New to me M101A2 - First govliq buy

[URBNFLX]

Been on here a while now and already have a 1981 M101A1 that I bought off craigslist about a year ago or so.

Won my first item off govliq about a month ago. EUC cleared and now I'm scheduled to pick it up in Barstow next Wednesday.

How have people in California been picking these up? Do I need a moving permit or something from the dmv to drag it home?

I have the lighting all taken care of and I will be bringing a spare tire/jack/impact just in case I need to change it.

 

[dodgedougak]

I just won two M101A2 trailers at Elmendorf base in Anchorage. I am wondering the same thing. I went into Juneau DMV today to ask if I needed a SF97 form, or what to get a title. All of the clerks at DMV caucused and finally said, "we will need a Certificate of Origin from the manufacturer. They really did not have a clue about titling ex-military stuff. I will try talking to Anchorage DMV tomorrow and hope that they have done a lot of this and can give me a better answer. I would like to get a title and license before doing the Recovery, that would keep the local police off my butt.
Keep us posted on how yours goes.

 

[stancanpara]

Currently, GL will not even accept an application for an SF97 form until AFTER you have removed the item('s) from their property....

 

[URBNFLX]

Before I can register the trailer I will need to move it off the base into my possession, Will I need a one trip moving permit?

 

[therealsundance]

Bill of sale and go to Maine Trailer Registrations Can Register Your Trailer(s) in Maine and Save You Money

 

[blybrook]

I just won two M101A2 trailers at Elmendorf base in Anchorage. I am wondering the same thing. I went into Juneau DMV today to ask if I needed a SF97 form, or what to get a title. All of the clerks at DMV caucused and finally said, "we will need a Certificate of Origin from the manufacturer. They really did not have a clue about titling ex-military stuff. I will try talking to Anchorage DMV tomorrow and hope that they have done a lot of this and can give me a better answer. I would like to get a title and license before doing the Recovery, that would keep the local police off my butt.
Keep us posted on how yours goes.

Doug,

PM Sent.

Bill (blybrook)

For others, most states will permit you to travel the highways without title / tags if you recently purchased the vehicle. You must be enroute to your home, and not utilize it elsewhere until the proper documents have been obtained.

 

[URBNFLX]

For others, most states will permit you to travel the highways without title / tags if you recently purchased the vehicle. You must be enroute to your home, and not utilize it elsewhere until the proper documents have been obtained.

Good to know... Can anyone confirm this for California?

 

[bob95065]

I won a M101A3 that I am picking up in Barstow next Wednesday. I went to the DMV in Capitola, CA this morning to talk with them about paperwork.

The DMV clerk asked if there was a title and I told him no. Then he asked if I knew the VIN. I told him there is no VIN but the trailer does have a serial #. He was confused and explained again that this was a military owned trailer that I bought from the government in an auction. I also showed him a printout of the auction page and after looking at the trailer he knew immediately what to do.

He said what I would need to do was to fill out an Application for Title or Registration form and a Statement of Facts form. In the Statement of Facts I will describe the nature of the sale AND that the trailer had not been titled previously. He charged me $50 to begin the paperwork and he said that the charge will be adjusted when I get the plate. He gave me a 30 day temporary license to move the trailer and didn't charge me for it.

What I need to do is to come back to the DMV with the trailer next week. They will verify the serial # and assign a VIN. Once that is complete I will be issued a Permanent Trailer plate. He said the fee is based on the selling price so I may get a refund. I am not sure why he didn't charge me the correct fee because I offered him the bill of sale which lists the selling price. I told him about he SF97 and he said it wouldn't be necessary. They are treating this trailer as if it had never been titled before. This is fine with me because it saved me $60 for a SF97 and a long wait for the SF97 to clear. I have an appointment at 9 AM next Friday to get all this done.

Anyway, this is what I did. I have a friend that bought several surplus trailers and he drove them home without a temporary plate from Barstow back to the bay area. I tend to do things by the book and feel better with a temporary plate.

I would suggest doing what I did. Bring a copy of the auction page, bill of sale and your checkbook. Be sure to make an appointment online - it will save you time waiting. Tell them you want Permanent Trailer status and things tend to go easier. When I showed him the auction page and he saw that this was a "utility trailer" it also made things easier. Bring as much documentation as you can. Also, their debit machines aren't very good. Theirs wouldn't read my card and I wound up having to go home to get my checkbook. Next Friday I will bring my checkbook with me.

Anyway, I hope this helps. This really wasn't as bad as I thought. I was prepared for battle when I went to the DMV this morning. They were actually helpful and cooperative. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[bob95065]

BTW, what time is your appointment next Wednesday? I have a 9AM appointment down there that same day.

 

[URBNFLX]

Cool, My appointment is at 2 PM... I am going to go over to Hesperia and pick up some racks and bows for it after I pick it up... I hope the thing rolls and the tires are good enough to drive back up to the bay area

On a side note... you must be leaving the night before or something because its a 6 hour haul from my house down there.

