The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk My title woes continue...

So I purchased a 1950 3600 with a bill of sale only. VIN plate was lost somewhere in the last 65 years. Vehicle was registered in 2003 in my state, but DMV/OTC no longer has the VIN listed. So I'm told to have highway patrol come out and look, they check the hidden spots for a stamped VIN, then provide paperwork to send to OTC/DMV (Oklahoma Tax Commission/Dept of Motor Vehicles.)

I do this, get the letter from OHP saying they cannot locate a VIN and that a new one should be given. I call the DMV and they tell me I need to go to a court house and bring the letter from OHP to the judge. So, I go to do that and they tell me I need to get a bunch of paperwork before I can meet with the judge. So, she tells me the names of the documents I need:

Ownership & Title
Notice of Hearing
Judge's Order

I ask her where I can get this documentation and she says "I don't know, the internet?"

I am completely mind-boggled that this is such an arduous task. I figured hundreds of people deal with this issue daily. I don't want to pay an attorney hundreds of dollars to draw up this paperwork, I'd happily do it myself if I could find/buy the paperwork. I have spent all morning online looking for copies of the documents, but thus far have not found the right information...

Anyone have any advice or know where I could locate this paperwork?

Bonded title?

Never heard or read of any state using the court for that. Of course, I never buy a vehicle without a title. But anyway, The DMV should have a specific way to handle this semi-common, no title situation. I have heard of Law enforcement verification of vehicle and lost titles, salvage, bonded, etc. Never involves the court. Some dopey clerk is giving you bad info so she can go to lunch.
Without legal help, you will have to arrange meetings with heads of departments to get the actual procedure and maybe, since you are a tax paying citizen of the state, some actual one on one help.
I say this all the time here on Stovebolt: Don't buy a vehicle without a title.

Alabama used to transfer vehicles on nothing but a bill of sale, and there were companies that would obtain documentation in that state which could then be used for a title/registration in your own state. You might research that type of procedure to see if it's still being done.
Jerry

dx...Check to see if a Title 42 (PDF) would be the route to go.

In Oklahoma the Title 42 route is the easiest. There are companies/people who will do this for you. Check Craigslist but after you pick one do some follow up with the BBB on your choice before you put any $ down..

Fillable forms to submit online. It seems as though someone you were in contact with should have suggested this method. Sometimes Government employees do not put out a good effort as we have seen lately in the news.
https://www.pdffiller.com/en/project/36590513.htm?form_id=1273408

Another direction I have used (not in OK) is a service used mostly by auto dealerships, that does DMV leg work for a fee. If you could find such a service in your area may be a way to go. I've spent so many hours at motor vehicle office getting forms signed,etc etc, just to be told by the next clerk "those forms are all wrong"!!!

Best of luck

Vermont, as well, for vehicles 15 years or older. Or, all "tractors" registered for 6,099 pounds or less...

If you can't find a service, maybe a Vermont 'bolter would be willing to help out. Of course, it would have to be someone you trust...

Well, just wanted to give a quick update on this. I ended up, at the advice of a kind gentleman at OTC, driving to Norman, OK (boo!!!) to go before a judge there. The judge looked over my paperwork, and stamped it requesting a title and VIN be issued for the vehicle. I left there and brought the paperwork to the DMV, who faxed it to the OTC. 3 days later I now have a VIN and the vehicle registered to me! Only took 10 months and a lot of phone-calls, but well worth it. Now to get this new harness figured out and get this thing on the road.

dx3, that's great news. Time to rock and roll.

Around this area, paperwork problems seem to go away pretty quickly when a DMV worker finds a C-note paper-clipped somewhere among the stack of documents. Not saying it's the right way, just making an observation!
Jerry

I'm also dealing with issues with getting a title. I have a 46 Chevy pickup. I have the original VIN but no title. So I've tried to get a title through an online company. Apparently they work with a company in FL and they sent me a form to verify my VIN that has to be completed by the State Highway Patrol in NC. Anyway, when I visited them she was unable to verify the VIN since it had been removed from the vehicle when I sent it to be stripped and painted, so therefore it doesn't have the original rivets/screws. So I'm trying to find out if there is another way to verify the VIN. Unfortunately, the engine is not original. There are serial numbers on the transmission and the transfer case. Does anyone know if they be cross referenced to the VIN?

Thanks,
Confused (and concerned).

Do abit more research. I think there is a title company that is affiliated with Maine that may be way easier to deal with. No experience, just what ive heard...

Ask that title company in Maine for references from people in NC that have recently used their title on a pre-1956 truck that had a reproduction ID plate with new rivets.

Also, my NC inspector maintained that my 1954 trucks should have the ID (Vehicle Serial Number) code stamped into the frame.

He was not interested in the Engine Serial Number.

Just what I have recently experienced . . .

NEVER EVER REMOVE THE BODY TAG! You are asking for trouble as you are well aware of now. You may of screwed yourself in NC. Try another state with the tag on with the right rivets this time. Transmission and transfer cases will not be useful.

You see that is the problem Tim, the people running the show, are not supplied with the accurate information in Mr. Confused46 case. This is a huge obsticle for this person, because the bureaucrat that is calling the shots is looking for something that cannot/never existed, unless this truck has been retitled and restamped along the way. But again each state did things different back then. It really forces one to utilize a little ingenuity, and I say that in the most legal of terms.

Check into North Carolina’s “Bonded Title” option provided they have one. Since the #s tag was foolishly removed to paint, Bonded may be your only option. Good luck.🛠

In my last post, I talked about never remove any tag, ie body or vin. A legal owner should be able to remove the tag for dipping and sandblasting, but unfortunately it places him in the same boat as a thief that just stole a pickup. The owner even though very within his legal rights stepped on hallowed ground and must now walk in the desert for forty years with the DMV. I left mine in place for this very reason on my resto.
Good luck to you.
Steve

I had to get a bonded title.

Do not be pushy, and, maybe your agent will require a bond for the depreciated original value.

1950 Chevrolet 3604 pickup truck original list price.

I learned that the hard way 20 years ago.

Yep, good luck benefiting from that Federal Law when attempting to obtain a first-time registration in NC.

Can you provide a reference to US registration law superseding state registration law (fot privately owned non-commercial vehicles)? I cannot find it online.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_vehicle_registration
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Motor_Vehicles

If anyone can find a differing statement, please post a link to it.

In my case the cops towed the Suburban off { on the brake drums }.

My lawyer charged me $500 to get the case thrown out of court for lack of " Criminal Intent ".

But the cops were dumb enough to auction it off at their Cop auction 6 months later & I had a buddy of mine buy it back for the starting bid of $50 Municipal Auction

We’re getting too close to that slippery slope. The op has received the information he needs.