Title needed for my 54

[ClassicDreamer]

I bought a 54 3100 recently from a guy who bought it from a guy and...... you know the rest.
Needless to say, I need to find a way to get the title for the truck. I do not have any of the paperwork from the original owner. No bill of sale, no title, I have no idea where the truck was last registered.
I found a couple title places out there, but they say they need info from the original owners. True?
What do you guys do in this situation. Oh yeah, I live in NY if that makes a diff.
Thanks!
andrew

[truckdude239]

contact your local dmv and ask them what to do

[ClassicDreamer]

just spend the last 20 minutes on the ohone with automated crap with these people. Try again now.

[samdjr74]

If you have the VIN number there's a couple companies who can create a new title for you. It costs about $350 or so but from what I hear it works. I almost went that route once but I found the title. Anyway you sell them the car then they sell it back to you except this time they give you a title to go along with it.

[ClassicDreamer]

interesting. I didnt know thats how it works. Do you have any of the companies names?
On the phone with NYS dmv now.
I do have the vin number.

[The Big Green]

Here we just call a State Trooper and they come out and run the vin, when that comes back not stolen they write a paper and you take the paper to the DMV. It's a simple proscess.

[clinebarger]

The vin is not on the truck, it whould be on the original engine block. GM didnt put VINs on the vehicles till 56 or 57 forget which one. If it doesnt have the original engine thats a whole nother can of worms.

[ClassicDreamer]

well the dmv was kind of useless. They told me there is not much that can be done without a transferrable registration. They told me I need to search more to try and find the last known owner. I am not sure if that was even in the state of NY.

[samdjr74]

Originally Posted by ClassicDreamer

interesting. I didnt know thats how it works. Do you have any of the companies names?
On the phone with NYS dmv now.
I do have the vin number.

Here's a couple, I was looking at the second one

http://www.getnewtitle.com/
http://www.titlerecovery.com/

[ClassicDreamer]

great! Thank you very much!

[50adrod]

Originally Posted by clinebarger

The vin is not on the truck, it whould be on the original engine block. GM didnt put VINs on the vehicles till 56 or 57 forget which one. If it doesnt have the original engine thats a whole nother can of worms.

my 50 has the vin on the drivers door hinge post

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by 50adrod

my 50 has the vin on the drivers door hinge post

I have a 39 Chev truck that has both also. A VIN & a motor number. I think where the confusion comes is that most states titled vehicles by motor number back then.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by 50adrod

my 50 has the vin on the drivers door hinge post

I whould like to see a pic. are you sure its not a state issued VIN plate?

[1956cameo]

I don't know about New York, but here in Texas you can alway's get a bonded title from the DMV. You get a title that is just as good as any other clear title except it has a bond on it. Works like a bond to get someone out of jail. Nothing fishy comes up within 2 years you get a clear title. A lean or report of stolen comes up before 2 years time you keep the vehicle but pay the bond; which is a percentage of what the vehicle was worth when the bonded title was issued. Thats what I did on my 72 burb.

I also have quite a few GM vehicles that are pre 56-57 that have the VIN # on the bodies. Frames too! Definately not state issued VIN'S. They are GM issued. Even have some car and truck ID books that tell you how to break them down.

[71swb4x4]

There are states that don't require titles on vehicles that old. Tell the DMV the truck came from one of those states and see what they say. If I remember correctly South Carolina doesn't issue title for vehicle older than 1981. Thus if you bought a vehicle from someone in SC you would not get a title. You would want that seller to sign a bill of sale that has the vehicle info and purchase price. You could try this route and see what happens.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by clinebarger

I whould like to see a pic. are you sure its not a state issued VIN plate?

Here's an example of a 1939 Chevy title issued in 1954 with both a motor and VIN. I doubt there was any such thing as DMV issued numbers back in 1954 but I could be wrong.

[clinebarger]

I guess the DMV and ft. worth police dept. was just jerking my chain. i had to get a title for a 50 3100 a few years back and they told me the engine number was the VIN. Had to take it to the auto pound they ran the numbers on a 350 that was in it ( make sure the motor wasnt stolen ) and issued me new numbers to stamp on the block. So im confused??????

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by clinebarger

I guess the DMV and ft. worth police dept. was just jerking my chain. So im confused??????

