Thread: Need Sources For T Bucket Title

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I'm in the process of purchasing a '27 T C-Cab. I haven't exactly made the purchase just yet. One of the problems I'm having is the title situation. Smart guy titled it as a 1983 'homemade' (or kit car as they call them now) in the state of Oregon. (He lives here now and the car is dis-assembled and a new frame is being built) It's not a kit but it was a T bucket that had a new C-Cab body hand made of steel for it. (Looks REALLY nice) The chassis and the cowl are the only original pieces of the car and now the frame is being replaced wiit a boxed custom unit. The old ID is nowhere in existance, nor is the title and right now it's got an '83 assigned VIN. (located on the removable firewall)
Here's the problem. Because it's considered an '83 the state of Washington wants to emissions test it. either by '83 standards or by '68 standards (the lowest std. on the books) Even though the engine is a '65 327, i'm told it still unlikely I'll escape at least the '68 standards emissions test. So to avoid all the emissions crapola I need to find a source to get a "T" title so I can re-license the car as such. I don't care what year of "T" it is just as long as it's a clear "T" title. I'm new to the street rod world and don;t know where to start in accuiring another title.
I really like the car that's why I'm doing the extra footwork to try to salvage the deal. Hell, WSP also said that it's possible because the car is disassembled (has been off the road since '87) and not available to be inspected as a whole legal running vehicle they could easily void the '83 title and re-issue a 2003 title! I sure as hell don't want that!!! Please Help ME!

You've got mail!

LOOK IN THE FOR SALE OR WANTED AREA OF THE SITE, I BELIEVE I SAW A GUY IN THERE SELLING OLD TITLES

Dano,
Check out this site www.broadwaytitle.com They can get you a legal title in Alabama that you can use to title the car in your state. But you'll have to have a vin #.
AL

Bob- Thanks for the lead, I'll follow up on it.

Tech- Thanks, man! I contacted him (or her) and replied with an E-mail saying they'll get right back to me. I appreciate the tip!

OJAI- I looked through the for sale stuff and saw a fella selling titles, five I think, but nothing that old. Was that the guy you were refering to?

Al- Yeah that's the worst end of the deal..... the car doesn't even have the old VIN. I'm betting that if it did, I could file for lost title and just wait out the process. Thanks for the tip though!

Something shady working in New York!!!!????? Who da thunk it!! I know, that's why you guys keep NJ next door, they make you look good!

Streets, BTW that tracing thing won't work here in Washington. Up until two years ago we had mandatory, live inspections of every newly titled, used car (except those sold by licensed dealers), by the State Patrol. There were inspection stations all over the state, manned by who knows how many officers/techs. A hugely expensive program. Unlike some of the states back east where there were safety items, e.g. lights, wipers, e-brakes, etc. these guys mainly did a vin and paperwork check. Oh, occasionally you could get harassed big time if the officer was a male member, and didn't like hot rods, but mainly it was intended to catch stolen cars. Thank God for budget crunches, as an audit disclosed that they were nabbing something on the order of 8-10 stolens a year out of several hundred thousand inspections!!! Happily they've killed that program. Now it's a paper shuffle at a local DMV agent's office, unless the car is a "kit car" or assembled completely from parts in the absence of a title. Then there will be additional varification and the state assigns a vin of their own creation.

Thanks to the hard work of a group of car clubs here in Washington it's a lot better today than it was 10 years ago. We used to be required to have fenders like the PA boys. And it was double tough because the laws used to be vague enough that the inspection station guy could interprete you right off the road with just about anything. Now we can use vintage plates, and even Blue Dots.

If Dano reads carefully, he knows what to do.

Luckily, the car does have a clean '83 Homemade (or referred to as a kit car nowadays) title in the state of Oregon. Wash State Patrol says that it will transfer with no problems but I couldn't register it without complying with either an '83 standards emission test or more likely he said at least a '68 standards test. I just don't want to mess with emissions at all! What fun is owning a car like that and not being able to run multiple carburetion??? Or loads-o-horsepower?? I'd hate to have to do an engine change every two years for a lousy emissions test....

