What should I do about a title?

[cleanshaven84]

I have a '49 GMC I bought from a friend a few months back and have been tossing around in my mind what I should do about getting a title for the truck. When my friends dad bought it some 35+ years ago, he bought it without a title. He drove it for a month and then it sat since then. Before I go putting alot of time and money into this project, I want to get it legal so I can drive it when it is finished. My plan is to take the '49 body and put it on my '93 S-10 chassis. Also, I have a title for the '93 S-10. Clean and clear. Is there some way I can use the title to the S-10 so that it will be legal to drive? I've heard of sending off for a lost title but heard the new title goes to the last name that was on the title and then it has to be sent to me signed. I don't know the guy who had and don't even know if he's living. I've also heard of getting a bonded title but know nothing about that. I have heard that it's kind of a pain too. My other thought was to find another cab that has a title with it and just use that but that can be tough to find. I have to put a new roof skin on my cab anyways so I figured if I can find another that I don't have to do that to plus has a title, I'll be knocking out two birds with one stone. What should I do in this situation? I live in Arkansas and I know it can be different in other states. Is there a place I can go to find ways the state would allow me to get a title? If I do get a new title, I would like for it to be titled as a '49 but if not, I'll be fine with it. I just want to be able to drive it when I'm done and it be legal. Thanks for any help and sorry for the long post.

[1project2many]

Why not go after the original title? Can you apply for lost title? Track down the last known titled owner?

Worst case, find a similar truck w/ title and lots of rust. Generally, trying to register as a significantly newer truck is more work in the long run.

[OKGMC4]

You can try this company. I did it on a chevelle once. Basically they send you a bill of sale and registration forms from another state and you take the papers to your DMV and they register it and produce a title from an out of state sale. Sounds kooky and they cost anywhere from $250 to $400 but it takes alot of the hassle out.

http://www.its-titles.com/

[cleanshaven84]

I was thinking of tracking down the guy but nobody can remember his name. I wouldn't know where to start on that. I asked the lady at the revenue office if i applied for a lost titlle if they could give me the last known name that came up and she said legally she can't give me that info. I guess I need to start looking for some swap meets to go to and maybe I can find a cab with a title.
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[blackdiesel]

All you need in Ar. is a bill of sale, if it's over 25 years old and your putting antique tags on it. Take your BOS, prof. of ins., and tax assessemet To the DMV they will fix you up with a tag and new title.

[cleanshaven84]

Originally Posted by blackdiesel

All you need in Ar. is a bill of sale, if it's over 25 years old and your putting antique tags on it. Take your BOS, prof. of ins., and tax assessemet To the DMV they will fix you up with a tag and new title.

What are the requirements to running antique tags in AR? I searched online but I'm not finding anything helpful. I would like to be able to drive it daily if I wanted to. It never would get driven that much but if for some reason my other truck has problems, I could drive it. And in order to get a new title for it, don't you have to have an old one present? Also, what kind of insurance can you put on a vehicle that old?

[blackdiesel]

OOo.... and it cost like 25 bucks and thats good for life, no renewal.

[Lextech]

Do your BEST to title it as a 49 GMC. DON"T get the 93 S10 or any other vehicle into the mix. The less they know, the better off you are. Just my .02 cents.

Jeff

[mr48chev]

Personally I'd find a rusted out hulk with a clear title and matching tag on the door post. Even If I had to pay higher than scrap price for it it is worth it in the long run. Even if you only use the tag off the door post and haul the rest of it for scrap you will have positive proof that the truck you build is yours.

Here is one reason not to buy a car or truck without a title.
http://wycd.cbslocal.com/2012/07/12/...2-years-later/
And this isn't the first case of collector type cars being recovered years later by someone who had them stolen and the guy who had them loosing everything he had in it in the process.

If the truck was only driven a month and parked search through it for an old registration slip and maybe even the title. look in all the hiding places, glove box, registration holder on the steering column or visor, under the seat and behind the seat. If you can figure out who it was registered to last you should be able to go through the process of getting a title to it. You will have to send off a registered letter to the person on the registration and most likely get it back as undelivered among other steps.

