Title trouble on my 69

[jcfoote60]

Guys I have put up posts and pics on my 69 Blazer I grabbed for $800.00 and it is the one I am focusing on for my restoration project, however here is my story. I bought this from an outfit that could be described as a car lot/car wholesaler and the guy has a chopper custom shop and interest in a local bar and grill. The guy seems nice enough, always answers his cell and talks to me but I still have not gotten a title from him. He claims a box of titles he had at his lot was stolen and that the title must have been in there?? He claims he needs to file paper work with the state to get a title but so far he is just giving me excuses and week after week is going by with promises but no delivery. I have a bill of sale and that is it. They guy may yet deliver, like I said he is just not getting to it and he answers my calls everytime.

Have any of you had a similar situation and had to try and get a title for something you bought but never got a title to? I hope I am lucky and don't have to go this route but is there a way to do this?

JC

[smokekiki]

First thing I would do is check with Your DMV.See what can be done.

[Yukon Jack]

Take a day off and go sit in his office until he gets you taken care of - kind of hard to put off someone that is sitting right in front of you.

[dznucks]

when i bought my '69 it didn't come with a title. from my knowledge they did not require titles to vehicles until the '70's. all i have is a bill of sale as well.
i would check it against dmv records just to be safe.

[bouncytruck]

Keep on the guy, call him/stop in daily (or more). $800 is a good deal for the rig, but it is still a lot of money. You paid for a truck with a title and you should get it. Maybe bring the paperwork from the DMV to him.

[GruntyPants]

Not sure about the laws in your state, but here in GA, all you need is a bill of sale to register the truck. They won't even issue a new title for a vehicle that is that old. One thing they may requre is a VIN check that is done by local law enforcement. Basically the police department runs the VIN to ensure that it isn't stolen and can be legally registered. I'm going through this with my '67 right now. I just don't want to drop serious $$$ into the truck only to find it's been stolen and have to just hand all my work over to the owner.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by GruntyPants

Not sure about the laws in your state, but here in GA, all you need is a bill of sale to register the truck. They won't even issue a new title for a vehicle that is that old.

Same here in VT, no title needed, just a bill of sale is all you need to register it and recieve a plate.

I'd do the leg work with your local DMV then walk in and hand it to the guy, then wait right there until he fills everything out.

If you keep giving him a way out, he'll never follow through.

[red71cheyenne]

Another thing you can do is file for a lost title. It costs a couple of $$, but they do the leg work finding out if its clean or not. Then they send you a new title. Jeff.

[Tynee]

Don't know how important originality is to you, but I believe that sometimes you get a nice crappy looking new generic VIN tag riveted to your truck by law enforcement if you lose your title for some reason. Just something to think about. The best way is to check with your local DMV and as was stated above.

[70rs/ss]

I'd show up with the Blazer and not leave with it unless you get a title. As a dealer it is illegal to sell a vehicle without a title. He can always get a duplicate, provided it was in his name. If he cannot produce a title get your $$$ back because the Blazer is near worthless without it (can't be driven or sold legally). In AZ the dealer or previous owner can sign a transfer of power of attorney on a one time deal and that allows DMV to reissue a new title and allows you to sign for the previous owner, then a new title is issued to you. Check with DMV in your state and explain what happened, then get a title of get your $$$ back, its that simple.

[Billla]

Job one is to check with the DMV - take the VIN and be honest about what's going on. Unfortunately, you can't use one of the online VIN check services as they only go back to 1981 :/

[jcfoote60]

70RS/SS, good info and I remember this guy said he sent a letter to the previous owner for power of attorney but never got it back saying he likely moved or threw it away. He then said he had another route to take to get a title so as a dealer he would do as you said and be able to get it. So it sounds like he is saying the right things just not giving me much attention. I will also take the VIN into DMV to get a search done and get the scoop on it. Thanks for all the replies is helped and has given me renued hope I can still get this legal....before I put too much work in for nothing.

JC

[LUV2XCLR8]

Good luck, and keep your chin up, it will work out in the end, just have faith

[70rs/ss]

Originally Posted by jcfoote60

70RS/SS, good info and I remember this guy said he sent a letter to the previous owner for power of attorney but never got it back saying he likely moved or threw it away. He then said he had another route to take to get a title so as a dealer he would do as you said and be able to get it. So it sounds like he is saying the right things just not giving me much attention. I will also take the VIN into DMV to get a search done and get the scoop on it. Thanks for all the replies is helped and has given me renued hope I can still get this legal....before I put too much work in for nothing.

JC

DO NOT PUT ANY MORE $$$$ IN IT!! If worst case scenario you do not get the title, then you are out even more $$$. Get with DMV and go from there, and don't take no for an answer (from DMV or the dealer for that matter).

[SLIMJIM]

The best thing to do is find out if the vehicle has been reported stolen. Run the VIN at your DMV, just telling them that you are "thinking" about buying the vehicle. They will run the VIN through NCIC, you states Law enforcement division, and the DMV's software. The software will usually only date back 5 to 10 years. If it comes up clear, you will have two options: a title service, or DMV for a title. If you go with a title service, the protocol will be, fill out their Bill of Sale/Affidavit, send it in with the fee they charge, and wait 6 to 10 weeks. You will get a bill of sale, letter of title law, and a tag receipt. Take this paperwork to your property tax office and pay the taxes, take the tag receipt and paperwork down to your DMV give them your insurance company info and tell them you want to register and tag it. Most insurance companies will insure a new purchase for thrity days automatically so you wont need to call them. Dont just ask for a title, because they might get suspicious and want to inspect it. You get your title plates and stickers and you are done.

As far as your protocol at a DMV in Idaho, I dont know. If you were here in SC, your first step would be get a Vehicle History form. Fill it out send it in, and wait three weeks. Track down whoever the vehicle last belonged to, and god only knows what kind of runaround the people will give you. It might take longer than the 6 weeks a title service takes. My point is, with the DMV, you do not know how long it will take to get a title. The only thing you need to be concerned with is if the vehicle is stolen and the possibility of trying to gain ownership of something that rightfully belongs to someone else. As long as no one has filed a report with NCIC, it is fair game. If your truck is like my 2 wheeler, it was abandoned under a shed for twenty years, and whoever last owned it doesn't deserve it anyway. So, my advice is go with a title service. You will be much better off, and not have to do any leg work.

Good luck.


SLIMJIM

[Billla]

Quick question - for the bill of sale did he note anywhere that the title was free and clear? Is his name, adddress, etc. all on the bill of sale? Lastly, is the VIN on the bill of sale? I reviewed this with an attorney friend of mine for you, and these are important questions. I agree with the prior poster that said at least for right now PARK it until this is sorted out.

[Jimmy72custom]

The last time I had a vehicle that did not have any paper work. I had to get what was known as a bond title. I had to try to notify the last registered owner first. When that failed, I got a bond from an insurance company for the worth of the vehicle (incase it turned up stolen they would pay for it) anyway after the bond period the vehicle was titled to me. I cannot remember the amount of time required. This was the way it was handled in California years back.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Gotta be carefull on these things with no title as I hauled off a free truck with no title thinking I would just go down to the dmv to get it cleared up but that was not the case after tons of $$$ down the drain I had to part out the truck and wasted a lot of time and effort on my part to get a title and sadley i parted the truck..