It's sad that states make things difficult or not at all, with a out with the old and in with the new attitude.
The other side of that coin is that if the state didn't exercise due diligence all a thief would have to do is home stamp an aftermarket tag and get a legal title after stealing
your ride. Making it brain dead easy to get a title makes it too easy for potential thieves IMHO. A vehicle with a changed engine is understandable. One with no Data Plate raises a red flag to me. Why would anyone with legal intentions remove & dispose of it? Anyone who buys a vehicle with all identifying numbers removed is only making a thief's life easy.