I'm not a fan of those "title processing" companies that guys keep pushing. One, the paperwork from them is automatically getting red flagged in many states. Also they really don't do anything that you can't do yourself even though many think that is so.

[cleanshaven84]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Personally I'd find a rusted out hulk with a clear title and matching tag on the door post. Even If I had to pay higher than scrap price for it it is worth it in the long run. Even if you only use the tag off the door post and haul the rest of it for scrap you will have positive proof that the truck you build is yours.

Here is one reason not to buy a car or truck without a title.
http://wycd.cbslocal.com/2012/07/12/...2-years-later/
And this isn't the first case of collector type cars being recovered years later by someone who had them stolen and the guy who had them loosing everything he had in it in the process.

If the truck was only driven a month and parked search through it for an old registration slip and maybe even the title. look in all the hiding places, glove box, registration holder on the steering column or visor, under the seat and behind the seat. If you can figure out who it was registered to last you should be able to go through the process of getting a title to it. You will have to send off a registered letter to the person on the registration and most likely get it back as undelivered among other steps.

I'm not a fan of those "title processing" companies that guys keep pushing. One, the paperwork from them is automatically getting red flagged in many states. Also they really don't do anything that you can't do yourself even though many think that is so.

I was definitely concerned about not having a title for this truck when I bought it but I knew a little of the history on it. It was bought brand new from an individual who then sold it to my friends dad. That's when it sat for ever. I am only the 3rd owner of this truck. Unfortunately while it was sitting all these years, someone came in a stole a lot of the interior out of it including the glove box, visors, and seat. I searched everywhere I could think of that was left and never did find any papers. If it was any other truck I wouldn't have bought it. I've known about this truck for over half my life and when I finally got a chance to buy it ($300 for it), I couldn't pass it up. I am seriously thinking of looking for a different cab with a title or maybe even finding someone who will sell me a title and the door sill plate. Surely someone here in central arkansas has an old cab laying around.

[mr48chev]

Check with the Arkansas dmv, it may be simpler and easier than you think it is. Usually it is better to go to the dmv office rather than one of the outposts when hunting for info. I'd just allude to the idea that you are looking at a truck that a guy has had sitting in his yard/field/shed for 35 years but doesn't have the title. then ask the best way to get paperwork on it when it doesn't have a title. They may even give you a bill of sale form to fill out when you "buy" the truck.

If the old plate is still on the truck that may be one more way they can trace and clear it.

[cleanshaven84]

I'll give it a shot monday sometime. I'm hoping it is pretty simple to get one. I also have a buddy of mine who just got a title for his '54 suburban so I may see how he got his. Thanks for all the input fellas. I will let ya'll know how this turns out.

[1project2many]

This state is sometimes used by those title processing companies because they are relatively lax on titles for old vehicles. There are plenty of stories though of people who have followed that route and been burned later. The state's official position is that issuance of title only means that nothing was apparent which indicated a title should not be issued. If for some reason you aren't able to register the vehicle as mentioned above (antique vehicle, no title needed) there is another possibility.

I have obtained legal ownership through an abandoned vehicle title and ownership process. The vehicle owner passed away and there were no heirs to the estate. A towing company towed the car and after 30 days applied for title for lost or abandoned vehicle title from the state so they could auction the car to recover storage charges. The state sent them the last known owner's name and address and the towing company then sent a registered letter to that individual. The letter was returned as undeliverable and the towing company documented this and returned the documents to the state. This happened two more times over the course of about 5 months. Finally an ad was placed in a local newspaper and signs were posted in a couple of convenience stores near the owner's last known address that the car would be auctioned. I won the auction and was issued copies of all documentation and a sheet indicating I could apply for a title. Time consuming but overall inexpensive and simple. You may want to make friends with a garage or body shop as they are generally in the best position to apply for a title in this way.

http://www.ehow.com/how_6908840_titl...-arkansas.html

http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assemb...ts/Act1279.pdf

http://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas...11/27-50-1101/

Above is 2010 AR code governing abondoned vehicles. Looks straightforward if the towing company is onboard and recognizes why you're using this process.

