GL and the sf97

[vlmuke]

I been shopping for a duece for a little while now a noticed here lately that GL is offering a bunch of trucks with no title or sf97, some of them are obviously project trucks but some look complete in the pics. Are they worth bdding on or is something major wrong that can't be seen in the pics or they aren't saying? any thoughts,comments or expierances would be appreciated
Thanks
RichB

 

[area52]

When I bought my first deuce from GL in 2001 they flipped the SF97 into an Arizona title(thats where they are based from) but I guess now they aren't even issueing a SF97.

If you bid and win a truck just get a bill of sale or something saying you bought it from them and your states DMV shouldn't have a problem.

Alot of those trucks look to be in good to very good shape, heck some even say they started when parked!!

 

[RANDYLBARNES]

I recently bought a truck with what I thougth was a good sf97. Bought it from a guy in California that had bought it from a guy in Arizona. When I got it home the sf97 form was missing 1 number in the vin#. Took it to the highway patrol and they noticed that, even though the officer had made a note that the vin# was missing a number the dmv would not help me until the sf97 was right. Called them in Arizona and told them the story, I was informed that since the original paperwork was not in my name that they would only do something for the original buyer. I finally scrapped all the original paperwork and bonded for a title. Talk about a pain in the ass. I am in Colorado and some states may be different. One thing that I learned from all the runaround is to find the supervisor at the dmv and only deal with them. Spent another 2 weeks running through red tape until I did that.

 

[mangus580]

Usually when GL wont offer a SF97 for a vehicle, its because they have determined its not fit for the roads anymore. You may have a hard time with one of these. But then again, since it has never been registered, you might be able to use broadway title...

 

[Recovry4x4]

Some of these sales they make you sign an official document stating that you won't register the vehicle for highway use. That can come back and bite your 6 if you get caught doing something fishy. I don't think titling is the issue anyway, its registering.

 

[vlmuke]

Thanks for the info on titling I don't think I should have problem with that. But what about needing repairs some look like they are in very good condition and complete, somebody told me that 95% of dueces not starting is due to bad batteries, or could they need some motor work that can't be seen in the pics? or given in the description?
Thanks
RichB

 

[Recovry4x4]

Now this is the bigger issue. Caveat Emptor. Unless you got big OO, you need to inspect these trucks. Its not uncommon to buy a complete truck only to find someone took the flywheel and clutch out and put the darned thing back together.!!!

 

[rdixiemiller]

I have seen pics of god looking deuces on GL. Then you go look, and the tranny and T-case are missing, along with all the drive shafts. If you can't inspect, get someone who can for you.

 

[Djfreema]

I was talking to one of the guys at GL about no SF 97's and he said if they dont have an SF 97, then its because DRMO did'nt issue them to GL when they got the vehicle. He did'nt know why. Ive seen perfectly good trucks and trailers with no SF 97's in better shape than vehicles that were obviously not road worthy that came with titles. Its possible to title them with out a 97, its just a long process that requires alot of trips to the DMV and numerous certified letters sent to GL, vehicle inspections by CHP etc. Big pain in the arse. Inspection is a must if you are on a specific budget. I got lucky twice and picked up my trucks and drove them home without inspection, unlucky with 4 other trucks, but the price was right and I still came out ahead.

 

[Recovry4x4]

You can always take it to an impond yard, have it impounded and a storage lien placed against it. After X number of days they can start to process of reading it for auction and submitting paperwork to generate a title. Time consuming and costly but dooable

 

[ida34]

