No title

[rodnutrandy]

Their is a 63 Hawk on E-bay with new paint and interior that states no title. I wonder why someone would invest in a car with no title. Any ideas ! http://www.ebay.com/itm/121186743260...43260&viewitem=

[Dick Steinkamp]

Title laws vary state by state. In some states there aren't titles for cars more than "X" years old, so no problem. In others there is a waiting period during which time you are issued an interim title. If no one claims the car in that time period you are issued a regular title. There are also services that will get you a title from a non title state for a nominal price.

Generally, however, the lack of a title will limit the buyer pool and impact the selling price.

[Packard8]

Seems like a nice car from the photos and if originally from SoCal it should be pretty much rust free. Looks like an R1 engine too, hope the owner just removed the air cleaner for the photos....

[JimC]

It's coming from California. I thought they required titles?

There are a couple states (Maine and Georgia) where you don't even need a title to own an older car. Georgia, if I recall, won't even issue them (someone correct me if I'm wrong here!). Other states require titles and have no provisions fro titling a car without one. Some states, like Nebraska, require a title, but will let you get a bonded title. (Basically what Dick said - you buy an insurance bond on the car, wait three years, and if no claims are made, it loses the bonded designation and is simply titled to you.) Within that realm, some states are very easy to get a new title, and others make it harder than what is reasonably imaginable.

My guess is that the seller has friends or family in either a no-title or bonded title state, and he was thinking he could use that to get the car titled later. Other than that, I've not got a clue.

I dragged my grandpa's car around without a title for a few years. I always assumed it would be simple to get one. finding out I would have had to re-assemble the whole car first was one of the deciding factors in getting rid of it.

[sals54]

I live in California and have had many run-ins with cars having no title. Its not terribly difficult to get a car titled here. Especially if the car is off the records at DMV. The purge the VINs out after 7 years or so. If that car has been purged out of the DMV data base, it would be a matter of claiming the car on a form, and applying for a new pink slip. Should not cost more than $50 or $60.
Now, that being said... if there are back fees due, it could get expensive. You have to know the laws, because even the DMV workers don't know how to manipulate them. I believe there is a law on the books in CA that allows the older cars to be revived without paying the back fees. I've just found out about this and, as yet, have not tried it.
Bottom line... buyer beware. Do your homework.

[StudeRich]

That would be this Car:

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?75446-62-63-64-GT-Hawk-on-eBay

I find it very odd that it hit $12,100.00 in the first and ran all the way to close without hitting the reserve, but on the new more correct and better concurrent AD it only has 18Hrs. 43 Min. to go and is only at $4,565.00 as of now!

[63 R2 Hawk]

I have obtained several valid titles for missing title cars when I lived in Cali years ago. It helped to go to the "Right" DMV and talk to the "Right" person. Sometimes asking too many questions and providing too much information and talking to the wrong person made it very complicated. Haven't lived there for many years, however.....

[sals54]

I have obtained several valid titles for missing title cars when I lived in Cali years ago. It helped to go to the "Right" DMV and talk to the "Right" person. Sometimes asking too many questions and providing too much information and talking to the wrong person made it very complicated. Haven't lived there for many years, however.....

See... that's the smart way to go about it. Ask lots of questions, but don't volunteer too much information. Playing dumb often times gets the best results. Strangely, they become pretty helpful if you look and act like this is the first time you've endured the spectacle of the DMV. They tell you what form to fill out, where to sign and how to get to the meat of the problem. That being, giving them money so they can give you a title.
Always follow the money. And Calif DMV loves to take your money.