Hey, don't take my word for it. I'm just going by what I see. I'm no expert on VIN's or titles, in any way. I'm as confused as the next guy as to what these people want. I'm pretty sure your DMV should know what they're doing. But, I have a 53 that has a door jamb GM VIN plate. And a while back I bought a VIN plate and title for a 52 from another member here. He took it off a truck he was parting out.

[OrrieG]

In New York you can get a bonded title. 1.5x the value of the vehicle and is held by the State for 3 years. At the end of 3 years you get a clear title:

http://law.onecle.com/new-york/vehic...2105_2105.html

(2) Any other information and documents the commissioner reasonably
requires to establish the ownership of the vehicle and the existence or
non-existence of security interests in it.
(d) If the commissioner is not satisfied as to the ownership of the
vehicle or that there are no undisclosed security interests in it, the
commissioner may register the vehicle but shall either: (1) withhold
issuance of a certificate of title until the applicant presents
documents reasonably sufficient to satisfy the commissioner as to the
applicant's ownership of the vehicle and that there are no undisclosed
security interests in it; or (2) as a condition of issuing a certificate
of title, require the applicant to file with the commissioner a bond
prescribed by the commissioner and executed by the applicant, and by a
person authorized to conduct a surety business in this state. The bond
shall be in an amount equal to one and one-half times the value of the
vehicle as determined by the commissioner and conditioned to indemnify
any prior owner and lienholder and any subsequent purchaser of the
vehicle or person acquiring any security interest in it, and their
respective successors in interest, against any expense, loss or damage
by reason of the issuance of the certificate of title of the vehicle or
on account of any defect in or undisclosed security interest upon the
right, title and interest of the applicant in and to the vehicle. Any
such interested person has a right of action to recover on the bond for
any breach of its conditions, but the aggregate liability of the surety
to all persons shall not exceed the amount of the bond. The bond shall
be returned at the end of three years or prior thereto if the currently
valid certificate of title is surrendered to the commissioner, but it
shall not be returned prior to the end of three years if the
commissioner has been notified of the pendency of an action to recover
on the bond or if the currently valid certificate of title was
surrendered to another state as proof of ownership to obtain a
certificate of title from that state. Nothing contained herein shall
require the commissioner of motor vehicles to issue a certificate of
title upon the presentation of a bond.

[Coronas56]

I have a 55 1st series title..............., looks like a post card

[ClassicDreamer]

ny doesnt issue a title just a transferrable reggie. but in order to register a ny car you need a transferrable reg or a title for the vehicle.
my truck has a vin plate on the inside of the door as well. As for the rest of the info. The body is on a 85 s10 chassis and getting a 2000 up 4.3 motor. Should be interesting. But ny for what I know needs a title on the body.

[hotrod 80]

Not trying to highjack , but mine is the other way around . Mine is titled by the motor # and that has been replaced . I now have to take it to be inspected by the DPS before i can get tags for it . I'll assume they build a state vin # for it . They might just write down the body seriel #'s and use that . Or I guess i could get a bonded title on the body seriel # ?

[Dan Bowles]

It depends on the state. Some states titled the vehicle by the Motor ID stamped on the engine, others titled it by the VIN which is on the driver's side A pillar just above the bottom door hinge on the AD Chevy/ND GMC trucks. Some states also titled them as the year SOLD rather than the year MANUFACTURED. I've seen 53s registered as 54s because they weren't sold until after the new year.

You'll need to go through your state to determine what you need, there are different rules for different states. Before you get too excited and drop a ton of coin on that truck, get your title sorted out. A local guy in Michigan bought a '56 Buick and did a ton of work. He never did anything with the title and it turned out the previous owner had left it at an interior shop for years and the shop sold it to a guy who sold it to him. NONE did any title work or any title leins and you guessed it, the "rightful" owner according to the state of Michigan called it stolen and they guy lost the car back to him.

You may be better off buying another parts truck with a title! If you don't have a VIN tag on the cab, you'll have even more fun. I just sold a rotted cab to a guy because he ran his title through the laundry and didn't have a VIN plate on the truck. I just saw he had a '54 Chevy truck for sale with a good title...and I know where my rotted cab ended up sans VIN plate.

[Dan Bowles]

GMC



Chevrolet



New blanks at American Classic Truck Parts. Stock ones look like this with your VIN stamped on it. Held on by screws on the early ones, rivets later.

[ClassicDreamer]

Dan, you hit the nail on th head. This is the exact route I just took. New title and vin plate