 

[bob95065]

I am heading down Tuesday and camping in the desert with a friend. We usually take two 5+ day desert trips a year so I am used to that type of thing.

Where is Hesperia are you getting the racks and bows? My trailer had the racks, bows and canvas.

I feel the same about the condition of the trailer. I am bringing a set of bearings and seals, a lockout pin for the surge brake and a bunch of tools. I have an air compressor on my truck so I can fill the tires if they need air. From the pictures these trailers look to be in great shape. I am will have two 8-lug spares just in case.

BTW take a look at this thread: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/trailers/69622-my-1st-gl-purchase-m101a1.html I talked with the OP on the phone and he said the trailers in Barstow looked like they were is great shape. His trailer had brand new tires on it. He put it behind his truck and drove home to Redwood City without a problem.

 

[bob95065]

BTW did you have to fill out a EUC? I was surprised to see a completed bill of sale - no EUC required.

 

[derf]

Here in LA you have 30 days to register a trailer after purchase. I don't think they issue temp trailer tags here. Gov Liq will send you everything you need to register the trailer. Except, here in LA, the DMV likes to ask for stuff not required by law. I had to get three separate physical inspections done twice. State law doesn't require it, but the DMV does.
Check your local laws.

 

[URBNFLX]

Yes, I filled out an EUC and submitted it and was approved in 7 days.

So I went to the DMV this afternoon to get the paperwork started on my trailer... After a 45 min wait, I got up to see someone. The lady had no idea what i was asking of them. They kept asking me for a certificate of origin and they seemed like they had never seen anything that had not been registered before. After about 4 trips talking to various people, she comes back and tells me that she cannot start the paperwork until the vin has been verified. I am thinking... an hour into this and their telling me that I cannot get a moving permit today? So I asked her politely "How am I supposed to move it here without a temporary reg/moving permit? This trailer was property of the federal government and had never been registered anywhere". One last trip to the boss and I was good to go until they couldn't figure out how to abbreviate Stevens Manufacturing Company(their system will only allow four characters for make) the manager came over and made an executive decision to use SMC and they used the item number as the vin.

So I am now good to go on Wednesday... Just need to mount and balance a spare and throw the jack and spare in the truck with other tools.

 

[URBNFLX]

Took the trip from the bay area down to Barstow yesterday... made it there in 5 hours. The pickup went well... The guys at the front gate were nice but stern and all of the gov liq people were really nice. I took some pics...

 

[derf]

Gotta love the Harbor Freight $10 magnetic trailer lights.

 

[URBNFLX]

yeah, makes quick work of recovery... but they kept falling off... I will get a pic of the "magic fix" in a bit... wish they had better magnets in them

 

[bob95065]

I went down Tuesday for a 0900 Wednesday pickup. I'll post more when I get time.

BTW..did you see the duece and a half on the other side of the fence by the gate that looks just about new? We were drooling over it.

I picked up a M101A3 that was a A2 rework. It had brand new tires and was complete with side boards, bows and canvas. The master cylinder was full to the top and the fluid was so clear I could see the bottom of the reservoir! It is ready to work as-is. I am going to check the brakes and the entire trailer completely before I load it.

 

[URBNFLX]

I went down Tuesday for a 0900 Wednesday pickup. I'll post more when I get time.

BTW..did you see the duece and a half on the other side of the fence by the gate that looks just about new? We were drooling over it.

I picked up a M101A3 that was a A2 rework. It had brand new tires and was complete with side boards, bows and canvas. The master cylinder was full to the top and the fluid was so clear I could see the bottom of the reservoir! It is ready to work as-is. I am going to check the brakes and the entire trailer completely before I load it.

Yeah it was real nice... I couldn't get a pic of that one... The trailer I picked up was reworked in 2004 and looked like it never had been used since then. The tires were brand new and there were nubbies still on them. I blocked off the brakes with a 3/8's bolt and towed it home. I am going to go over the whole thing in a bit here since I have the whole day off. More pics to come of the salvage yard and the gate pickup...

 

[bob95065]

I didn't take many pictures but I will post the ones I took later. My trailer is pretty clean and in the same condition as yours. I couldn't find any dates on the data plates but it has been reworked. The auction listed it as a M101A3 but the data plate has it as a M101A2. The bed is 96" long and more than 48" between the wheel wells. It has the A3 axle, springs and tires. I have wood bows and side boards. I though A3 side boards and bows were fiberglass.

There are a few dents, peeling paint and forklift rash. The forklift driver at GL was very good at loading and didn't do any damage. The damage was done before he got the trailer for me. I figure the damage isn't any worse than what I will do to it and besides it it a used trailer. For what I paid it was an excellent value. I am very happy. My friend who went with me kept looking back and saying "You got a good deal!" all the way home.

BTW I stopped at Tractor Supply on 58 in Bakersfield and picked up a pintle hitch and plate. They have 3/8" hitch pins for the brake lockout for $2.99. Look here: Forged Hitch Pin, 3/8 in. x 4-1/4 in. L (Usable) - 0268658 | Tractor Supply Company