The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Getting a Title HELP PLEASE !

Good afternoon fellow bolters , I purchased a 1950's Chevy Panel Truck last year . The guy that had it before me purchased it from another State about 10 years ago, (being then around 2013) so he must of had it hauled back to his State and his brother said he parked it on their private farm road and left it there with the intentions of restoring it someday. So he left it parked there alonside of the private farm road for about 10yrs, being 2013. A few years after he got the truck he started building his house and his health took a turn for the worse ,and he passed away. So the truck sat there untill last year when I bought it. His brother was his Exc. of Estate and decided to see it then and get it off the property. His brother said that he had a title for it when he bought it 10 yrs ago but he lost it . So I bought the truck with a bill of sale. Now, it has the original undisturbed blue metal plate on the drivers side door jamb up towards where the hinges mount. You can clearly read the serial number and see that its the original plate and original rivits on it. Also the truck has the original 6 cyl. 216 Engine in . You can read the Engine Identificaion number clearly also. The truck is not running and wont be ready to drive for a good while yet because Im planning on restoring it . So from what ive read from this site on a few forums somewhere it said that these 1950's Truck was Titled 2 different ways meaning #1 From the serial number off of the plate on the door jamb, (that one making the most sense to me), #2 from the Engine Identification Number. (that one not making good sense to me because if say you bought the truck new and it got sold how ever many times and somewhere along the line someone changed the original motor then its not legit according to the title anymore ) . So im sorry to drag this out but I just wanted you list all the info. So my big question is thia : Since i dont have a title for this truck, I do have the Original blue metal plate on the door jamb, intact,undisturbed, and also the Original Engine and Engine Identification Number , then I should be able to get a Title now somehow for this Truck. Correct ???? Im thinking my states DMV and with my bill of sale,original Identification Plate on door jamb and Original motor and Identification number that the DMV or someone should be able to title this for me ? Tryed calling my DMV toda,they are too busy, cant get anyone to take my call, so I thought id post here and see what you guys come up with first before I go to the DMV . Thanks Guys for any help with this.

Many states have a bonded title procedure, where you put up a bond to cover the possibility that someone challenges your right to own it. Since you have a bill of sale, the DMV may be able to find a record of the title, but if it was never titled after being bought from a different state. that may not be possible. Getting info directly from the PA DMV would be best, as states have different requirements. It may take an inspection by a state LEO and issuing a new serial number. But again, finding out what the requirements are in your state is best.

When getting a bill of sale, it is best to have it notarized. CO will get a title with notarized bill of sale. Like Kevin suggested, call your local DMV. Not all offices are capably of giving a correct answer, call several offices, get name, etc.

Ed

Don't sound good for ya, being from Pa. Depends also on what state the truck came from. You MAY have togo the reconstructed title route. The other issue is that the rightful owner is now dead. I would think that the way it should of happened is that brother should of went through the process of getting the title in his name 1st, before selling it to you?? Who to say it was his truck to sell? I would go to the DMV with your paperwork and a rubbing of the vin # on a paper and pencil, and see exactly what your options are. Everyone has opinions, but they are only that, till you know for sure. Good luck 🤞

I am going through this now too. Have a old car. NH does not need a title if it is 2000 or older. They wont issue a title either. Recently there has been some push back cause every other state requires a title, so if it older than 30 years old they will issue a title on request, but you have to have the state do a VIN verification. Simple form a state police officer meets you, takes down all the needed info and they make sure it isn't stolen.

Move to Georgia. They let you title whatever you want with virtually no hassle. Antique cars require a bill of sale only.

Seriously though, take your paperwork in person to the DMV office or whatever you have in PA. If you register by county, go to one of the small town backwoods offices in the county you live in. Tell the person what you're trying to do and he or she will either register your truck and issue a new title or tell you what steps you need to take to do so.

I suggest the small local branch office because the offices in the big cities are swamped and the people working there are usually unhelpful jerks. I also suggest going in person because people are usually much more inclined to help you face to face.

Thanks Otto, That sounds like some very good advice !!! And Thanks Ferrie bueller that makes sense to me about a State Police officer checking to make sure its not stolen and then filling out his form and with the ID Pate on my truck and having the original motor and engine ID number ,id think my State i(PA) should be able to Title it then for me. I hope and Pray . Thanks Everyone.

1. I agree with trying to get a title from brother. It may be possible for the brother (or whoever got the truck) go to his/her DMV with proof of inherited ownership, get a title in his/her name and then signed it over to you. That still may be possible. In my state, on a old vehicle, DMV does not need to see the vehicle for that type of thing.

2. If that does not work:
The bottom line is you must find out what your state requires. Either by searching their website or going there and wait in line to ask your questions. DO NOT take any paper work with you or give any serial numbers with you and don't give personal info to the agent. Just ask what they need. A general question about buying a vehicle in X state with bill of sale only and getting a title in your state.

3. This has been mentioned also: Neither the deceased person nor the brother owned the truck if it never got transferred. So the bill of sale is no good. The owner is the last owner of record. If your DMV hears that whole story, you are in for a battle. You didn't say or maybe don't know if the title the deceased person had and lost was the title from the person he bought it from and never took it in, or it was a title in his name.

4. The ID plates and motor serial is great but the issue still remains. No title. BTW You did not say if you bought it in your state.

Of course as you know and we have said many times, it is not advisable to buy a vehicle without a title. States have different rules. Do the check BEFORE buying.
In my state a vehicle without a title is a "parts truck" to most people. It is VERY difficult to find a local buyer. The bonding proceedure is long, fairly expensive and risky.

I would rather get a vehicle with NO PAPER WORK than one with. Been in the business over 40 years and know new papers are the way to go since there is no chasing down or verifying old work. The main sources for me are Oklahoma Title 42 or a wrecker service impound lot. The new title issued by either of these is 100% legal and bullet proof; even the IRS can't touch them and neither is as expensive as bonding.

That company is not for a guy who buys a vehicle without a title.

Twenty years ago Pennsylvania WOULD provide the current owner info when given a VIN (for a small fee). I had to go to DMV HQ in Harrisburg, but was able to locate the owners of three different vehicles that way...now due to privacy laws they no longer provide that service. With that said, I think the Estate Executive should be able to inquire with the DMV to see if his brother is the owner of VIN "xyz". And as others have said that would be the easy way to end this story by requesting a duplicate title.

Mike B

No title in NY for anything older than’73 or so. A couple of forms to fill out. If buying one in NY, always use the DMV bill of sale form. Makes it much easier.

NY uses a "transferable" registration on the older vehicles . You need that to register it in NY or a similar document or title from whatever state it is coming from. That is the way I understood it but I could be wrong. It can be done no matter what, it is just how much of a headache it will be...

For the OP --

This question has come up a lot over the last 27 years, and the answer *never* changes. You *MUST* get this info directly from your state's DMV. Period.

*Any* titling/registration/insuring info you get our our site is going to be 100 percent *opinion.*

It's been my experience on this site that PA can be a difficult state in this regard.

Bottom line -- while good intentioned, our users can not give you accurate information as to what to do. That can *only* come from the PA DMV. If one office won't answer the phone, try another. If that doesn't work, go see them in person. This is your *only* option.

You may feel free to circle back and tell us how it worked out.

Good luck!