Title Dilemma - Need Advice

[ColoradoBronc]

Hey all! Long time lurker here; thank you to so many of you and your posts for helping me get our new-to-us Bronco to this point - running and driving again!. My three sons and I have made a project of it, and here's the situation we unfortunately find ourselves in at this point.

We purchased the Bronc without a title. Normally no big deal, as most vehicles I've owned like this without title have sat for so long that they're no longer in the system and it's easy-peasy to go the state of Vermont route to get a new title.

Long story short, our Bronco is in the system, last registered 2006. It's one of those went-thru-a-divorce situations where it was owned by the husband, who used it to pay off a debt, and I then bought it from that person.

The husband, for whatever reason, at some point had put it in his wife's name (word is that he owned many, many cars, so perhaps that's why). I did get a hold of the ex-wife, who had no clue about it and didn't want anything to do with it, her name on the title or not.

So...my options now seem like:

A) try to go for a bonded title, which is like a 9-step process in Colorado,

B) Buy a glovebox and a title from a scrapped Bronco ($1K best I could find),

C) Find a VIN # that is both unregistered and also originally a Wind Blue, 302-equipped, dual gas tank model, get the repop VIN tag from Marti Report, and then go through Vermont (around $950).

The tough thing here is the Bronco has 45K original miles, and while it is pretty beat, it's also original paint, original drivetrain, etc, no bondo, and even has the original floor mat to boot. Because I don't just want to buy a random glove box VIN and title and have it be a...Candy Apple Red bronco on the Marti Report, I'm leaning toward options 1 or 3.

Short of running Marti Reports at $20 a pop on guessed VINs to try to find whether they had the correct color combo, etc, is there any other way you see to go about this to retain the originality of the Bronco? What would you do here?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Broncobowsher]

Every state is different. Do what you need to do in your state.

Avoid any title swaps. That will make things much worse for you in the future.

Quick reference. I got a boat with zero paperwork. Was passed around for several years and nobody wanted to deal with the paperwork. I went through the state, found the last owner, had a registered letter sent, they replied back they didn't have any interest in the boat. The state gave me clear paperwork on it.

You already found the ex, she has no interest in it, you pretty much have all the legwork done. Find the correct hoops to jump through, jump them. Get a nice clear title. It will be worth it.

 

[Remos69]

D. Give her a grand or two to sign the title or option A. B or C can get you in a heap of $h!+. A clean title is a good thing!!

 

[2manynotime]

I have gotten bonded titles on a few vehicles in the past with no issues and it keeps everything original. I dont know if Colorado is the process as Texas but here it is fairly quick, easy and inexpensive. After three years, you can get a new title without it showing as bonded as well.

 

[Seventee]

The only legitimate title is the one that belongs to the VIN number on your frame.

 

[Slowleak]

Out of the three choices, “A” is the only legal one. I would take all the paperwork to the DMV and explain the situation. If it has not been registered since 2006, they may have some other options. Maybe a rebuilders title....

Be careful messing around with with glovebox vin plates. The “Vin tag” in the glovebox is simply a warranty plate. The Vin stamped in the frame is the proper, and legal, source for verification and titling. You don’t even have to have a “vin tag” in the glovebox and any inspector who depends on it to verify a title is not doing his job....

 

[JeffG]

At least you found the ex-wife. That is a huge start. I had a similar dilemma with a crawler/trail rig once. I bought a project that was in pieces, but was being set-up as a trail only rig (narrowed tub, lengthened wheel base, hydro steering, etc). I bought it with a bill of sale and was fine with it at first as I was only going to use it offroad. A few years go by and I get it built and it turns out nice enough that it could be driven on the street for those wheeling areas that require it.

The guy I bought it from had a contact name of the previous owner but he had moved out of state and was extremely busy with his work. I only had an email address and after several attempts he finally replies. I was basically begging him to get a copy of the Texas title for me.

After researching the Texas DMV site, I found the application to request a new title. I did the leg work of filling out the application with his name, new non-TX address and sent that to him along with the small fee so he could request the title. I also included money for him to mail the title to me once he received it and signed it. It was a few weeks of holding my breath but one day the signed title showed up and I was able to legally switch the title over to my name.

