won't have the emails. Just go to your account and search way back (unless you erased all of them from your account). I hope this works out for you and thank you for your service!
ditto on the thank yous Unless the seller jumped title, his name and address of the guy you bought it from should be on the title or the receipt you got.
Oh I wish....The title was a very old certificate of title from the 80's. Previous owner on it. All in all a bad deal. My wife had a bill of sale with the guys info but she cannot find it.
You could go to the DMV and apply for a lost title. Or just be honest and tell them what happened. If you get a good clerk they will help you through it. If not, leave and try a different office.
Theres always a chace be gave you the wrong title. Lots of guys who sell shells own more than one car of the same style or make. GOOGLE is your friend if you have any info on the car. I know California DMV drops cars out of the system after a certain number of years. If it's a ten year old title there's a good chance the 50 is not even in the system. First thing is to check the VIN in the database.
yeah, the mvd will run the vin to check if its clear. if the title is from the 80's i'm guessing its one of the small white slip titles, if you dont get the right person at the mvd they look at you like you are holding a stone tablet when you show them one of those.
You could have a new replacemen vin tag made to match the title..... no big deal if the sheet metal doesn't match the paperwork.
Thanks for the help. I got the form from the MVD and have a title company coming out to do the vin inspection. Decided while I am at it to do a few other vehicles I have that have no title
One Big thing somewhere somtime someplace there was or still is a 49 that has a vin tag that matches the title he has. that car could possibly have a legit replacement title buy some owner who went the legal route. Or the 49 could be stolen? You enter that vin into todays computer connected registration system and you never know where it could lead? Not worth the risk to me Old Wolf
The thing anyone should do when a problem like this pops up is to contact the people who will issue a title. Why would you NOT contact the DMV first and simply find out what needs to be done instead of asking on a message board? Ask the proper authorities first and then if the situation is impossible you can determine if there is a legal way around it. My 2¢.
Got the paperwork to go get my Title today. The DMV process is not too bad. I had a third part MVS come out, they did an inspection, sent in the paperwork with $10, about 45 days later got the authorization to get the title. YAY
When I took my bought out of state Studebaker to DMV for title, the inspector said my paperwork didn't match the tag. Looked OK to me. But she just changed the paperwork to match what she was reading. So I left with what I came for and all is good.
The Jalopy Journal
