The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Complicated truck title problem

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.

Every State has a process for obtaining a Title from a Bill of Sale. There are companies that handle the whole mess from start to finish for a few hundred bucks. I suggest you contact the Texas DMV and follow their procedures to the letter. If your buddy is not comfortable selling it to you without a title let him do the leg work. BTW it will not be a walk in with a Bill of Sale and walk out with a title. You will have to jump through some hoops first and don’t try shortcuts they will catch you. Good luck.

If you were going through the CA DMV to get a clean title the "Widow" would have to "sign" (i think two or three forms). A lost/damaged title, a duplicate title request, a bill of sale for the truck only. And turn in a VIN verification.
Are you guys 100% sure it was a CA title?
Did you run a V.I.N. history on it? You would be surprised what sometimes comes up.
Great suggestion above is check the State that you are in.
They possibly may accept your friends forms...bill of sale, lost title, ect.
Good luck.

I am in CA. And had to do the lost title ,ect on my 1950 3100.
A few hoops to jump through including a VIN verification. But it took maybe 6 weeks tops start to title.
Good luck.
Todd

X2 Talk to the people you'll have to deal with, the state licensing authority in your state of residence. Any information or suggestions you get from anyone else is supposition at best. There are a lot of lawyers who make good money working title fraud cases. Don't help them make their next Porsche payment.

Before you pursue a replacement title from California check on what the Florida laws are. Some states don't even title a vehicle older than a certain year. they only issue a registration. I was bidding on a truck registered in Main and wanted to bring to a state that requires a title. The new title process might be easier in Florida than a replacement title in California.

While we don't know for certain, one additional complicating factor could be our inability locate the window who made the sale or her possible death in the intervening time period.

https://www.semasan.com/resources/titling-registration

tag and title, toolbox

look for your state.

If that doesn't clear it up, then hire a lawyer or walk away.

My buddy just told me that he was able to leave a voicemail on the phone of the woman who sold him the truck and trailer. Hopefully, she returns the call and assists him in getting either a replacement title or a "bonded" title.

Those are your best bets.

Stovebolt was not started to solve Title issues or give legal advice. So all these type questions should be in the greasy spoon. Now my too sense.
First, I don't know the Texas MVD laws. As advised, talk to them in person and tell the whole story. If you find a worker who does not have a headache or stomach ache or not getting a divorce that day. You may get help or an idea of what it will take.

The truck will show on the records as belonging to the widow. No one else. IF IF IF the MVD can look it up by a VIN you have or a license plate number it will show she owns is. If Texas takes a Bill of Sale for a truck that is still on record as widow owned, I will be surprised.
If they don't find it or can't find it because you don't have an identifying number. then see what they say. If the Bill of Sale identifies the truck using a number of some kind, VIN or motor number AND IT IS NOTARIZED, that may help.

I myself would not buy it unless the widow goes to the CA DMV, pays for a duplicate title. signs the title as seller, with notary, if required, and mails it to your friend. Be aware to tell her she is not asking to register it. That will cost big late fees. She just wants a $4 duplicate title. She gives the VIN and her ID and they give her one. If her relatives get involved, which they will, your friend is screwed and the sheriff will come pick it up.

If you "buy" it, you may not be buying it. Your friend will fade in time the, lady will pass and you will have a mess....maybe. It's not the best thing to get involved in. Your friend was VERY negligent. VERY. Let it go or get it for almost nothing. I have had friends get vehicles seized and hauled away for this stuff. Deemed a stolen vehicle or sold improperly by a person with diminished cognitive abilities.

No bonded title, no salvage title, no bill of sale for me. I don't think CA requires a notary on the title. If she has no one to help her. Go there and help her.

First of all, Title questions are a General Truck question and should be addressed in the GTT forum. Stovebolt.com was started to help with all Chevy/GMC issues whether mechanical or paper. Truck Title discussions started in the Greasy Spoon Forum will be moved back to GTT by the Moderator.
Bartamos is bringing up several valid points. Personally if the Widow cannot/will not help, contact a Title Specialist company and spend the few hundred to let them do the process for you. But first check with Texas DMV and find out just exactly what is required, that’s providing you really want the truck.
Unless someone from Texas or California wants to post first hand knowledge of the proper process all the other advice given should be taken at face value.

California has a definite path to getting a title in your name without any help from the previous owner
It’s not super complicated but has several steps
I did the process with a motorbike that I purchased cash with hand written bill of sale only.

talk to your local dmv people
They will guide you through the steps, if you don’t like what they tell you try a different dmv location,
Not all service is equal
-s

I live in Texas, I was a licensed salvage dealer for many years. With no title and no bill of sale it is going to be very difficult to title in Texas. There is a provision in California to title a vehicle that is no longer in their system. I have quite a few vehicles with no titles. They will always just be yard ornaments. I have used these people before. But I had a title that had been sold a few times and not properly transferred. It would be worth giving them a call. They will tell you more than the Texas DMV.

https://www.lawrenceautotitle.com/

I have had two different trucks titled to me as a bonded title.

One truck had no available title and another truck had a bill of sale with the notarized signature of the original title owner.

I both cases (in NY and in NC) the official in the DMV had to make a judgement-call to allow me to obtain a bonded title.

In both states, the DMV officers said that one major concern is giving a "legal" title to stolen truck. In both states, a stolen truck can be on the way to Europe/Asia very easily - but, usually, a "standard/conventional" title is required.

In both states;' the DMV told me that they could be sued by an original owner of a truck that had been stolen and was illegally shipped to Asia/Europe (with a bogus title or with a bonded title). The bonded title covers the DMV for the value of the stolen vehicle.

In both states the DMV trusted me - they charged me the bond-fee based on the original cost of the 1954 truck.

I believe up here in Alaska, a Bonded Title requires a running vehicle that meets federal standards as of the date of manufacturer, AND an appraisal by an approved appraiser (of which I understand there is only ONE up here). You were lucky they allowed the original cost of a '54 truck.

Martin, I guess I mis-read the GTT description at top of GTT page. I stand corrected.

I think where I live, a bonded title, which is just an insurance policy, needs to survive 3 years without a challenge before you get a real title. Not sure. I think you may need an appraisal as Kevin mentioned so they know the value of the "policy"?

What did your local DMV say, start there.

Ed

In California, the title information is purged from DMV computers after 10 years. This does not mean that it is
impossible to get a title, but it does mean more time, forms, money, to try to get it all done. With covid 19 now,
appointments are much harder to get in the busier DMV branches. The DMV inspectors will not go to the truck,
you have to haul or drive the truck to DMV or CHP. I guess my two cents worth is please remember the ten year
rule, and start your process asap, before time runs out. I have no personal experience with TX or OK DMV rules,
but by rumor and reputation they are easier to work with than CA. Which is why you see so many vehicles all
around town with plates from other states here in CA. Two cents, probably worth even less...good luck.

The good, the bad, and the ugly news is that the truck is not in California anymore and hasn't been for at least six or seven years. The truck isn't even in Texas (yet), it is in Florida with my friend. While he is waiting a few days to see if he hears from the woman who sold him the truck, he is making plans to get a Florida bonded title. I spoke to the guy at Lawrence Auto Title this morning and he indicated that if I get a Florida Bonded Title I shouldn't have any difficulty getting a Texas title....we shall see.

So the wait on my friend and the the woman who sold him the truck continues..........