DMV Question

[Eagle]

Does anyone live in a state that will issue a registration (and title) for an older vehicle based only on a bill-of-sale (no title)? Here's the story:

A couple of weeks ago I went to visit a fellow member in the next town. The route to his home takes me along the side of a local auto wrecking company. On this particular evening as I drive by I happened to glance over and saw the tailgate of an MJ. I stopped on my way back home and looked it over. '86 longbed, 4-cyl, 2WD, but basically complete and straight. No evidence it was hit.

Called the yard on Monday and they told me they own it, don't know why the owner junked it, they claim it runs fine. I went in and looked again, went home and wrestled with my conscience ... and my conscience lost. I bought it.

It runs well. The problem is that the yard already sent the title to the DMV as "Salvage." The guy at the yard says it can never again be titled. According to what I can find on the CT DMV web site, it can be titled if reconstructed, but there's a lot of requirements for that which have nothing to do with trying to re-title a vehicle that has NOT been crunched in an accident.

Is there any state where I could just walk in with the bill-of-sale and walk out with a registration and title?

 

[RichP]

I would try to locate some of your local hot rod builders that build from parts they acquire, those only have 'receipts' for the parts they purchsed. they may offer some suggestions.

 

[Eagle]

No good, Rich. CT DMV rules require receipts for the parts, including the VIN of the vehicle(s) the parts came from. They also require pictures taken before the repair started (showing the damage), during the work (new panels installed but before paint), and after painting.

This MJ is straight and doesn't need any new panels. What I don't want to do is buy another one for parts, and replace a lot of panels that don't need to be replaced just so I can claim I "rebuilt" the truck.

Also, once I take it in for a rebuilt inspection they do neat-o stuff like put it on the brake machine to test that all 4 brakes work evenly. Ain't no '86 MJ in the world that can pass that test. The preferred solution has to be finding a jusrisdiction that will register it w/o requiring the old CT title ... which is unavailable. I just don't know if there is such a place.

 

[azxjman]

Colorado is awesome about that kind of stuff. I built a trailer and got a title and reg. for it with out them even seeing the trailer and it only cost 15 bucks for everything.

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Sorry azxjman, but Colorado SUCKS where custom vehicle and salvage titles go. Getting a title and reg. for a home made trailer is completely different than doing the same for a motor vehicle. I bought a '67 Plymouth Belvedere in Nebraska that hadn't been licensed in several years and brought it back to Colorado. I had to jump through so many hoops and get alot of additional documents in order to get a Colorado title for the dang thing just because the car's record had been purged from Nebraska files. And don't get me started on the emissions laws out here.....

Eagle, I imagine that the answer to your question is that no, there won't be a state where you can just show up with a bill of sale and get a title for a car. If that state exists, it's gotta be the car-thief's haven for turning stolen cars for profit.

Out here, If you buy a car with a "salvage" title, you can do just as already mentioned. You go have the car inspected and show receipts for the repairs. Then there's a bit of a safety inspection, but I don't believe it's as thorough as what you're describing where you live.

Have you tried going down to your DMV office and talking to a person to pose your question to? That usually yields better answers rather than using the phone.

If you do find a State that will issue a title based upon a bill of sale, or one that has an easy process re-titling a "salvage" title'd car, do let us all in on it as we all could benefit from that kind of info from time to time!

 

[Sarge]

Here ya go:

http://www.broadwaytitle.com/form.htm

Sarge

 

[woody]

I got a grey dashboard (and likely an VIN tag) from a MA titled 88 XJ...it's been stored up at my moms house in MA since a year ago. I bought a console/shifter from a guy, and he delivered it along with as a freebie (gotta get it out of my shed) part. if ya need it (the dash, not my console) it's yours...no bill of sale or paperwork though.

 

[Eagle]

Here ya go:

http://www.broadwaytitle.com/form.htm

Sarge

I bookmarked that for future reference. Doesn't help this time, though. Previous title was from Connecticut, which is where I am located, and the title was turned in as salvage:

From Broadway Title web site
Your Responsibilities are to make sure that the vehicle is not currently titled in your state, stolen, salvaged or a kit car.

Thanks

 

[tlman]

I seem to recall that Alabama will issue a title with bill of sale. You may want to check out their DMV website to see if it's still possible.

 

[egon]

Eagle, to the best of my knowledge, New Jersey will issue junk titles so that a truck like yours can be put back on the road. I met someone with a XJ that had been total a dn he bought it with a salvage/junk title and repaired it. It now has a standard title. I'm not sure of the specifics, but could find out more if you'd like.