I agree with contacting her again and offer her some money for her time and let her know that you will send a stamped envelope with the application for lost title and include a 2nd stamped envelope so that she can send it to you once she receives it.

 

[ColoradoBronc]

Man, you guys are great. Thank you for the thoughtful replies. Going to try again with the ex-wife and see if I can do the same thing as JeffG - set up the form, mail it to her, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope, offer her some decent compensation, etc to see if that might work.

Part of me is still a bit gun shy about it, thinking she might sort of come to the conclusion of '...hey, so this is actually *my* Bronco?!..." and suddenly want it (and technically have the legal right to it). If that does happen, it would be a large financial loss to us as well as a pretty big bummer. But, we'll see what happens here...

 

[Remos69]

B & C can cost you much more

B) Buy a glovebox and a title from a scrapped Bronco ($1K best I could find),

C) Find a VIN # that is both unregistered and also originally a Wind Blue, 302-equipped, dual gas tank model, get the repop VIN tag from Marti Report, and then go through Vermont (around $950).

Altering or removing a vehicle identification number is a Colorado class 5 felony. Punishment can include:

1-3 years in prison, and/or
A fine of $1,000-$100,000.
Additionally, a consequence of possessing a vehicle or auto part with an altered VIN is that it can be seized by Colorado law enforcement and destroyed by court order. To prevent this, if you have accidentally destroyed or altered a VIN or other vehicle identification, you can obtain a special replacement identification number from the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles, as provided in 42-5-110 C.R.S.

 

[FordBronc]

X2 what ever your state DMV says is legal.

I agree with make it as easy, fast and (sort of) profitable for the X wife to just sign it over to you. A little $$ goes a long way. But of course as cheap as you can for your own sake. That 1K ought to change her mind, I'd start at $250.

Explain the situation to her....my 3 sons and I...bla bla bla..please sign it. It's not illegal for her to do it. Make it stress free for her. I would see if you can do it person to person, in a public place, with witnesses. Pay for her gas ect...

I would NOT swap the glove box, (frame has vin'#) than can come back to bite you in the legal arse. HARD.

Story: When I bought the red one (with a title), but NO glove box door, that was not licensed or title transferred in 3 or so years, current owner never got it in his name. Previous previous owner had signed and dated it but never got it in his name. So Oklahoma had a $300 late fee attached, based off sign date to issue new title. I had to track down the previous previous owner, mail him the title, pay the late fee (direct to Oklahoma DMV). Paid the PPO some gas and 12 pk money and then he took title to DMV, got a title in his name, signed it and mailed it back to be. I was sweating chicken gravy the whole time because I was in a different state.

Bottom line do it right, do it legal.

 

[chuckji]

The only legitimate title is the one that belongs to the VIN number on your frame.

^^ That. The glove box tag is a warranty tag, though it has the VIN on it. The registered VIN needs to match the stamped frame VIN.

 

[EPB72]

Another issue could be if the title has the ex and ex husband name ,, or if it is just the ex wife’s name ,,or if has the ex wife or ex husband name ,, meaning are you going to have to deal with people or one of them ???

 

[Broncobowsher]

Another issue could be if the title has the ex and ex husband name ,, or if it is just the ex wife’s name ,,or if has the ex wife or ex husband name ,, meaning are you going to have to deal with people or one of them ???

Depends on the state. Brought in an out of state car once and the DMV had to go to a little book to see what the legal definition for "and" was for each state. Some states it only took one party, other states it took both parties. That "every state is a little different" thing you have to keep in mind. What works somewhere else may not work where you are at.

 

[Bitch'nBronco]

If you move from Colorado, some states like North Carolina require a law enforcement officer to check the warranty tag against the stamp on the frame as part of the registration process. I wouldn't risk your hard work and jail time, do what you have to do for a bonded title.

