Help - Barn Find with No Title or Registration

[tom1394racing]

Yesterday I pulled an '87 Carrera Targa out of a backyard shed. The car has 55,000 miles and is solid, straight and rust free.

The problem is there is no paperwork with the car. No title or registration. The seller tells me that his father won the car in a card game around 15 years ago from a previous owner in St. Martin. The car was shipped to CT and stored in the shed since. It does have plates from St Martin. I ran the VIN through a check and no record of theft or accident came back.

I originally looked at this as a parts car but but after close inspection, I think it is really too clean to part out and I would like to bring it back to life. The state of CT will not allow me to register the car without a title.

Does anyone know of a way to register a car without a title in another State?

[fastfredracing]

Greenlight titles. Talk to Verna, I have done a couple through them

[Flat6pac]

Alabama use to have a way, there was offices that delt with motor vehicles on your behalf and could get Alabama title on Bill of Sale.
That was years ago when states like NY just had registration for the car, no title.
I dont think it would hurt to reference a Google search on the subject.
Bruce

[PabloX]

Massachusetts doesn't require a title if the vehicle is over a certain age. However, they do require a copy of a previous registration. So that may or may not be helpful.

Good luck and TPIWWP.

[AVDCAV]

Just hire a title broker. Its gonna take a month or two
But that's what they do for a living. I did it with a 70
Dodge super bee that was abandoned in fla . Entire process
Cost me around $900.00

[Peter Zimmermann]

Originally Posted by Flat6pac

Alabama use to have a way, there was offices that delt with motor vehicles on your behalf and could get Alabama title on Bill of Sale.
That was years ago when states like NY just had registration for the car, no title.
I dont think it would hurt to reference a Google search on the subject.
Bruce

LOL! That's where all the cars stolen in CA used to go for "new" VINs and titles. L.A. Region PCA had a CHP give a talk to us at a dinner meeting many, many years ago. He told us the cops pulled over a 911 coupe one evening on Lincoln Blvd in Venice, CA. One of the officers was, unfortunately for the driver, a P-car nut. When he took a casual glance at the car's VIN he saw that the body digit was for a Targa. Oooops! The car was impounded, and a history trace took it straight to Alabama! As Emeril L. would say...BAM!

[Joe Bob]

Lien sell it, for storage fees..........

[group911@aol.co]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Lien sell it, for storage fees..........

That's the correct way to do it.

[Grady Clay]

Tom,

First order of business is to take it for a CT VIN Inspection:
DMV: Inspections Performed at DMV
Insist that the VIN be ‘run through’ the FBI’s NCIC. Get paperwork.

It may turn out that there is an ‘owner’ (insurance company, estate, lease company, bank, ex-spouse, other).
You absolutely want to find that owner.
Be prepared to post a Surety Bond so you can retain possession (that guarantees you will return the car if court ordered).

Research all this NOW.


If it turns out that there are no findable owners, it isn’t stolen, etc., the car can be re-titled with a “Title Bond”.
The HUGE disadvantage is the 911 gets a new (non-Porsche) VIN assigned by the State.
This will seriously diminish the value.
It is also possible for the legitimate original title holder to claim more than the bond and you are forever responsible.


Avoid ‘quickie’ out-of-state re-title.
IMHO, many of these exist to service the ‘stolen car industry’.
That can come back on you BIG TIME if the car was stolen (or even not returned to a bank).
You can be prosecuted if some DA thinks you were trying to buy a stolen car and (prima facie) went out-of-state for a title.
Today’s computer interactivity makes this easy for law enforcement. NCIC searches every DMV and more.
You don’t want to be at the whim of some junior DA’s career advancement and there are now ‘bounty hunters’ searching for commissions (rewards) of percent of recovery.

This issue is particularly relevant (as Pete Z. notes above) if you spend a ton of money over the years and the car is suddenly claimed by the ‘owner’.
You never know if/when a VIN may be listed on NCIC or other ‘tests’.
Accurate provenance counts.


Finding a nicely running 911 in a shed with this story should be a big red flag.
It may be as represented but if not, proceed very cautiously.
I suspect missing a ‘good deal’ may be far better than prison time.

You have PM.

Best,
Grady

[pete3799]

Register it here (VT). No tittle after 15 yrs. old.

[Matt Monson]

Here in Colorado, and in many other states, there's a bonding process. The bond is in essence an insurance policy against it being stolen or owned by someone else. Part of the process is the posting of public notice in newspapers so that if someone else can prove ownership they are given a fair opportunity to step forward and claim the property. It takes about a year, but eventually in the end they issue you a title. Most states do allow one to register and drive the car during the bonded period. It used to be around $500 here but it's been so long since I went through the process both the length of time and cost could have changed or be wrong because I don't have the best memory out there...

[Caferacer]

That's a great story that warrants a restoration if you can clear up the paperwork. Still, it isn't actually a barn find until you post pictures.

[rfuerst911sc]

I used a company in the state of Maine called Mainely titles for my 914. Turned out they could only provide me a Maine registration but I was able to transfer the Maine registration to Florida where I lived at the time . Florida didn't require a title so I just did the registration. When I moved to Gerogia I transferred the registration from Florida to Georgia. While I was waiting for the girl to process my registration I asked if Georgia would provide a title. She said for an extra fee ( something like 30.00 ) I could get a title. I said ring me up. So I now have title and registration. Mainely titles required several pictures of the car and proof of insurance. Good luck with your find.

[drola]

i've used broadway title a couple of times. i believe they are out of alabama. i'm in florida and haven't had a problem with them yet. though it's been a few years.

[Fritter]

Get a bill of sale completed signed by you and the seller, with all standard wording and disclaimers on it. Then get a registration through Vermont using the bill of sale. Then take the Vermont plates to your state DMV and get a title in your state. Be prepared for strange stares, but this is legal. They probably will pull out reference books to check....just keep the conversation light and casual and you'll get through it.

Make SURE the car is not stolen before you do this, sounds like you already have taken steps to check that. Once you are sure of that you "probably" will be OK...many people have done this. Titles and paperwork just get lost over the years most times.

There always is a small doubt in the back of one's mind when doing this though.....but as I said, you'll probably be fine.

The states are cracking down and tightening their laws now on this, but mainly to get increased tax revenues I think. I think Alabama has shut the door somewhat in the past year or two, but Vermont is still easy.

[tom1394racing]

Thanks for all the input. The seller did contact me and has found the bill of sale from the PO to his father and the number of the original Massachusetts title. He is also getting some additional paperwork sent up from St. Martin. So we will see what happens next.

Here's some pics so now it's official

[Caferacer]

Great news. I look forward to following the restoration of this beautiful car.

[Grady Clay]

Another fine 911 soon to be back on the road.

Do I see four antennas? Antennae.

Best,
Grady

[fastfredracing]

Since you will already have some paperwork, it will make the re-titling process much easier for you. I had the same deal with the last one I did. Someone floated the title to the owner that I bought the car from, i had the title in my hand, but lacking the original owners signatue. I forwarded all this paperwork over to Verna, and had a clear title in about 30 days.
I have done 2 0r 3 cars in my life that I purchased without titles, and the first thing i always did , was to have a local officer run the vin for me to make sure I was not dealing with a hot car.
Good luck, that looks a little dirty, but appears to be in decent shape. I have 100% confidence that you will whip her back into shape in short order. I love bringing old neglected cars back to life.

[JerryL]

Great score Tom, and how many of us can claim a car that was won in a card game, Too Cool.

Good luck with it.