VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Trucks and Vans Title Certificate

Can anyone give me some ideas to get a title for a 28 1 ton model LP? I'm in california and need it to be registered as a 28 inorder to use YOM plates. No record of it ever having been registered and no plates to trace back. Now what?

I don't know about California, but some states will inspect the vehicle and "assign" a VIN/Control number. Then you may run into an "assembled vehicle" title with the current year as the date.

Best bet is to contact a DMV and solicit their advice.

There are several title services that can provide paperwork to get model year dated title. Check on line or one of the hobby publications. A friend used one in NV successfully.

California DMV should be on-line along with all of their rules and etc...

Been there, Done that! Unfortunately, this was years ago and the DMV has more stringent rules.
They want some evidence of registration. Best is the Pink slip (yellow for commercial vehicles). An old registration card is second best. Another alternative is a "reconstruction". Show photos of it disassembled before restoration and have them varify the serial number. If you don't have a serial plate, (Trux rarely did) use the engine serial number on right side of 28 block. You still need a bill of sale for engine and body or chassis. It will then be registered as a 1928 Chevy first sold in 2005.
A "certificate of construction" will render a 2005 Chevy that may need smog and seatbelts.
If one DMV office says no way, go to another. Be sure to bring paper work on their forms. You'll have to get "Bill of Sale" forms at their office. The line at DMV in my area is 2 - 4 hour wait so bring some unread magazines.
Good Luck!!

Getting titles on vehicles is usually a nightmare. The best thing to do is make sure that the vehicle has a title before purchase. If not.....back away unless you are buying the vehicle for a parts car.

Appreciate input from all. I just couldn't resist this 1 ton "ICE" truck in it it's current condition and great price. It'l be worth the title fight.

I suggest you use one of the title services advertised in Hemmings as suggested above. If you cand't find a VIN, use the engine number. It will cost you about $150.00 for the service, The savings in time and blood pressure medication will balance it out. Furthermore, if you wound up killing someone at the DMV, a Justifiable Homicide conviction would still have you away from your truck for a long time.
Mike

i use a title service in nv with sucess they would not accept the engine no. on my bill of sale so i had to come up with a car no your ta may be able to help with that . mine did . i got a texas title in about two weeks . well worth the money not to go through all the red tape .texas is a hard state to title a car or truck . a few states in the us will give a registration cerficate on a bill of sale and this is what a title service does .the state accepts this and issues a title . hope this helps

i use a title service in nv with sucess they would not accept the engine no. on my bill of sale so i had to come up with a car no your ta may be able to help with that . mine did . i got a texas title in about two weeks . well worth the money not to go through all the red tape .texas is a hard state to title a car or truck . a few states in the us will give a registration cerficate on a bill of sale and this is what a title service does .the state accepts this and issues a title . hope this helps

Push, I figured you would just go down to Parks & Wildlife and get a boat number for the front fenders and mount a 14" chrome prop on your spare tire!

One more question - so I have a '33 with a vin# on the firewall, but no title. This title company in NV would do what for me? I'm in CO and I bought the truck in NB.

There is no chance of tracking down the previous owner's title. The truck had been sitting since '66 and had trees growing out it it.

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

the plate on the firewall isn't the vin plate but rather the trim plate. the vin plate with the vin #
is on the pass side floorpan area, just underneath the sill plate.as far as state titles went back then, the vin # on the title could have been the # on the vin plate or it could have been the engine serial # stamped on the engine pad.hope this helps. mike

the title service that i use in n v will not except engine numbers or he would not from me i had to come up with a vehicle no witch was on the sill plate that was not there . if the vehicle has a trim tag that tells where the vehicle was made and the engine no ( orginal ) your t a probably can come up with a number by figuring the lag time on engine build and assembly date . using the date pick a number on that datenow you have a vehicle no you sell the vehicle to them with a notorized bill of sale they register it in a state that accepts bill of sales and pay taxes then they send you the registeration in your name to you . which you bring down to your dept. of motor and apply for a title and pay tax . texas excepts this registration no questions asked . i recomend doing this before you do any work on the vehicle because of tax purpose . if you buy a vehicle for 1500 do work 20000 and they want to look at it you do not want them looking at a 35000 vehicle that you did not by hoe this helps all of this usealy takes about 14 days

Thanks - we're getting there. But I'm confused. The only thing on the '33 truck ('32 car body) in the passenger side floor pan area is ...the road, if the floor boards have rotted out. I pretty sure my vin#, e.g. 6CB06 XXXXX comes from the plate on the inside of the engine compartment, on the firewall. The plate even says - "car number".

What is this other plate number supposed to look like? What's the scheme for the vin# you are talking about, if it is an original issue vin#?

Anyway, you are right - the truck sits until I can get title thing squared away. If I can't then I've got a pretty good parts truck. However, I'd hate to do it to it.

Could someone e-mail the name of the place in NV?

Thanks!

1929-33 1 1/2 ton trucks have the Serial number plate screwed to the passenger side of the firewall. Maybe other years too but am not as familiar with them. The plate has the vehicle number which is the one to be used on the title if the engine number will not work. For a '33 truck it should be a OA, OB, OC, or OD depending on the wheelbase and if single or dual rear tires.