Buying long distance
 

I,m wondering how to ensure I get what I pay for. Will go & look at vehicle
before buying but will have to have it shipped. Since hotrods don't have the
origional motors what are the serial #'s based on ? What guarantee should I
get or how do I ensure I get what I pay for ?

Re: Buying long distance
 

Most vehicles are registered by the frame number. What type of vehicle are you looking at? What does the seller say about the numbers/title? Be careful of the "numbers thing". A fight with DMV will take all the fun out of the project.

Charlie Stephens

Re: Buying long distance
 

30 ford pickup. the # on the frame are covered up

Re: Buying long distance
 

Does the engine # match the paperwork?

Re: Buying long distance
 

I haven't bought it yet but if the motor has been upgraded would the title show that ?

Re: Buying long distance
 

Ford did not stamp any numbers on the engine and I doubt that a title would show an engine change.

Re: Buying long distance
 

is it a correct 1930 ford number on the title? if its always had a title it should be, and when new the frame and motor matched. if it was built from parts some states will replace the original number with a new vin number, many digits and letters like a new car if there was an issue when it was titled. my state minnesota will do that if you cant see the numbers on the frame. numbers are on the drivers side rail just behind the motor mount. i've heard never done, that you can fit a piece of paper in between frame and splash apron and then grind a pencil flat enough to fit in there and try to make an impression. if a modern motor has been installed that number would not show unless the builder went thru the process of recording it at the state...not likely

Re: Buying long distance
 

model A's do have a number on the motor

Re: Buying long distance
 

In all the years I have been fooling with old cars and motorcycles I have never been checked for vin numbers. That being said, I used the numbers from my A title bought a plate from Snyders and put it on the car in plain sight. WE have a thing here in the Missery called an ID/OD that you get at the vehichle inspection statio that you have to get with out of state cars. Put your tag that you bought from Snyders on a easy place to read on the frame, our cops and inspectors have hit the donuts so hard they do not like to bend over!:(:D:p

Re: Buying long distance
 

Ask the seller where the number on the title appears on the vehicle. It may be a tag added by the state DMV which is ok. Maybe ask for a photo of the number on the truck. If it is hand stamped on a tag from EBAY run, or tell the seller to get a real id plate from the state DMV. It is his problem, don't let him make it yours.

Charlie Stephens

Re: Buying long distance
 

It is my understanding that long ago if you changed an engine all you had to do was tell the DMV to update to the new number. If an engine was replaced in California as far back as 1972 (that is when I last checked) they insisted on adding an "official" id plate to the door jam and the frame and that would become the identification number for the car. I don't know what they did in your state. By the way, where are you located and where is the car located?

Charlie Stephens

Re: Buying long distance
 

Deepends on what state you are in, how much fight you have at the DMV. Put you location in your info, maybe we could help you better.

Re: Buying long distance
 

Georgia is really easy. Three years ago I Went to DMV with Washington State title for my 36 and all they were interested in was the serial number and a bill of sale. $20 total. Registered a 1972 Chevrolet C10 pickup two months ago with the original 1972 Georgia title. They let me keep the original title, would not issue a new one, bill of sale only. Another $20. All depends on the state you live in.
John

Re: Buying long distance
 

I live in Texas the pickup is in Maryland

Re: Buying long distance
 

They don't inspect out of state cars imported into Texas. But good idea to make sure the title goes with the car.

Re: Buying long distance
 

This may be a little off point, but it's well intended. In all my years of buying and restoring old Fords I've learned two things: 1/ Inspect it with your own eyes and and be involved at the point of sale with the title. 2/ Either trailer it home or arrange to have it shipped. (I attempted to drive a '39 from Friday Harbor Washington down to Issaquah...90 miles with what turned out to be a bad coil!!....thank you U Haul for renting me a truck and trailer!!!)

Best of luck.....Dick.

Re: Buying long distance
 

I have been involved with many old vehicles that have doubtful parentage, in other words, the serial numbers are not correct for the vehicle and/or they are missing.
The internet and the availability of correct serial numbers and their location has made it all to easy for the DMV departments to make things very difficult.
Having been there done that, I would suggest that you don't rely on the validity of notarized paperwork. The notarization of paperwork only validates the signature of the person that signed the paperwork.
From my experience, vehicles that come from the southern states have the greatest amount of serial number/identity problems..

Re: Buying long distance
 

not really on topic, but just for entertainment i have a story. back in the 80's i bought a project car in south dakota. the seller said he had the title, but it had been signed by someone else and never processed, so a duplicate title from the owner would be needed to get a clear title for me. he knew the previous owner and would get the title work done ASAP. yeah, never happened. so there was an old license plate on the car,and in south dakota plates are issued by county, and the county keeps all the records. so one day i drove to the county courthouse and looked up the owner,so i had a name. remember phone books? i looked in the phone book, and his name did not show, but a few others with the same last name did. so i called one and they said bob was their brother and he now lived in wyoming, here's his number. so i call bob, and yes he was the owner and was excited that i was to bring his old pride and joy back to life, and did the process for a new title and sent it to me in the mail!! so, the world is not such a bad place after all, well, atleast it wasnt back then.

Re: Buying long distance
 

Every state is different so not knowing what state the car is coming from and what state you live in it's tuff to say. I would check with some rodders from your state to see what they have done. In VA where I am, I use the vin number on the title, regardless of what motor is installed. Getting a plate from Snyders gives it a more official certification but it nothing is cast in stone. Again, check with guys in your state - calling the DMV will only make you run around, chasing your tail. You will get a different story from each person you talk to.

Good luck and keep us posted how you make out ....

Re: Buying long distance
 

cas3 I had almost the exact same situation, however in my case my son and I purchased a car when he was in high school and worked on it off and on for years. When it came time to title it I have to run down the original owner because he had mis-signed the title. Took a while but found him and he was also happy to sign a statement to a fact to clear the title. He had raced the car in the 60s and was excited we were reviving it. Years ago it was common in Kansas (but not really legal) to keep what were referred to as open titles. When they started cracking down on the practice it became very difficult to straighten some of these out. I've had a lot of experience attempting this.