georgia title question

[theracedude]

last week i was in georgia and found a sweet 1970 pick up. went to the bank, made the deal, all was good till we got to the title. lady said she had a title but it was not in her name. in georgia they only need a bill of sale to tag and drive a car. so i had to walk on the deal because i was not going to hand over $4500 and not get a title. i live in florida and our DMV is very picky so i need a title. my plan was to buy it, clean it, sell it and pay for my gas on the trip. how do you buy a car from georgia and get a clean title?

 

[59 wagon man]

whats happening dude? check with the dmv my ford wagon only had a bill of sale. i had to havce the vin# checked and a form notarized and that was it .some states don't require titles before 72

 

[Green Hornet]

Georgia Title

Yeah, Georgia won't give a title on cars after they reach a certain age. I bought a 1967 car in Georgia with a Bill of Sale and brought it back to Texas where the Bill of Sale was not accepted by Texas DMV.

I had to write the Georgia DMV for a "Letter of Verification" to verify that I had bought the car from someone that was in the "chain of ownership" based on Bills of Sale according to Georgia DMV records. Sounds confusing; Doesn't it?
Anyway, it costs around $5.00 if I remember correctly and the "Letter of Verification" takes the place of a title if you take the car to another state.

If you decide to go back and buy the pick-up and want to do the "Letter of Verification" thing, let me know and I can dig up the mailing address; if you want it. Other wise a call to the Georgia DMV will do the same.

It's just a small hurdle to get past if you really want that pick-up.

 

[Old Gold]

I'm in Michigan where a title is required for everything. About 10 years ago I had a similiar situation with a Georgia vehicle. DMV wouln not just accept previous reg. I had to have a Bill of sale, have the vehicle weighed(our tags were based on vehicle weight at that time) and the vin# verified by a notary and then a title was issued. Did'nt take any extra money, just time.

 

[ratty 46]

Yup.......not tittles issued in GA. if ANY vehicle is 10 yrs. or older....... I've bought & sold older vehicles here and have really never had an issue.

You just need to follow the system.

I bought my 46 out of KS. I recv'd a title cause KS. is a title state. When I go & get a tag - a new title will NOT be issued. A tag will but no title.

Ratty 46

 

[M5StudeGuy]

GA Title

This is a real old post, but maybe it'll jump up to the top of the forum...

I bought a 1946 Studebaker pickup that have been in a field for 25+ years and has never had a title.
It doesn't have any serial numbers either. The truck originally came with a plate just screwed to the seat riser. Of course after 65+ years it is gone.

So I am curious how much difficulty I'm going to have getting a title her in GA.
I did a frame off total restoration and the project will be complete in a year or so (I hope)
Anyone have any idea what I'll have to do... or what kind of headaches I have in store.??

 

[ratty 46]

You'll need a few papers off the DMV & a police verification that it's not a hot box.

One problem will be no serial number but I think they will/can assign one if you posses a bill of sale.

R46

 

[Willowbilly3]

Well, first off you should have a title or whatever your state uses before you start dumping money and time into something. What if it turns up as reported stolen? Then someone else gets to come with a wrecker and take it away and you get zip. It happens. Second, the best place to get info is right at your own DMV, County treasurer or whatever office deals with vehicle ownership transfers.

 

[M5StudeGuy]

Well. I appreciate the advice about someone trying to come claim it.
Of course I would think for someone to 'claim' something they'd have to be able to 'identify' it as a 'specific' item in some way.
With no serial numbers, etc.. I am guessing it'd be hard for anyone to prove it's more 'theirs' than mine.. LOL

Seriously
Needless to say, since I have been working on it for 3 or 4 years, a nice pile of money has already been poured into it.

I agree about asking the local officials... (but then again you get to dealing with the Government - and any time that happens it's always trouble)

Reason I asked here was what I have been able to find out is that no place (office, whatever) will say "What" will happen until it's "officially" a functioning motor vehicle.
I was sent in the direction of a guy who does inspections of vehicles that have been remodeled or rebuilt from the ground up --- all he told me was he'd have to do the safety inspection first (when completed), then I could find out what happened next from the State Police / DMV

Figured I might be able to find out what others have had happen to him here in GA>
Of course I guess it just depends on the individual you deal with how easy they are to deal with, or how big a pain in the ass they want to be.

 

[Old Iron]

You say it's been in a field for 25+ years ?
Who's field was it in and will they give you a bill of sale ?
If it's been in your field, then fill out an abandoned vehicle form with the GHP.
The biggest problem you have is no VIN # which will make it difficult/impossible to verify.

 

[M5StudeGuy]

You say it's been in a field for 25+ years ?
Who's field was it in and will they give you a bill of sale ?
If it's been in your field, then fill out an abandoned vehicle form with the GHP.
The biggest problem you have is no VIN # which will make it difficult/impossible to verify.

