74 Challenger craigslist find

Spending 100s of dollars, multiple trips to the dmv and then waiting 3 years seems FAR from easy to me. Plus in this case if you are wrong you are out the empty shell PLUS the $4500 you paid for the empty shell. I guess you could go back after that money with a lawyer...
or just buy cars with normal present titles. As somebody pointed out, if it was $500 then maybe worth it. And if California is so much easier then the seller can get it in order first if he wants that much.