triumphs
[Top] [All Lists]

re: Registering Abandoned Calif Spitfire

To: paulwillou@socal.rr.com, triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: re: Registering Abandoned Calif Spitfire
From: "john matthews" <john__matthews@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 23:08:28 -0700 FILETIME=[5046C9C0:01C0CE17]
Hi Paul,

First you should take a screwdriver and find out how much rust you have 
there, if the floors and rockers are rusted through I'd leave it alone or 
call it parts.

If however you think it's salvageable, and you know it's really abandoned 
the the process is pretty straightforward. First get the license plate and 
vin numbers. Go to the least busy DMV office first thing in the morning (on 
second thought first join AAA and do all this stuff there, it's worth the 53 
bucks). Have them run a title search which will probably turn up nothing. 
Then you file a "lost title" form, pay any back registration (this is where 
a friendly AAA person really comes in handy as they can tell you how to 
avoid having to pay all the nasty penalties). In a few weeks the DMV will 
send you a pink slip and you will own the car.

I know the allure of a "free" car, but I would really, really check it out 
good before you go through the trouble of making it yours. If it's a 1974 or 
later chances are you'll be into it for $2000 before you pass smog and can 
drive it. Get a Moss catalog and figure out what it'll take to get it on the 
road (is the engine frozen???) before you attempt this. Join you local club, 
check the VTR classifieds, and really be sure it's a project you want to 
take on. We all love the story of the car that was just barely saved from 
the crusher, but most of us put way too much money into our first Triumph. 
Ask me how I know this;^).

Cheers,

John Matthews
'61 Herald [for sale]
'63 TR 4

>There is an abandoned Spitfire in my neighborhood.  Does anyone in 
> >California know the procedure for acquiring the title?  It has been 
> >parked and rusting in the driveway of a vacant house for many years.


_________________________________________________________________

///
///  triumphs@autox.team.net mailing list
///  To unsubscribe send a plain text message to majordomo@autox.team.net
///  with nothing in it but
///
///     unsubscribe triumphs
///
///


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>