You other option is to go visit the ex and give her some cash to sign it

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[73azbronco]

go see what dmv has on file as correct title name. Then get that person to sign it over, I'd start at $100 and fedex it overnight to her or him and enclose a fedex shipping envelope to get it back fast. Of course they probably have to get it notarized so thats a pain on their side. Hence, nice round $100.

 

[ColoradoBronc]

Great news!

Hi all - just wanted to close the loop on this thread and say thank you for the great replies.

As of today, I transferred the actual, correct title into my name! Huzzah!

I didn't even have the name of the former wife whose name the Bronco was in when I started. Using just a phone number and first name of the previous, previous owner, however, and then sleuthing like crazy online to come up with name possibilities for the wife, I made numerous calls to different DMVs inquiring about the Bronco in the system and if it was still in THIS NAME or THAT NAME, I finally found it after the 3rd or 4th call. While they can't *give* you any information, apparently if you say the right name....bingo! They can confirm that's the person. At least that's how it worked for me.

Anyhow, once I had the name, I then did more sleuthing and drove to a bunch of 'possible addresses' around town, knocking on doors like a creep and asking them if someone with the woman's name lived there, or used to live there, etc.

Finally, I stopped at a little blue house, and when the person came to the door and I asked, I got the reply "...yeah I know her - that's my mother."

He gave me her number, and after the first call, once she realized she was the true owner of an early bronco, things got dicey for a minute.

I wasn't sure what I'd do if she said she wanted it, but, thank God, she decided she didn't want to claim ownership and take it back. She not only went and got a duplicate title from the DMV for it, but also wouldn't accept the $ I offered her for her trouble when we met!

And now, I've got a fresh fresh title for the Bronco! Woohoo!!

Thanks again everyone - sometimes things just work out!!

 

[56f100bbw]

I sold a 56 f100 to a guy in Oregon sign the title over to him on the back and 10 years later I bought it back . It was a Arizona title he never got a Oregon title so I went to the DMV and ask for a duplicate Arizona Tile still in my name cost 4 bucks

 

[ColoradoBronc]

Hah!! Now that is amazing!!

 

[DirtDonk]

Great story Colorado! Glad she didn't try to get it back, but then all you would have had to give here would have been the bare frame since that's the VIN in question and you hopefully didn't put too much of that budget into just the frame. Toss your body and parts on another frame and done.
Big hassle, and time consuming to the point that maybe it couldn't have been done. But it's all moot now that you have it in your name. What a relief!

One thing though, about something you mentioned before. First, the VIN has zero paint information in it, so does not know or care what color it is. Second is that the color can be changed by any one at any time without any legal repercussions, so again the VIN doesn't know or care what the color is. And neither does any DMV.
At least that's one level of hassle you would not have had to deal with.

Paul

 

[sprdv1]

Outstanding... Glad to hear that

Hi all - just wanted to close the loop on this thread and say thank you for the great replies.

As of today, I transferred the actual, correct title into my name! Huzzah!

I didn't even have the name of the former wife whose name the Bronco was in when I started. Using just a phone number and first name of the previous, previous owner, however, and then sleuthing like crazy online to come up with name possibilities for the wife, I made numerous calls to different DMVs inquiring about the Bronco in the system and if it was still in THIS NAME or THAT NAME, I finally found it after the 3rd or 4th call. While they can't *give* you any information, apparently if you say the right name....bingo! They can confirm that's the person. At least that's how it worked for me.

Anyhow, once I had the name, I then did more sleuthing and drove to a bunch of 'possible addresses' around town, knocking on doors like a creep and asking them if someone with the woman's name lived there, or used to live there, etc.

Finally, I stopped at a little blue house, and when the person came to the door and I asked, I got the reply "...yeah I know her - that's my mother."

He gave me her number, and after the first call, once she realized she was the true owner of an early bronco, things got dicey for a minute.

I wasn't sure what I'd do if she said she wanted it, but, thank God, she decided she didn't want to claim ownership and take it back. She not only went and got a duplicate title from the DMV for it, but also wouldn't accept the $ I offered her for her trouble when we met!

And now, I've got a fresh fresh title for the Bronco! Woohoo!!

Thanks again everyone - sometimes things just work out!!