Ken's67

I have a question about a "Salvage Title." I'm looking to buy a 1966 vehicle, (Not a Corvette) with a salvage title. It was brought to the scrape yard many years ago because of a fire under the hood. It was repaired and titled with a "Salvage" title. My question is, can that salvage title be cleared? Is there a way or a service that can take that salvage title and turn it into a regular title? I'm in Ohio.

The other question is: Is a vehicle with a "Salvage" title worth less or is less desirable with this type of title?

Thanks

92GTA

Salvage cars always sell for less.

Good luck on the other thing I'm in CA so I can't speak to that...

kh400

BEing you're in California, I don't know if this works, but with old motorcycles I have restored that had no paperwork, I used Broadway title. They supply the necessary paperwork to get you a new title. Whether this is ethical, I will leave up to your conscience. Google Broadway title and it will be there. Good luck.

rongold

If I remember correctly, there are still a couple of states that do not issue salvage titles. If you register your car there, you will get a regular title, and then if you "move back" to your home state, the car will get a regular title. There are probably a couple of guys here that know what states they are.

A vehicle with a salvage title is always worth less, as a salvage title means the vehicle was declared to need more than 80% of its value for repairs.

Subfixer

I believe Tenn does not issue Salvage titles. A lot of Rebuilt Salvage cars go thru there to "clear" their titles.

My daily driver has a Rebuilt Salvage car in CT. It was Mich Salvage when I bought it. I'll keep it until it dies, then I won't have to worry about it.

jdk971

ken,
since you live in ohio, call the ohio state patrol office in columbus. i believe you can get
a reg. title. i think you have to have the vehicle inspected by a law enforcement agency. the auto squad of the columbus police department did it years ago, esp for hot rods and such. but i think osp does it now. best of luck jim

ktchir

A salvage title may make it worth less, but proper documentation on the repairs could negate that.

I believe there was an earlier thread on "cleaning" a salvage title, but I can't seem to find it now.

vetteride4u

I have repaired several C6 cars which have had Ohio salvage titles and am restoring a 67 roadster right now. In Ohio you must keep all major part receipts for the repairs and have the car inspected by the Ohio Highway Patrol. The title will be I good title but will be branded "Previous Salvage" under remarks. PM me if you want more info.

My numbers match 67 L79 is in much better shape then many cars I see being restored and don't expect it to hurt the value! I wreck car is a different story! Just document everything.

MiguelsC2

On a 50 yr old car,condition and options will outweigh any salvage title.
I don't think a salvage title will hurt the value of a perfect fuelie or 427 restored to be as good or better than any clean titled car. I also don't think the seller would drop the price because of it. IMHO

92GTA

This is WAY subjective. Of course if the car is *correctly* restored by a skilled artisan who takes pride in restoring the car and not just "fixing it up" so to speak it is going to be worth more than most that even have a good title. But lets face it, most aren't restored this way, in fact VERY few are. So generally speaking, a buyer will always use the salvage title is a bargaining chip to lower the price in an attempt to purchase. Value is one thing, actual worth is another. If we are basing worth on what an actual buyer will pay as the poster asked, it is only in fact worth what someone will actually pay.

So IF this salvage title car was repaired and restored correctly, then I would of course say you are right. But even then, when it comes down to actual sale price that a buyer will pay, I would be very skeptical that the car would sell for the same dollar amount as an identical non-salvage title vehicle.

63 corvette

I agree with 57Vette.

Here is a consideration on how much of a value deduction a salvage title might create.

If two exact cars were restored to the exact same condition, how much more would you pay for the car without the salvage title. This is very subjective.

RFJohnston

Some insurance companies will not insure salvage title vehicles, due to potential liability issues if repairs were not done properly.

emccomas

All vehicle ownership changes now go through NVMTIS. NVMTIS database also has a field called "brands". This lists things like "stolen", "salvage", "flood", "kit", etc.

Washing titles is not as easy as it used to be.

NVMTIS entry is now required for all 50 states (as of 1 Jan 2010).

NVMTIS = National Motor Vehicle Title Information System.

Ron Champe

Any car with a salvage title is a bit difficult to sell. My previous Corvette had a salvage title and most all potential buyers "ran" even before they heard my story.

noss1z28

title washing i believe is illegal, that's what everyone is talking about. Do a search for Boyd Coddington and it or Unique Performance. Both got in big trouble for doing this. Registering cars out of state and then re-registering again with a clean title.

Ernie67

I think what Boyd was in trouble was building cars, and having them titled as "Older" cars. I do not believe he was involved with title washing. I think Jesse james had the same or a similar issue.

Kensmith

Boyd and other hot rod builders buy the titles/numbers to salvaged vintage cars and register their new hot rods they build with the titles to keep the cars vintage and smog free. (VS a kit car requiring registration as new). Back then, titles were not marked nor records keep when they were totaled out.