PA residents..No title?

[Steve Moskowitz]

Somewhere on the forum their was a complaint about the cost of going to court to get a title to an antique car. I can't quickly locate the thread but here is a lower cost solution from a local attorney who is an AACA member:

Typically, I charge a flat $500 for my services which includes drafting the proper petition or the court where the matter must be submitted, consulting with the client, preparing affidavits, researching the several databases to determine the current title status of the vehicle (stolen, salvaged, previously titled, etc.) and finally appearing at a hearing, if necessary before a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas wherever the case is filed. Additionally, the client must pay any “costs”. Costs include the filing fee with the court (ranges between $75 & $180) and any service costs to serve notice on the previous owner if they don’t know who it is or can no longer find them. This is a service that I offer to the hobby. I do not exactly make money on this given the substantial time and effort that I put into each case. I wish there was an easier way, but until that happens, I’m more than happy to assist hobbyists in navigating the murky legal channels to get their cars legal.

In the previous thread it stated something like $2,000 it costs someone. This is still cheaper than going to most title services. If you want the name and phone number of this attorney I will be happy to give it to you. Please email to aaca1@aaca.org and put Title Question in the title area.

[mdh157]

Good post......of course, it's even easier if you buy a car with a good transferable title. PA is a major headache and requires a notarized BOS even if the out-of-state title doesn't require that. I've been through it a few times with Penndot. Cars with no titles and cars that have a title signed in blank (by the owner prev to the person selling it) are problems as the signature on the BOS is not the same person whose name is on the title, so buyer beware.


I am in the market for a car, if I find one that does not have a title I will be sure to use this service, it is worth paying the extra $$ to an experienced professional.

[jackofalltrades70]

Steve,
Thanks for the information. I have one convertible that will need this service......If I manage to get it back together enough. PA is one of the worst states for this type of problem. Matt

[jpage]

The main problem I had wasn't the fact that I had no title for my car but I had no I.D. numbers. The serial no. on a Model A Ford is stamped on the top frame rail near the front of the body. That area was rusted away on my car so I had no way of knowing what the original serial number was. I could get a new title but I had to have a number. So ,at that point I was dead in the water,that's why I took the measures I did. If you purchase a rough car ,it's more important to be able to identify the car's serial number than to have a title!

[mercer09]

A's used the engine #-not that tough....

[MCHinson]

But in the case of Model A Fords, many of them no longer have the original engine. If the engine has been changed, there is no visible serial number on the car to match to the serial number on the title without removing the body.

[mercer09]

If the number is gone from the frame rail, you use the engine #-has to be a 28-31-again not that difficult.
Many people create their own problems when titling. PA is not a bad state to get a title. Try Nebraska....
almost impossible.

[jpage]

You guys must think everyone is boob! You can't use an engine number when there is no engine and if the engine is not the original and shows up on some other title then you can have more trouble! You must have a valid ID number in PA to get a title.