Besides, if I ever decide to sell it, it's a helluva lot easier to sell a '27 T when titled as such. Most people won't take the time I have to deal with a situation like this and would rather just pass it up.

Yeah Bob, I got a few leads I'm gonna look into. I think either way I'm gonna more than likely buy the car...hell it's only $2500 and it's all there, complete!

The '68 standards were the infancy of controls, so it's pretty much numbers from the sniffer. I don't recall what levels of NOX or HC, but as compared to newer vehicles, they were pretty easy numbers to hit with a mechanically sound engine. The '68 standards are pretty pointless for us now though. About three years ago a modicum of common sense popped up in our requirements. They made the exemption apply to any vehicle over 25 years of age. So to use Dano's example, in five years his "83" will become exempt. The other twist in Washington is that emission checks are only done in the more populated counties. Again, it's based on extortion from D.C. linked to dispersal of "Federal Funds". The trick some guys used was to get a P.O. box in an unregulated county and use that for their registration address. Well, now with computers, they've clamped down on that and do cross checks for county of residence. If that doesn't work, then the person trying to use a P.O. box has to prove where his actual residence is.

I don't think the registration would do it, but if it were a title then it would get down to terminology. If the title just said 1927 Ford, or Ford roadster, coupe, tudor, whatever, then it would be transferred using the same nomenclature. No inspection, no emissions testing, just pay the registration fee, filing fee, agent fee, and "excise" tax (same rate as sales tax, even though the purchase is from out of state ) based on the bill of sale, or if they don't like that number (in other words they think you faked it low) they have a data base of "suggested" values that they'll use. If the registration says "homebuilt" that might cause some extra effort. I've not dealt with that particular situation, nor have I had any friends with that experience. Given the way this state thinks, you might end up having to have an inspection and state assigned vin, along with some proof of what year it was assembled. It would probably be handled similar to a "kit car". Likewise, if you only had a registration and bill of sale, you'd have to post a lost title bond and wait the 5 year "protest" period before you get a clear title. Otherwise, if there were only a registration, it would be cleaner to file for a lost title replacement from the registered state, and try to get their title first. Personally it's too much hassle for me with anything but a clean title, and few cars are rare enough to warrant that much stress.

Actually the waiting Period for the disputed title is only 3 years now. You get issued a temporary title for those 3 years. I went through that crap with another '67 Ranchero i had. Kinda a PITA and it makes it hard to sell as well. I just finally registered my 78 Mustang because it became emissions exempt this year. I've had the car since '98.

If I remember the Emissions requirements they are for all passenger vehicles from '68-'73 as follows:

220 HC
3.0 CO
and < 14.2 (for whatever that reading was)

I had a '72 Maverick I drove for a short time that I had to deal with the emissions crapola. I think WA state started doing the emissions checks in about '92. They never opened the hood of the car for ANY equipmet checks. Only vehicles subject to these checks were vehicles 5 years old or newer as long as they pass the sniffer standards. At least that's the way it was in Clark county. To my knowlege the only counties in WA that have to test are King, Pierce, Thurston, Clark and Spokane counties. I know when it all started it was just King and Clark. The only reason why we have to test here in Clarl is because of that cesspool City of Portland...... just pisses me off.....

Everything in the state of Washington has both, a title and registration paperwork.

As far as the State of Wahshington is concerned, it doesn't have to be specific on the type of car it actually is on stuff this old. But in the latter years it's a big deal because they tax you on a truck's tonnage. They even taxed me on my Ranchero...can you believe that??? It's considered a 1/4 ton truck... how lame...

They actaully use either two sniffers or just one from pipe to pipe. (is pretty stupid when the car's running an H-Pipe)

Actaully I have thought of the fake 2nd set of pipes idea. My luck the clown that does the test checks underneath after he sees the "almost 100% clean test.

An electric powere car??? GAY. If I wanted to drive a non-polluting car I'd buy that new pile of crap hybrid car everyone is starting to make now. I WANT to pollute!!

That 14.2 is the NOX, oxides of nitrogen.

Jeez Dano, you make it sound like our state is a PITA!! And you really need to learn how not to hold back on your feelings about Portland.

Only if you want to .....................cement............................a relationship!