Registering a "parts-only" car

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Bill Crowell

Bill Crowell

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I was wondering if anyone has an answer to this question.

You know how auto wrecking yards like to declare a car to be "parts-only", never to be driven on the public roads again (because I think then they pay less in registration fees)?

What if I come along and buy the entire "parts-only" car, restore it and want to drive it on the public roads again. Also assume that the wrecking yard informed me that they had declared it "parts-only" and that I might have difficulty registering it.

Would I really have a hard time registering it?

Thanks for any thoughts you might have.

Bill Crowell

Looking for a '60-'62 Valiant or Lancer body, part or complete
 
In S.C. once a title is branded "salvage" that cannot be removed but you can still register the car and drive it. We drove a totalled 93 Lebaron conv. 4 years and later sold it too. That car was considered totaled by an insurance company which happens often here. As said before it all varries state to state.
 
You can allways get a title from a title company like Global Title.they regester it in a title frendly state and the you transferr it to yourself in your state as an out of state transferr.I have done this at least a dozen times on motorcycles and cars and a boat(must be my addiction to free ****!!!)
Works every time and the most it ever cost me was about $100.00
 
Your best bet is to ask your local DMV. In my home state, a car that has been declared "parts only" can be registered and driven if you go to DMV with receipts for repairs to make the car roadworthy and all ownership papers, insurance certificate, and personal property receipts. You will be given a form you take to the local State Police barracks and a trooper will come to your garaging address to inspect the car. If he/she finds everything hunky-dory you go back to DMV with the signed form for tags and a salvage title. The junkyards here declare cars "parts only" to avoid paying personal property taxes on it. It may not work that way in the Republik of Kalifornia though.
 
I have put salvage title cars back on the road here in Ca. They need to be inspected by CHP, but there is a second level to the salvage/parts car and those cars can't be put back on the road. I purchased a 340 Duster for parts, as it turned out the car wasn't that bad and I thought I might fix it but because of the it was salvaged to the no way to register it. Get the VIN and check with the DMV.
 
The same here in Arkansas!! my 91 Dakota says "other" on it.
I bought it from a wrecker service.
And got a tittle in three weeks.
 
GTXperience said:
I believe that would classify as a salvage (at least in CA) and would be printed on the title.
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Thats the way it works in New York. DMV has to see it before they OK it for road useage.
 
In Washington the car would have to be inspected by the State Patrol then a "salvage" title would be issued.


Chuck
 
motorpirate said:
You can allways get a title from a title company like Global Title.they regester it in a title frendly state and the you transferr it to yourself in your state as an out of state transferr.I have done this at least a dozen times on motorcycles and cars and a boat(must be my addiction to free ****!!!)
Works every time and the most it ever cost me was about $100.00
Click to expand...

Be VERY careful doing this if you are trying to register the vehicle in the state it is salvaged/branded. This is known as washing a title and you can get jacked up for doing it. Entirely depends on the state and how aggressive they are towards this activity. There are more than a few people sitting in the CA state pen for doing this. Your mileage may vary, just know the risk before partaking in the activity.

In CA you can get a revived salvage title, for anything that was previously branded salvage.
 
motorpirate said:
You can allways get a title from a title company like Global Title.they regester it in a title frendly state and the you transferr it to yourself in your state as an out of state transferr.I have done this at least a dozen times on motorcycles and cars and a boat(must be my addiction to free ****!!!)
Works every time and the most it ever cost me was about $100.00
Click to expand...

This is a big No No in Kalifornia now from what I've read. It's called washing the title. Alot of custom shops got busted for it. Mostly by registering their non original street rods as the original body year in states that register by body year design. Basically buy a 32 ford roadster kit, and register it as a 32 roadster, not a special build for the year put together. They do this to get around emission requirements. And to wash salvage from the title. I read Boyd Coddington and some other big names got busted for this a year or so ago.
 
64dartwagon said:
This is a big No No in Kalifornia now from what I've read. It's called washing the title. Alot of custom shops got busted for it. Mostly by registering their non original street rods as the original body year in states that register by body year design. Basically buy a 32 ford roadster kit, and register it as a 32 roadster, not a special build for the year put together. They do this to get around emission requirements. And to wash salvage from the title. I read Boyd Coddington and some other big names got busted for this a year or so ago.
Click to expand...

Yes, they went after Boyd big time. Agents went into the shop, yellow taped the perimeter, closed it down for awhile they took his files and hit him with some big fines. They went to Roy Brizio's Street Rods in So. San Francisco and did the same thing. They went after one other well know rod shop which of course, is slipping my memory right now.

I believe what really triggered this is that Boyd was talking about how he was doing this on a TV program. I don't know if it was on his show or some interview but the Feds moved in shortly after that.
 
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