--Matt

 

[rockwerks]

Hey Eagle out here in AZ, I have owned and driven salvage titled vehicles, they will register them no problems..so I tell you wht just send me that MJ and I will take real good care of it as the western associate director if the MJ preservation society

Out here in AZ we can title a salvaged vehicle as "reconstructed salvage" ans show proof of ownership with bill of sale and proof of parts purchased to do the reconstruction

 

[sidriptide]

hey eagle... maybe this will help.... you may recall i went thru hell getting a title for a parts rig i had... it came from NH and had no title.... the only thing i needed was copy of the previous owners registration.. $10 got a certified copy from the DMV up there, but the previous owner had to do that legwork since it would not be released to me or the RMV here in mass directly... since you got it from a scrap yard it may be a little different... hope you can "save" it once again...
mike

 

[Eagle]

Out here in AZ we can title a salvaged vehicle as "reconstructed salvage" ans show proof of ownership with bill of sale and proof of parts purchased to do the reconstruction

I can do that here. But this truck has not been hit, so I don't particularly care to buy and install a bunch of parts to make it appear I "repaired" some non-existent, imaginary damage. I just want a piece of paper saying I can register or sell the fawkin' thing. The DMV rules apparently don't contemplate anyone scrapping an intact vehicle, so they can't deal with it. Their brains (now THERE's an assumption!) freeze up or something.

 

[5-90]

I suppose this is a dumb question, but have you actually asked anyone there? Perhaps if you find someone there with a few functional brain cells to rub together (an Herculean task, but it's something to try) you could shot them the vehicle and they'll see there's not repirs to be done. What are the requirements for salvage inspections there?

5-90

 

[Eagle]

I suppose this is a dumb question, but have you actually asked anyone there? Perhaps if you find someone there with a few functional brain cells to rub together (an Herculean task, but it's something to try) you could shot them the vehicle and they'll see there's not repirs to be done. What are the requirements for salvage inspections there?

5-90

I asked.

Requirements:

http://www.ct.gov/dmv/LIB/dmv/20/29/b-256.pdf

 

[5-90]

So, these guys just refuse to believe that someone might declare a vehicle "salvage" that has little or nothing wrong with it, and that might be just fine? I'm sure there is an inspeciton requirement, but that's just not enough I guess...

It's a pity that these damn fools are so stuck in their bureaucratic mentality they can't adapt to the unknown.

Whenever I have to go to DMV, I have grave concerns for the future of H. Sapiens... It's obvious most of the race can no longer survive by their wits alone, no?

5-90

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Eagle,

I read your state's requirements from the link you posted. They certainly seem to have all the bases covered to make it pretty difficult.

Here's what I'm thinking......

Since the state specifically lists that the bed of the truck is a major part component. Why not use that to your benefit? Of all the parts on the truck, it seems that the bed would be the easiest to "repair or replace".

What do you think of this idea? Get the salvage yard guy to write you another receipt that specifically states that the truck was sold without a bed. Maybe go as far as to state that the truck had been rear-ended and the wrecked bed was removed by the salvage guy and scrapped for the steel, prior to it's sale to you. Then you remove your truck's bed, primer the entire thing and put it back on. Make yourself a receipt from a fictitious person who's parting out an MJ and sold you the bed. Heck, someone here may have some pics of their wrecked MJ and could send you a pic as the "donor vehicle" - seems to me that Brian Harmon (XJNation) has the perfect side shot of his grey MJ posted in the Picture forum. (just be sure with whatever pic you choose, that there's no visible license plate in the pic )

I know this is kinda sneaky, but I can't see any other way around the bureaucratic B.S. that is designed into your state's law.

Unless the inspectors are allowed to scratch at the primer to see the paint color beneath it, I don't see why this wouldn't work.

Somethin' to think about....

Edit: I just realized yours is a long bed - Brian's is a short bed. But there may be other pics you could find.

 

[Matthew Currie]

In Vermont titles are not required and not issued for vehicles over 15 years old. It's that simple. Even if you have a title they won't issue a new one when you buy or sell an old vehicle.

In addition, it might be possible to re-title a newer vehicle as a "rebuilt." This, however, requires an on-the-spot inspection by a law officer, and I'm not entirely sure what documentation is needed for the core vehicle - it might still require a salvage title if it's newer than 15 years old. They do not, however, require bills of sale, etc. for contribuitng parts, as far as I know. I retitled a vehicle some years ago as a rebuilt, and the inspection was pretty cursory. I did, however, have a salvage title to begin with.

Edit: I forgot to mention one little hitch, which is that any vehicle brought in from out of state must have its VIN confirmed in person, so the vehicle would have to be physically present in VT to get a registration. It would also have to be inspected within, I think, 15 days of registration to remain legal.