Well, I was wrong. Or at least the difference from the county license office to the State title office differed.
The State title office said their data base did not go back to 53. And without a license from the truck they could not check for a title. So, as dbone said/asked I will have to go down the bonded title road.
What I need to do is fill out the paperwork they gave me, provide a bill of sale, either use the State's estimate of value (approx. $19,000) or get an independent estimate, and get a bond from a bonding agent. Sounds like getting a friend out of jail.
Then take all that back to the State office so they can send it to the State and they will give me paperwork to take to the county license office to file then take a copy of that back to the State to get my bonded title.
Does that help?
I have learned that as soon as I bought the truck (and before I took it apart) that I should have had an estimate done. 1- they said the engine, frame, and body needs to be together - I have it all apart and the engine is ready for the machine shop. 2 - it will be worth a lot more if I wait for this process to be done after it is running and painted.
Oh - the title will cost less that $10. That is cool.
