Question, Lost Titles

[DMiller]

Posted on Trucks forum as well,

When looking for parts machines to fix my Brother In Law's old GMC I did manage to find the one I fixed up but then still need another for the BIL truck, what I run into a lot is 'Lost title, easy to get will supply Bill of Sale' from people that either HAD a title and did not register or failed to get a title where in MO if do not have original ownership of a title you cannot get a replacement or Lost Title. How bad is it in other states?

Told a couple of less than desirables here to get that "Easy to Get" replacement and I would be happy to buy the machine, needless to say still advertised NO Title.

 

[Ronsii]

I've had people tell me that around here also.... the last time I went in to get a 'lost title' for a vehicle I had already done work on to get it driveable the gal at the dol office starts going into how I need to go to some other office and apply for some other inspection that starts at 200 bucks and then fill out a lost title application and some other bs.... I followed her instructions a couple steps but every step the next person added on more steps so I said screw it... it just wasn't worth it!!! I got the feeling it was turning into a full time job just to get a frickin title. So the next time somebody tells me it's easy... just a 20 dollar lost title application and you're golden!!! I think I'll whack em' with a blackjack

 

[Mother Deuce]

I've had people tell me that around here also.... the last time I went in to get a 'lost title' for a vehicle I had already done work on to get it driveable the gal at the dol office starts going into how I need to go to some other office and apply for some other inspection that starts at 200 bucks and then fill out a lost title application and some other bs.... I followed her instructions a couple steps but every step the next person added on more steps so I said screw it... it just wasn't worth it!!! I got the feeling it was turning into a full time job just to get a frickin title. So the next time somebody tells me it's easy... just a 20 dollar lost title application and you're golden!!! I think I'll whack em' with a blackjack

Yeah... we used to do the pre 48 street rod thing in Washington... my experience is the same as Ronsil’s. No title I am not going to play.

 

[funwithfuel]

Here in the People's republic of Illinois, you can go to the sec of states office with the registered owner. There in the presence of the clerk, the owner can file for lost title ($65) sign a transfer of ownership affidavit. ($?) Then you would apply for title and registration all at one time.
If they have a lien, the clerk should/would advise you of it then and there.
Now if you don't know the owner, they bought the car/truck but never titled it, stay away.
In Illinois it is illegal to sell without title according to the secretary of state office.

 

[mowingman]

Every state has it's own process for lost titles. In some states I hear it is a nightmare. Here in Texas it is pretty easy to get. You can either have the owner,who's name should e on the lost title, get it, or you can get a Bonded title, which is also an easy process. So, it all depends on how complicated your state wants it to be.

 

[Ronsii]

Reminds me of another time the dol messed me over: So long time ago I wanted a project car.. a pontiac two seater found one in the little nickel want ads pretty cheap!!! insurance total needed a front clip and some other things. Anyways I got a day off work to drive out and talk to the guy he had bought it for his gf and she wrecked it didn't want it anymore... ok so I gave him 650 for it he gave me the title and bill of sale then we both went to the dol.... well this is where I should have said forget it!!! anyways we go in talk to the person at the dol and they say because it is an insurance total they can't transfer the title.... ok so what do I need to do I ask they proceed to tell me first I need to fix it to driveable condition then go to the state patrol and get it inspected and then come back to the dol!!! ok no problem I can do that (or so I thought)

So, about a year or so goes by I get it all fixed up and take the car and all my paperwork into the state patrol for the inspection.... some inspection!!! all they really wanted was the paperwork .... anyways get through all of the bs and showing them all my receipts and title and bill of sale they say great!!! you're all set and they stamp the title 'Vehicle Destroyed' so I can get a new title I'm happy just one step from getting it licensed!!!!

Ok so couple days later I get over the the dol office to finish up... walk in the door wait in line for 30 minutes... get up to the counter... put down all my paper work and tell em' what I need and they proceed to tell me I don't have the proper papers!!! so they elaborate that since the state patrol stamped the title it is no longer a valid document and my bill of sale wasn't notarized so it isn't any good for getting a new title
In the mean time the guy I got it from was military and as far as I could find out he left the country permanently.... and everything the dol suggested involved the previous owner.... just one more time I should'a said screw it before I got screwed... I even painted it

 

[crane operator]

Most of the time when people are selling without a title, there is a bank somewhere that has the truck listed on a loan. They want to sell it as parts so they don't have to mess with the bank and a title. I don't think this is as common right now as it was 6-7 years ago when things were tough, a lot of trucks/ cars, were listed then for sale with no title- they just wanted some quick cash and tough luck for the banker.

I've been vehicle shopping for my youngest daughter, and I see pretty nice cars with no title, "just quit driving it last week- fuel pump went out". Yeah- and you can't afford to fix it and the bank or "buy here pay here" car sales lot where you bought it still has the title.

