Well, it has taken me nearly a month to get this car titled and hopefully the correct paperwork is now there for Austin. If you have a project car that had not been titled or registered in years and years, it may be worth the couple dollars to do an online vin search to avoid my headache. Here is the journey so far.

When I finally unearthed my brother's car from beneath a 50 plus year time capsule of stuff in March, I located the vin and did an online search. The report came back that it was last titled in NY in 2005 and 2008. Knowing the car had never left his house, nor had he ever been to NY, I thought maybe the vin service made a mistake so I emailed them and this was the return I received.

It looks like you have an older, maybe classic car. instaVIN does provide reports on Classic Cars (vehicles older than 1981) by means of NMVTIS; however, each state DMV varies as to how far back their vehicle records extend. NMVTIS provides the current state of title and last date for Classic Cars where available, and additional title events are included when possible. The odometer entries from New York in 2005 and 2008 would be the latest title brand changes available on the vehicle from the DMV offices and NMVTIS, the national database.


I then thought maybe he used the car as collateral on an out of state loan but if he did, why would it be titled out of state and that didn't make sense either. The title I had did show there was lien in 2005 and in his state the owner takes his notarized payoff to the title office to get the lien removed. In Texas, when the lien is paid, the bank sends the paperwork to the title office and the clear title is mailed to you. So I take the title and lien payoff paperwork to my local tax office and they stated that this would be fine and submitted the paperwork. Three weeks go by and still no title. I call the local office and she looks it up saying the state rejected it but she did not have the rejection info and would have to call the Dallas office. She calls me back and says the rejection is because I do not have the current title that is in the system. I will say one thing, my local tax office has been very friendly and helpful.

I finally get a hold of someone in my brother's state to help me and turns out they have the same title on file that I submitted to Texas. Now the lightbulb is going off in my head about the NY nonsense. I was speaking to guy at work and he said vins are stolen all the time on old cars. I then call the regional auto theft task force and tell them my story and they said they will verify my car first. After finding the frame vin I call them to come out and inspect the car. The officer inspects both vins and all my paperwork back to 1976 and is satisfied that this is the car for my vin. He gives me the inspection certificate and stated that someone may have entered a digit wrong or the guy who titled the car in NY either bought a stolen car or has created an illegal vin. The officer went on to say that my car was last registered in Texas in 94 and that people will look for vins that haven't been registered in years and use those for fakes. He stated he would contact the police in NY to go inspect the car. If it's an honest guy who bought the car, I hope it was just a typo mistake.

So I call the tax office and tell them I have the form certifying this is the car and she says to bring down the paperwork and we will submit again. So now I'm back to waiting but she said this should correct the problem and I will be getting my title soon.

 

It can be a pain. Won’t detail, but my car was purchased back when the salesman wrote the VIN on a piece of paper and the typist typed the bill of sale. Mistakes were made and the wrong VIN was created. After 30 years not registered, until I located the “right” person at DMV I was not going to get a title. Once I did, it was quick and painless, but not inexpensive. They always seem to have a fee for that.

 

 

 

What tangled web! Glad to hear it's clearing up for you. Dennis

 

elwood13,

Late to the party here. Am glad to see you have daylight in the tunnel. It helps to have someone at the DMV walk you through the steps to get her titled right.

Jim
In God We Trust!

 

I have a '67 GTO that I brought into CA in 1983. A new title was issued, but the typist entered the model year as a 1968. I tried to get it cleared up in the years since, but the paperwork and effort was overwhelming. So, the 35 year old pink slip I have for the car says '1968' on it, even though the car has a 1967 VIN an bears no resemblance to a 1968 GTO!

 

 

Just to add more confusion, NY does not issue titles on vehicles built before, I believe, 1978. NYDMV issues "transferable" registrations instead.

 

Yes true. I am also in NYS also and a transferable registration is used to sell vintage cars.

From DMV website:

A Certificate of Title (MV-999) is the official proof of ownership for a car, truck, motorcycle, motorboat, travel or utility trailer weighing 1,000 pounds or more, or manufactured home (mobile home). The title certificate is used to transfer ownership from one person to another. The title also lists any "lienholders" — those from whom the owner borrowed money to purchase the vehicle or manufactured home. It is wise to keep your title certificate in a safe place. Don't keep it in the car or carry it with you.


Which Vehicles Must Be Titled?

New York State issues a Certificate of Title (MV-999) for:

Motor vehicles of model year 1973 or newer;
motorboats, model year 1987 or newer, that are 14 feet or longer; and,

 

 

That search result is strange given that NYS does not issue titles for 1973 and older vehicles.

 

 

I learned decades ago, never leave the BMV office after a title transfer before you inspect the paper they give you for errors. Especially on the VIN number.

Back then, sometimes the clerk would make a correction after the fact if it was clear that they had made a mistake. Not today!

 

Good for you! It sounds like you are on track to this being all sorted out.
I hope the police in NY investigate the person who sold that car using your VIN#.
Feel bad for the NY buyer. Chances are high he did nothing wrong and has been a victim of fraud.

 

 

What year is your car?

You say the NY car is a 1966.

Doug

 

 

Did you ever call NY with the vin to see if indeed they ever did have a title? If not I'm sure they would supply a letter stating so....

 

Okay....

I bet the owner wishes you had never popped up into the equation, right now. Or, maybe he is glad you did, until he gets this sorted out on his end, one way or the other.

I sleep well at night knowing my frame matches the title as bought decades ago.

Doug