I bought a 48 Plymouth business coupe a couple years ago that didn't have a title. I knew I was going to have to bond the title, but shortly after the purchase, IL changed the bonding process. From what I've read and heard, you have to have a basically finished car before you can start the process and it takes from 3-6 months to complete, if your lucky. So my car has a serial number on the door post. I have a few friends in law enforcement and they ran the serial number through to be sure nothing came up. (ran it 3 different times) Finding it clean, i built the car. though not real HAMB friendly, the car is a basic 1st gen Dodge Dakota with a 48 Plymouth shell on top of it. Nearly everything came from the Dakota or from the 48, very little mix matching on this one. It was built to resemble a mid 60s dirt track race car and was intended to be street driven. As I neared a complete, functioning car, (it drove in and out of the garage), I went to a local license service to see what they thought I needed to begin the title process. I figured i could begin the process as finish the car as the process wound down. According to them, I needed a signed bill of sale, a picture of the serial/vin number, an appraisal (wholesale value of the car) from an IL state licensed used car dealer with a statement the car was basically complete and could be repaired well enough to be safely driven on the streets of IL, and an insurance bond worth 1 1/2 times the appraised value. They even suggested where I could get the bond. I had a signed bill of sale (one with the serial number included is best), and the picture of the serial number was not a problem. I have a friend that happens to be an IL licensed used car dealer, (I owe him a favor). He signed off on the required state form stating a wholesale value (state requires a min wholesale value of $500) of my car, and that it was/could be road worthy. With that info, I went to the insurance company to buy my bond for 1 1/2 times the wholesale value. Bonds are sold based on a per $1,000 value at $50 per $1,000. The minimum the company I was at would write was a $2,000 value, that cost me $100. On Dec 28, 2011 we submitted the paper work for my bonded title.The license service told me to expect problems because they have never submitted for a bonded title without some sort of issue. We made copies of everything we submitted to the state. Other then the $100 for the bond (and the favor I owe my friend) the title process cost the same as any title process involving the state of IL ($95 title, $25 Tax, $15 service fee, $100 for the bond, and there will be $99 for plates,= $334 total)). I did not apply for license plates at that time, so that cost will still be added. Today, Feb 29, 2012, I got the title for my 48 Plymouth! Almost 2 months to the day! The title states it is an original title, nothing about being bonded. Now I can finish up the little odds & ends and do the brakes (I was waiting until I was close to receiving the title). Then I can buy the plates and go for a ride! Come on nice weather! I can be riding in less then 2 weeks. YES!!!!!!!! Pictures, this thread is useless without pictures. A few from when I bought the car, and 4 from December when I started the title process. Since then, a rear bumper that looks a lot like the front bumper has been added, and several other things, but the cars still looks much this way. It will be a work in progress. Gene Gene
sounds like you did your homework and followed every step, Happy to hear it went smoothly for you. Bookmarking every thread I can find on IL title process. Thanks
After hearing all the DMV nightmares here, glad to hear one finally went our way, congrats on a nice looking "fix-r-upper"!
I like the way your plymouth looks with the door bottoms and rockers pulled in, it makes the car look smaller and lighter. I have a 46 ply coupe with typical rust belt rot that will probably get same treatment to the bottom of the car as yours. Glad to hear that your title situation went ok.
When I first started reading this I was expecting a not so happy ending. Glad it all worked out for you.
This is the first positive story I've read regarding the nightmare of titling and bonding a car in this corrupt state. I actually have a slight bit of hope now in buying a car needing a title! Kudos to you on your success!
Glad to hear your experience with the IL DMV went well Gene. They kept my '32 Ford title and I will have to go thought the same process later this year. Wish me luck. Mark
I think maybe a lot of my easy and quick success was because there was still factory numbers very visible on my car. They probably ran those numbers and when they came back clean, the bond, and signed appraisal probably made it real easy for them to rubber stamp the thing. All I know it the Vintage Torque Fest will be more fun this year. Gene
Nice to hear. Im tryin to see if i can get my truck titles in about a months time. (I know, I must be high) Sucks knowin it probably wont happen, so i wont be driving it to torquefest.
From what I hear, the lady in Mt. Vernon who was causing the ruckus has been relieved of her position.
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