trying to title and register my car in texas. confused

[cmcdanl]

ok so here is the deal. When i bought the car from the previous owner, he had bought it from the other previous owner before him and he never signed it in his name. So i bought it and he gave me the title but it is in the guys name who owned it two people before me. but the back is signed over. well the people at the registration place was telling me that i have to get the guy who i bought it from to sign it in his name and then sign it over to me. but that guy lives in alabama and i live in texas. also the car has no vin number that i can find. im assuming someone who owned it down the line built the frame so there is no number. so the lady said i could also go to the Tx department of transportation and get assigned a new vin number. but they said that if i do that then it would be registered as a car made in 2009, which means that i would have to pass emissions and everything else that new cars have to pass. so i dont want to have to go through all that. i want to get this title in my name. what should i do? and how do i get a number put on the car?

 

[35Mastr]

I am sure that Tripper may know the answer to this. He is from your state.

 

[cjmahone66]

i'm going through this same ordeal in Texas, what was the outcome of your titling issues? i have a serial number on my cab, but no title for it. any ideas for Texas? i called the Dept of Motor vehicle and the lady told me i have to title it as "rebuilt", but she wasn't able to tell me what that entaled.

 

[Tripper]

so the lady said i could also go to the Tx department of transportation and get assigned a new vin number.

i called the Dept of Motor vehicle and the lady told me i have to title it as "rebuilt", but she wasn't able to tell me what that entaled.

The lady said, the lady said!!! DON'T listen to the lady... listen to the old Tripper!

1st off... I always use a title service... *always*! Especially if there's any problem or skip in ownership. If you take the paperwork down there yourself (or call)... "the lady" will probably hassle you & give you the wrong information (this is from years of experience). They hardly ever hassle the title service & I have never had a problem since I started going that route. The woman that does my title work always gets the job done & I *always* tip her... plus... I don't have to stand in line!

BoB

 

[Ratcrazy]

Thanks Bob for this info. Now can you tell me how to find a good title service? I am in the same boat with alot of these other guys. I have no title or vin on my 46 Ford cab.

Larry

 

[cantwell.colton]

Tripper, whats the title service you use--

 

[cjmahone66]

what exactly does a title service do? how do i find a good one in DFW?

 

[Tripper]

Thanks Bob for this info. Now can you tell me how to find a good title service? I am in the same boat with alot of these other guys. I have no title or vin on my 46 Ford cab.

I would look for a good local one that's been in business for many years! You can Google it for u're hometown. What paperwork do you have... bill of sale? You will need *something*! Not sure about the rules & regs for u're state as far as old cars so I'd research that 1st. I am also hesitant to buy car with no paperwork.

i'm going through this same ordeal in Texas, what was the outcome of your titling issues? i have a serial number on my cab, but no title for it. any ideas for Texas? i called the Dept of Motor vehicle and the lady told me i have to title it as "rebuilt", but she wasn't able to tell me what that entaled.

66,
You will need *some* paperwork. There are places you can get a title but that company escapes me right now. I'm sure someone here knows! What year & make is the vehicle?!

BoB

 

[cjmahone66]

it's a '54 Chevy 3100. i have a title that references the engine serial number, but back then, the engine serial number and the vehicle serial number did not actually match even from the factory. the original engine is not in the vehicle (has a sbc 350)...... so the engine serial number on the title i have is not actually visible anywhere on the vehicle since the original engine is long gone.

 

[cjmahone66]

and even though my Grandpa gave me this truck, i'm sure he would write me a bill of sale if i needed one. i dont know that he actually has a bill of sale from the guy he bought it from though.

 

[cantwell.colton]

how it works

if you have a serial number on the cab or body or whatever, then you can have the dmv or a title service run a check to get the last titled owner was,
then, youll have to fill out this paper to send to them at the last known address.. for them to fill out / sign or (most likely) they dont live there anymore
and the mail will be returned -- then you have to take that and file for a new/replacement title


its a pain in the butt lol -- if youve ever had to do it - its obvious why most people would just as rather buy a clean signed title to the same car and register it with that...

dont know if this is an option but im pretty if you can "prove" the car was on your fathers property when he bought it, i believe in texas it legally becomes yours... youd have to look into that though.

 

[rustybeercan]

so the engine serial number on the title i have is not actually visible anywhere on the vehicle since the original engine is long gone.

and even though my Grandpa gave me this truck, i'm sure he would write me a bill of sale if i needed one. i dont know that he actually has a bill of sale from the guy he bought it from though.