[OrrieG]

Bonded title process is usually similar to 1project's post. You post a bond, State attempts to contact last known owner and post legal notices in the paper, etc. You are issued a bonded title and they flag the vin number for a time period. After the time period expires you get a clean title and your bond back. I did a google search for Arkansas DMV Bonded Title and this was the first thing to pop up.

Looks simple enough to me. http://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/offices/...ondedTitle.pdf

[blackdiesel]

TRUST me people I've done this time and time again. Put ins. on it, have a BOS and assess it. You will have to sign a statment that the truck is close to stock, can upgrade saftey stuff, so that could inclued brakes, suspention and about anything else could fall under saftey, and they will seen you a title and give you an anq. tag. My Grandpa drives his old cars and trucks every where all the time, no restitions on how often you can drive with the tags. Arkansas is easy to tag a old truck in.

[cleanshaven84]

Originally Posted by blackdiesel

TRUST me people I've done this time and time again. Put ins. on it, have a BOS and assess it. You will have to sign a statment that the truck is close to stock, can upgrade saftey stuff, so that could inclued brakes, suspention and about anything else could fall under saftey, and they will seen you a title and give you an anq. tag. My Grandpa drives his old cars and trucks every where all the time, no restitions on how often you can drive with the tags. Arkansas is easy to tag a old truck in.

Sounds like this is the way to go. I just got off the phone with my friend who has a '54 Burb and he said the same thing you just posted. He didn't get tags for it yet because he is restoring it and just applied for a title. He said he didn't have to have proof of ins. since he wasn't tagging it. Said to take the BOS and assessment up there and around two weeks I would have a new title and it would even be titled as a '49 so I could run antique tags. I appreciate all the info guys.

[Larry Lindley]

Blackdiesel,is right got a guy who has six cars&trucks thats taged this way,its not that hard.

[SCOTI]

Dusting this one off....

My co-worker is in a similar situation. A 1952 chevy w/no title was given to my buddy's relative years ago. He knows it came from Oklahoma. That relative gave it to my buddy for his son & now has recently passed away.

My buddy wants to start building this truck for his son. I suggested watching c-list for a parts truck w/title to solve the dilemma but he hasn't found anything @ the right price (~$500 range). The bonded title process looks to be the next alternative but the duration of time between submitting for the bonded title to being granted a true title is lengthy.

He doesn't want to invest money into something that someone else can potentially claim in the interim (which I fully understand).

Any alternative suggestions?

[f18delta]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

A 1952 chevy w/no title was given to my buddy's relative years ago. He knows it came from Oklahoma.

Here's the link to the Title 42 process in OK:

Title 42 info

He might want to go this route because of how easy (I've heard) it is to get the title.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by f18delta

Here's the link to the Title 42 process in OK:

Title 42 info

He might want to go this route because of how easy (I've heard) it is to get the title.

I'm not sure how well something like that works in a situation like this. His relative had the vehicle for prob 15yrs here in TX. It was given to my buddy over a year ago but remained in the posession of his relative while he was seeking a title. His relative recently passed away so he had to pick it up & get it out of there.

He knows nothing else really about the truck other than it was a parts truck for another build his relative was doing.

[f18delta]

Was it ever titled in OK? If so, they should have a record of it.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by f18delta

Was it ever titled in OK? If so, they should have a record of it.

He doesn't know & the guy who possibly does is deceased.

[_Ogre]

i definitely wouldn't put any money into it with a title in your name.
you could get another title and vin from a different truck, but that would be fraud.
the kind of fraud you can go to jail for, or spend thousands of dollars keeping out of jail.
get a bill of sale from the executor of the estate and go to the dmv from there.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

i definitely wouldn't put any money into it with a title in your name.
you could get another title and vin from a different truck, but that would be fraud.
the kind of fraud you can go to jail for, or spend thousands of dollars keeping out of jail.
get a bill of sale from the executor of the estate and go to the dmv from there.

Not sure how it would be fraud. As long as the title & VIN documentation matches, sheetmetal is swapped around all the time on vehicles new & old.

[Mark3100]

In Texas you simply go to the DMV and get a Bonded Title. This will require you to get a bond (about $100 depending on the value of the vehicle) to protect the state and after about a year you can get a clear title. It is pretty easy but not well known! I had to do the same thing.