I know they haven't been driving with no title, they have to show it to get plates, I don't even mess with it unless I'm buying it just for parts with no title. I don't think you can hardly take a junk car to a scrapyard anymore here with no title.

 

[DMiller]

Local Scrapper I was at turned a truck with a mashed auto on it away as no title, they have to record title numbers against body tag number or the shredder will NOT take them and the state gets a copy of the receipt to kill the VIN.

 

[funwithfuel]

But you can cut it into pieces and scrap it piece by piece just like the vagrants that drive around in the pickup truck with high sides overflowing with scrap tin and iron and appliances

 

[Birken Vogt]

What a lot of work though.

Around here there have been various methods tried. Some just dump them on the national forest, then trees grow through them and every couple decades the taxpayers get to pay for a tow company to go clean it up.

Sometimes at night a derelict car will mysteriously appear in an awkward spot on the state highway and then the highway patrol has their own authority to make them disappear right quick.

 

[Ronsii]

But you can cut it into pieces and scrap it piece by piece just like the vagrants that drive around in the pickup truck with high sides overflowing with scrap tin and iron and appliances

Around here you can't... they have laws on the books and continuously visit the scrap yards to 'enlighten' them as to how things work. If a piece of scrap even 'looks' like it used to be from an automobile the yard cannot buy it from the seller **unless the seller has proof of what it is or is a licensed dealer themself. there could be other exemptions or rules now as I don't keep up with all the bs on a daily basis.

 

[colson04]

But you can cut it into pieces and scrap it piece by piece just like the vagrants that drive around in the pickup truck with high sides overflowing with scrap tin and iron and appliances

Not at the scrap yards near me. If the person inspecting the load sees anything resembling a cut up car, they want a title. I had a hell of a time getting rid of an old rusted up pickup bed that I swapped out years ago. I ended up smashing it up and burying it under other scrap iron that wasn't auto related to get rid of it.

 

[Jonas302]

Lost title in MN is easy IF your the owner on the title you can have the state send another when the get around to it then and only then can sell and transfer the vehicle

 

[Junkyard]

There’s a process in Oklahoma. Title 42. Fill out some forms, state tries to track down previous owner and after a period of time they’ll issue a title. There are a few other steps but that’s the condensed version.

Best way I know of is establish an LLC in MT then you can get just about anything titled. Have a local police or sheriff sign off that vehicle posses said VIN, mail papers to MT and you’re set. Many a race car became a street car that way....

 

[Pixie]

In NH we don't need a title for anything more than 15 years old. Same in Maine. An old Bronco I tried to register, they had different ways to do the math....well, that was strange.

 

[DMiller]

Just had the conversation AGAIN. Guy had a 84 GMC 7000 s/a road tractor, 8.2 pincher runs good small damage right fr corner. Email to his address as to the truck, mails back No Title, can get Lost Title if want. Explained KNOW the law, he cannot sell a complete MV in MO without a Title and Lost title can only be obtained by LAST registered owner. He did not respond back, ad came down.

 

[Ronsii]

This guy says he has a 'Clean Title'

https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/hvo/d/freightliner-unimog-case-bucket-and/6914015045.html

 

[crane operator]

The two military trucks I bought, I could have gotten titles for, would take a few months and some $. I just wanted the engines when I bought them, I sold one to a guy wanting to build a rock crawler, still have the other one. I kinda wish now I would have taken the time to get a title, but I think the one I still have is going to end up as parts also. They were just the standard 5 ton truck.

I don't know what kind of title a unimog would have, its certainly not a motor vehicle- where's the bumpers? I looked at one of the unimog's that was the material handler, a set of forks on the front and the knuckleboom crane on the back, but the capacities were terrible, and I just couldn't see that often when I would need one.

 

[walkerv]

Nc is terrible from my understanding to get a lost title. Im not far from sc line and they are always selling crap no title so it must not be as bad in sc. I have told people i will pay you what yout asking becuase its a fair price and i will pay the fees for you to get the title when you get said title so it can be bought proper. So far no one has done it

 

[Old Doug]

I have spent alot of time trying to figure this out and talked to every one i thought would know something about geting a title. I met a lawyer once that was into old cars that told me he did it by sueing the state of Mo it cost around 300.00 and he said he did more than one at a time but that is what it cost him i dont know if a regular person could do this on their own. I also was told by a dmv guy that you could get a abandin vehical title by saying a buddy left this vehical at your place then send him a certified letter and have him return to sender it back then you have to have a sherifi look it over.I dont know why in the _____ it is so hard to do. We used to fix up rebuilder rigs that had salvage titles when you got them fixed you had a Highway Patrol check them over and make sure you had paper work saying you payed taxes on the parts you used i took one to the Highway patrol office in STjoe and thought i would ask about how to get a title on a older rig while i was there they every thing but pulled the guns on me i did not speak another word to them while i was there.