I would do what the Tripper says. I wouldn't worry about the engine not matching, who will ever know. If you go there yourself and explain all that to the ladies at the window they will make you register it as a 2009 or 2010 and it will be a major pain in the *** from now on. I had a friend do that with a Model T he assembled, OMG what a pain and then he had hell selling it. Take the bills of sale to a good title company and ask them what you need to do to register the vehicle for the year it actually is. This is just my opinion but do what you want!

Beercan

 

[cjmahone66]

the title i have is signed on the back, but it's not dated or notarized or anything. Just signed. will the DMV make me go find this guy (who's probably dead) and have it notarized?

 

[BigIrish]

You can save yourself alot of hassle by registering it as an antique. All you need is your signed title (you can date it) and you need a form 130-U. The same person has to sign that form as that is on the title, so you might need to practice your signature skills [ddev You will need that 130-U regardless of how you register it (regular or antique)

If you register as an antique, no inspection whatsoever is required so the VIN doesnt matter since no one sees it, and its good for 5 years.

The rules around that are you are not "supposed" to drive it at night and are only supposed to drive it to/from the mechanic, to/from car shows. But a cop cannot prove where you are going or coming from, so this is easy to get around if you get pulled over.

That said, I've passed dozens of cops in my rat with straight pipes and antique tags and most just give me a thumbs up. They got bigger fish to fry. Never been pulled over, but I have my excuse ready. "Just going to the shop to get the oil changed"

 

[cjmahone66]

the title i have is signed on the back, but it's not dated or notarized or anything. Just signed. will the DMV make me go find this guy (who's probably dead) and have it notarized?

FYI- long story short, after one lady at the DMV tried to get me to bond it for $19k, another DMV lady (very cool chick) motioned me over and said "take a walk, write your name and address on the back of the title, come back to my window and ask me for a title transfer only."

so i did, and she put it through, said the title should come in my name in the mail in a few weeks. apparently it doesn't have to be notarized. then she told me "after you get your title, if you happen to replace your engine, come back and ask to update the title to show the new motor number."

i would have married her right then and there- if i wasn't already married of course. she probably has a hubby who is a hotrodder or something. how else would she know about the motor number being updated?

 

[cjmahone66]

see chapter 25 in this TX DMV pub, talks about the specifics of updating motor number when it is used as the identifying number on your title. i'm going to print this and take it with me.

ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/vtr/title_manual_book_451.pdf

 

[Willowbilly3]

If the title is still open, you have some options. If the buyer is filled in with a previous buyers name, it's just a piece of worthless paper.
Texas requires you to have 2 items, the signed off title and either a bill of sale or one of their title transfer forms, signed by the seller. Sooo. if the buyer is not filled in I guess you know what you need to do, "aquire" a title transfer signed by the person who signed the title. If you have a title it should have a serial number on it somewhere, never seen one that didn't.
There is another process you can go through to title an old car that you built. If it is a certain model, like a 1929 Model A ford, you can get it titled as such. It's best to start that process long before the car is done but ultimately they will want to see, and inspect, a finished car and tax you on it's value.
Also, almost every DMV in Texas interprets the rules differently and many are not even aware of all the options.
I drove my 69 crewcab Ford on antique plates, $75 for 5 years and no inspection but I'll guarantee you if you start driving around without an inspection sticker you are likely to get pulled over, and probably by some cop that would make Buford T. Justice's kid look like Einstien. Texas has some of the most anal cops of anywhere I've ever lived. Plus you are limited to how and where you can drive the car with antique plates but I have been told nobody ever gets ticketed.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Also, whatever state your in, unless it's a straight up open title, in the sellers name, you are probably going to have problems. But, hey, nobody pays attention to these threads until they are butt deep in a mess. Day after tomorrow, there will be another thread on how do I get a title. And we will all chime in with the same solutions. I'd venture to guess this same info, especially on Texas, has been discussed a dozen times in the last year.

 

[junker39]

Almost similar deal here. '61 VW Karmann Ghia. I got a bill of sale but, no title. It was last on the road in '72. I took the plate number and serial number to the local DMV and it came back as a 2009 Oldsmobile. No records anywhere for the Ghia. I have a friend who uses a title service out of Houston. Hopefully, the service can fix me up. DMV said I need a "bonded title". Likes been said, it would have to pass inspections and all that crud. They don't make anything easy anymore.

 

[cantwell.colton]

alright, now i have a question...
if im running the an 87 s-10 frame engine etc
with just the cab and front end from an older truck
what are my options
i have the title to the s-10 but not the 49 ford