My bad.. I should of stated I did get a bill of sale..
I guess that could be why 'Willowbilly' said maybe someone could come and try and claim it.

But yeah I have a bill of sale.
Vin # just doesn't exist. There is a plate screwed to the outside firewall that say "M5-C2".. but all that does is show what type cab it was, and that it's a 1/2 ton.
Some folks back in those days used the original motor number as a identifying mark,.. but since the truck will have a new 350 SB in it, that won't work either.

Of course you know during this time there was no such thing as a title, and the same family has owned it ever since before the DMV started utilizing titles. So it's never had a title.
Thanks

 

[Old Iron]

OK, this is one of those talk to the GHP times and get a list of what you are going to have to do.
If you could get one of the previous owners to go with you that would be a + in your favor.
Good luck, keep us informed on the out come.

 

[M5StudeGuy]

ok thanks.
I'll have to check,.. I'm not sure the guy I bought it from is still alive. Last I heard he had some health problems.
I need to go by the anyway. I need a few VERY hard to find parts maybe he'll have stashed away some where??
I'll keep you in the loop

 

[M5StudeGuy]

OK...
Here is the "latest' info on how things work in GA.
A car that's never had a title never gets a title in the Sate of GA as we are a non-title state (her words). The state just verifies or gives you a certified Bill of sale. If you resale the car; that is all you have to offer the buyer.
SO I am sure that would scare some out of state buyers off. GA started issuing titles in 1963. SO I suppose any vehicle prior to that time won't have any sort of 'title'

You pay for your tags based upon the purchase price of the vehicle. I paid $250 for my old truck (with no motor, no running gear, no etc). I can spend $50,000 restoring it (ROFLOL),.. but the cost of my title is based on the bill of sale. SO my tags would cost about two dollars ($2) [cl

NOW starting as of March 1, 2013.. the state of GA is changing the law to where you basically pay all your ad velorm tax on a vehicle at the time of sale. SO anyone wanting to purchase a car would save money to do it between now and then.

As far as not having a VIN number, the lady told me that I just need to get a form and have the local police come and verify the vehicle has no VIN Number. Then that gets sent in and the state assigns a VIN number to the vehicle. [P

When it's time to drive/register the vehicle (in my area) there is a certified state inspector that comes to MY house to inspect the vehicle for safety. In many areas you have to find a way to get your vehicle to them.

 

[Old Iron]

Very Nice
In Missouri, if the state you purchase the vehicle from does not issue titles for the years in question then, all you need is a bill of sale, state inspection and an ID OD.
The seller would only have to make sure we had a vin # for the ID part hense, the seller getting one issued before the sale.
Note: You have to get the right person there or they will only give you the run around.

 

[M5StudeGuy]

I had a Sheriff come over since I posted a couple hours ago.
He filled out the paperwork, got everything all set.
All I have to do is get it notorized, and mail it in.

ACTUALLY I had a tag I showed him that is NOT the VIN number, but was the only thing still attached to the truck.
It just says M15-C2 (which is the body style)
Then it has a series of numbers below that. They are the cab style.
They said this would be fine to use in liu of a VIN plate

That was easy...

 

[Willowbilly3]

Glad it worked out, most problems do have solutions.
I deal with these issues all the time. Right now I have a 56 Ford pickup I bought from a farmer who had it since 1964 and nobody ever noticed the serial number on the title doesn't match the one on the VIN tag. I didn't find out until I had it home. Now I have to get the seller to go straighten that out, I can't do it.
I have found it best to ALWAYS deal with the court house people before I start any procedure. Get their advice on the proper way or other options. They now know me and know I want to do things right. But just like anyone, if you go in there with an attitude or get huffy with them, the process can slow down or hit a wall. It is their game and they make the rules, you can't go in with your own game and insist they do it your way. Not saying that's what you are doing, just general advice from a lot of years of doing this stuff in many different states.
If your truck still has the original frame, there is probably a serial number someplace.

 

[M5StudeGuy]

That's good advice.
Always have to play ball with the powers that be...
I was more or less trying to find out what experiences others have had.
Like you said,.. in most cases it depends on the specific person you deal with.
Some just like to jerk your chain because they can... even if you have all the "I's" dotted and "T's" crossed

I got lucky in my case. Seems pretty straight up.
With the paperwork already filled out now, just seems like getting the official paperwork back from the state.

As far as the truck. I have a Studebaker. The only places that VIN numbers were ever placed on them was on the door post, or on the seat riser. In both cases it was just a plate mounted with two screws.
Not unusual for the pickups not to have a VIN tag still attached after all these years.
In many instances if the trucks still had the original motors they used the motor number as the VIN,.. of course when you change motors there goes any type matching number attached to the vehicle. Oh well [