Look what I found!!

[69L72RS]

I have asked a few law enforcement people about who would own the tags, for a similar situation.
All of them said the same thing. The tags, if located, would be returned to the owner of the body that has the matching hidden VINs.
This was a few years ago. I don't know if it still would be true or not.
Eric

[amuseme]

Who's got the title? There's your owner.

[PeteLeathersac]

[ QUOTE ]
Who's got the title? There's your owner.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Jeff....if I fanangled the title to your car into my name, am I really the owner? ~ Pete

[69L72RS]

Jeff,
The car I was persuing turned out to have a re-issued title, in a recent seller's name. I was warned about the tag swap and found a few leads to the owner of the cutup body.
Apparently in Ohio, a reissued title is fairly easy to get
with the help of a lawyer and bill of sale.
The title was clean, with no salvage or builder indications.
I was advised not to buy either car at any price. I was told the reissued title would not retain ownership of the tags in court.
Just passing on what I was told.
Eric

[PeteLeathersac]

Here in Ontario Canada, it's quite simple to obtain a title especially for vehicles that don't exist in the database. . Lots of people still go the lawyer route and even think it's necessary, but reality is a signed statement without need for a lawyer is filled out and here's your title sir. . Truth is still considered as exactly that until proven otherwise. . If something comes of it down the road, the recorded documents from when the title was issued are pulled out and the story continues from there. . In a nutshell, I could obtain title to any of your cars since they don't exist in the Ontario database! . I've even heard of guys that have brought vehicles out of the states and simply registered it as an Ontario vehicle then "return" home with it. ~ Pete

[amuseme]

Geez, now you've got me thnking about my statement! I know here in Il. they say that if there's no action on a title,i.e.;license,transfer,etc., for 10yrs. it 'falls' off the computers. I'd be curious to see what would happen when they try to transfer the out of state title, if it worked but you still had the orig.(older) Il. title I'd bet the other guy would be in deep doo-doo. Brings up another point;let's say you know of a car with no title and the guy who has it never had one for it.You know the car hasn't been lic. in more than 10 yrs.It's sitting outside and you get the vin and get a title for it...ta-da... your car,right? Think of all the neat stuff parked out in the woods and behind sheds that we all know of...

[PeteLeathersac]

[ QUOTE ]
get the vin and get a title for it...ta-da... your car,right?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not quite....like I said before, if I had title to your car would I really be the owner? . It's like stealing something....having it doesn't mean it's yours. . To try your "idea" here, if rightful ownership is later in question, your documents from when you obtained the title are presented and you'd better have the right answers. . If obtained illegally you're trouble for not only theft but false documents etc. ~ Pete

[amuseme]

Not quite....like I said before, if I had title to your car would I really be the owner? . It's like stealing something....having it doesn't mean it's yours. . To try your "idea" here, if rightful ownership is later in question, your documents from when you obtained the title are presented and you'd better have the right answers. . If obtained illegally you're trouble for not only theft but false documents etc. ~ Pete

[/ QUOTE ] I get what you're saying...I guess what I'm trying to do is figure out how to get/save a car I know of. Here's the deal; this car is sitting in the back of a 'body shop', no title, hasn't been reg. for better than 20yrs. Had the thing bought(money down, no, nothing in writing ), the shop owner did some kind of dealing with friends of his who happened to be Hells Angels members, there were a few arrests reported in the paper,some pretty gnarly stuff. Turns out it was the 'friends',and ever since we haven't been able to contact the guy. The car is still there but I fear the future isn't bright for it. I know of people who've gotten bonded titles on 'abandoned' vehicles that were left on private property so I'm sure it's possible, just like to find a way that's legal,yet,'under the radar'. This car is way spec. enuf to save.The trick here is there's no one to contest it (I don't think!).

[396L35]

Here are a few more pictures of the car... I didn't see the hidden VIN under the heater box, would it be anywhere else on the car?? This car also had plastic inner fenders, the drivers side is still with the car but it's brittle and useless now. Mark

[Canuck]

The primary location for an Oldsmibile Vin on a Lansing built car is on the frame rail,typically drivers side facing outward but could also be on the top of the rail over or near the rear axel. Body would have to be raised or off to find the Vin. Extreme rust on rail may preclude finding the vin. I am not aware of Oldsmobile stamping avin on the body (this was a Camaro practice I believe,or plant specific and not the Lansing plant.)