I have a title problem involving a 1953 Chevy 3100 that I want to purchase from my best friend. Here is the story any thoughts or suggestions on how to resolve this will be appreciated. My friend purchased the 1953 Chevy 3100 about five years ago, along with a 22 foot enclosed trailer, from a widow who just wanted everything gone as she was moving from California to Texas. The woman had the title for the trailer handy, but needed to look for the title to the truck. M y friend worked with her for some time to either locate the title or the woman volunteered to go to the California Dept of Transportation to get a replacement title.
Now fast forward a year or so and my friend moves to Florida taking the trailer and the truck with him, but the truck goes into his storage garage and he never touches it again for four more years, meanwhile he has forgotten about the title issue, the woman never contacts him and he has no way of contacting her anymore after her move.
Four years later, he decides to downsize and I immediately offer to buy the truck which I have lusted over since he got it and we agree on a price. His wife reminds him that he doesn’t have a title for it, but he does have a bill of sale for the trailer and the truck, as well as written correspondence between him and the woman indicating that she will go to the state of CA to get a title. He is reluctant to go through with the sale until he can resolve this to avoid passing the headache onto me, but I’m interested in getting the truck sooner.
The complicating factors are 1) the truck was originally titled in California, 2) its been at least five years since he spoke or dealt with the elderly widow who sold him the package deal, 3) he no longer knows where she resides or is even able to assist any further, 4) when he purchased the truck and trailer he lived in Texas but never attempted any title transfer, 4) he now lives in Florida, and 5) I live in Texas and want to title it here.
Any suggestions or guidance is welcome.