Someone else talked about the bond route in an earlier post but I am to lazy to check to see who. That being said in Michigan if the title is lost and the vehicle is worth over $2500 ( not sure of amount but in the ballpark) you can get an inspection by a police officer then can get your title is everything seems to be non-criminal related. I do no of other illegal methods to get titles but I must ad a disclaimer. There are agents for every statewide police agency (Michigan State Police) that do nothing but track down people trafficing in stolen cars using the illegal methods. They will find the amatuer before the professional. Even though the deuce may not be stolen you will find the truck impounded until you come up with paper work. Kenneth's post above and hope no one outbids you for your truck. This is in addition to the legal fees for violating state registration laws. This applies even if you do infact own the truck. For vehicles, the owner is the one with his name on the paperwork and if you don't have paper work you are screwed. My point to all this is do not take the advice of a layman on these matters. Any way around registration laws is usually illegal. Those title services mentioned get the make up a bill of sale then title the truck in a state that only requires a bill of sale. They then use the new title from this state to aquire a title in your state. The companies operate in a grey area and the above metioned agencys watch the companies very closely. I know of agents that go to car shows taking pictures of plates and vins to later check on them in the office. They find stolen stuff and call people on the questionable registration and title procedures the "owner" has used. Most states have a legal and painfull process to get a title. Ask the agency that titles and registers ( the main headquarters not the local branch) for how to get it registered legally. Most deuces can be thought of as being worth less than $2500. Mine const $1500 from Gov Liq. In Michigan if the vehicle is worth over $2500 then you must post a bond for a specified amount of time incase the "real" owner surfaces and wants the vehicle back. As we all know all the vehicles that come form GL have never been titled before so no "real"owner will show up with proper paperwork. Again this is the way it works in Michigan and may not be the way in other states but most of the time the procedures a similar. Do not take the word of the local branch office. Always check with the specialists at the headquarters for your state!!!!

 

[wallew]

ida34,
It was RandyLBarnes who had to post bond for his title here in Colorado. Boy am I glad I got mine from a second owner, so there was an actual title for the truck when I got it. Made it so much easier. jim

 

[ida34]

I know of a guy that bought an old collectors car form a respected member of the nationwide club for that vehicle. When he got it he did not verify the vin against the vin on the title. A few years later the Michigan Secretary of State somehow noticed the VIN did not work out right for the car and after 3 or 4 years of "owning" the vehicle they were requiring a vin inspection by LEO. When he showed up for the vin inspection it was found that the vin was totally different. He did legally own the car that the title belonged to but that was not this vehicle. Who know were the car he actually legally owns is? The plate on the car he physically had belonged to this other car he legally owned. When getting a car always check the vin against the title. Even then you may get a knock on the door someday from an agent there to take your vehicle that you legally bought. Car theft rings have the metioned illegal ways to get titles thought taking the paperwork from one state to another. The car you buy is legally registered to you with a legal title but the car is stolen. The original owner is the real owner since anyone else did not have the legal right to sell the car even if they had no knowledge of the car being stolen. It really sucks to have a $30,000 vehicle taken away from you and given back to the rightful owner. There you are with a wallet that is lighter $30,000 and no car. It is really scary because there is almost no way to know nowadays. Even a legal title and registration does not offer any assurances of the vehicle not being stolen. This is scary but that is why you need to title your military vehicle properly and follow all guidelines so that you don't look like one of the slick car thieves.

OK off my soapbox now.

 

[wallew]

Chuck,
The weird part of that story is that happened to my little sister. She gave our nephew an old 'granny car' about five years ago. They lived in Texas and he lived in Florida. He drove it back and used it for about a year. Then it was stolen.

Long story short, four years later, the police 'recover' the car IN FLORIDA. My little sister doesn't want it, doesn't want to go get, etc. So she called her nephew (now living in Anchorage, AK) and gets a phone number for one of his Mom's relatives still in Miami. She gave it to them. As one of them had been recently hit by an unisured driver and NEEDED a car, it all worked out.

The reason for the recovery is as you said. The people who stole it 'dummied' a title and ran it through DMV and then sold it. Unfortunately for the person who bought it, it went through some form of inspection because of an out of date license plate. UPON INSPECTION, title and VIN did not match. SO she got her car back.

 

[ida34]

I assume this wasn't a show car but that is great to hear your sister got her car "back". Sucks for the other person. You may have guessed I know a little about this and I assure you I am not a car thief.

 

[wallew]

Nah, just a great big old ford or chevy four door, two body trunk with a large 350 V8, auto tranny with VERY low miles. You know, "She only drove it to church on Sunday but we had to take the keys away from her now that's she's 95" type of thing...