'92 RS Heritage; cert. of destruction...

Yep... did a lot of the same things on my 'Formula... The good ol' DMM... what would we do without them.. lol. But it seriously had just about every electrical prob POSSIBLE!.. Lol. Well... looks like I may be swapping in the 350 and the 305, then selling the '85 with the 305. Not sure about the history of the transmission though... this is a TBI 350 engine.. completely rebuilt.. has receipts. Said he got it from another car. Pics look pretty good. Anyway, trans is a 5/speed.. but with this not being a S/E or T/A.. what are the odds this car came with a 305 stock? Dennis seems to think this is probably a V-6 5/speed... anyway to know for sure? If it is, would it be worth it to swap it with it into the '88... or just keep the Auto?

-Geno

1985 Blue Camaro 2.8L w/T-tops (148k and going... getting worried) 1988 Blue Firebird Formula 5.0L w/T-tops (For sale for $2,200) 1985 Brown Firebird 5.7L w/5-Speed (No T-tops though) Still looking for an '82-'84 T/A w/T-tops for parts from one

I'm lost as to what you are trying to figure out. A 305 in a 3rd gen F body is ULTRA common. Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going.... '91 S10 Blazer 4.3Z

can?t believe it. I called the DMV title corrections office (actually it was customer support, but they said they can answer questions) to see what the status was on that letter and stuff I sent into them and they had no idea. Every time they put me on hold, it cut me off after about 5 minutes of waiting. I wasn?t getting any help from them and I had to go work a

12hour shift that night so I was feeling a little down. I went and got something to eat, came back and decided to check my mail box to see if I got any bills. I saw a manila envelope and I wasn?t sure what it was. Opened it up and sure enough it was a response letter from the DMV!!! Finally!!! The papers and photos look like they went through quite a few people seeing how it had been restapled quite a few times. There's also a letter on in the front basically saying I need to go to court with proof of ownership to make me the legal owner on the vehicle and resubmit the paperwork once that?s done. That sounds to me like I could very well be on the way to getting the title back!

That sounds like it.

They want to make sure it was legally junked and not "disappeared" into someone's unlawful hands.

Neighbor who is a police officer was telling me about the ways that thieves have attempted to wash titles and hide cars over the years. Some of the scams are pretty elaborate....

What is needed to get the car in good order again? I wouldn't touch a screw on it till you legally own it, otherwise it could go for naught.

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going....

Damn good advice Joe. Too many dishounest people have ruined things for the rest of us. Charles

Well I've already put a hatch and a few major things that were missing on it (only spent $200 on that). I basically need to get the engine rebuilt (might as well, I have it torn apart), but the everything electrical seems to work and I've already found out what the security code is so I can bypass it. I want to upgrade it to the '90-'92 TPI setup, but it's going to cost quite a bit. I have to try and find out if the salvager yard or towing company has the COD (they better because they are supposed to have it in their records for 3 years!) and transfer it over into my name and then I resubmit all the paperwork along with the COD in my name and the letter they sent me.

DO NOT touch the vehicle until you legally own it---if for some reason you don't get the paperwork and your money is refunded, you'll lose what you put into it! Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 27k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 143k and still going....

Trust what Joe is saying. I know from Managaing a salvage yard with a inventory of over 1,500 cars what he is talking about! Charles

Part of the deal was that I can't take it back if this doesn't work out so I'm stuck with it. Worse thing that could happen is that I would have to strip it and sell the parts (I hate thinking that). As of now, things are looking really good as far as getting that title back. In the letter they sent me, they didn't say what will happen after I get it in my name and send in the paperwork (sounds like they are going to grant me a title, but they might need to inspect the car first which shouldn't be a problem).

I have to agree with the consensus. DO NOT do any work to it till you have good paper. Now some states are easier to get paper in than others if you follow my drift. Or you might buy a trasher with good paper and, oh, I don't know, swap some things around. She is a pretty ride and I must agree, too nice to break up.

and I have the opertunity to do both thing, but right now I am trying hard to get the legit title back. if that fails I will go through either cali or new york.

Any update on how this is coming along?

kinda at a stand still right now. Talked to the main guy at the salvage yard and he was supposed to be in this week and call the DMV to see if he could legally give me the COD, but he was a no show. I really don't understand why they act like I am making them go way out of their way to give me the COD. Everytime I call them (even when I was just asking for a signature for the bill of sale) they have a fit. I don't care though, I will keep calling until I get the title if I need to. I also made the mistake of telling one of the people who works there which I think is one of the owners sons that I was going to sue them if I had to take it to court for the fees, so that kinda hurt me even though they have not mentioned it. I know if I do have to go through court, it's going to cost at least $250 just to file the paperwork and if I really have to get an attorney, it's going to be up to $3500. I am pretty sure once I can show ownership, by way of COD or Declaritory Judgement, I can get the title back (*knock on wood*). Even in the worst case scenario that I do end up having to paying $3500 for an attorney, I would do it because I really am getting attached to her.

On a side note I finally got the upper part of the drivers side seat belt bolted in yesterday. The nut that's supposed to be attached to the frame must have broke free when the salvage yard went to remove it for someone.

small update:

talked to the main guy at the salvage yard and he is not going to give me the COD. Took me forever to get ahold of him and finally today I got to see him and he acted like it was going to be REALLY hard to find the COD and made a call to DMV (or so he said he called DMV anyways) and basically said he will not give it to me.

A week prior I called the DMV in tallahassee to try and find out a more definite answer about actually being able to have the COD in my name and the person I talked to said it?s like a title in that the person who owns it has the COD in their name and that they were obligated by law (she wasn?t totally sure though on that part) to give me the COD. I believe she knew what she was talking about because she knew how a towing company could get a title back by sending in an affidavit saying they made a mistake. I am also going to see what I can have done with that lady at the local tag and title office because she is giving false info out. It wouldn?t be so bad, but she is the supervisor there. Don?t really want to get her fired, just get her in alittle trouble.

My next 2 things to try are seeking legal advice to see if I can take this to small claims to see if I can get that COD signed over or, if that doesn?t work, I will see if I can sue for the amount it will cost me to get a declaratory judgment.

Someone told me that you don?t need plates to race and I finally went out to the dragstrip here with my yellow Camaro (only got 10 flat in the 1/8 mile run a few times and gave up. Engine needs an overhaul bad). I was thinking that maybe once I get it put together, if I still don?t have a title, I will run it to make sure it?s not going to fall apart on me for one reason or another. The engine that I am planning to build now shows promising power figures :). That?s if I can end up building the engine sooner than planned.

You are going about this the TOTAL WRONG WAY. STOP Where you are, do not do one more thing.

First of all: The local Tax Collectors Office in Florida is not the place you get advice about how to re-title a C.O.D. Car. You Either get that Information IN PRINT from The State Highway Patroll, or DMV/BMV Headquarters. Get all the Correct Legal Paperwork First. Then READ it WORD for WORD. If You have a Question Then Counsult an Athority on the Documents.

Second: Stop working on, toying with, or even touching the car. Legally it is not yours. You are not the registered Legal Owner. Even with a Bill of Sale, at this point you may own the parts, but not the whole car.

Third: You need a Local Expert Source of Advice. Namely someone who rebuilds cars with C.O.D. Titles. Try Contacting local body shops. It might Cost you for their Advice, Yet Chances are They know the system.

On The Race Car, Non-Title Issue: I know in OHIO (where I live), You are Required to Have the Car/Truck/Motorcycle/ATV/Off-road only/Farm Only vehical Titled in your name. Even if it is just a "Off High-way" or "Farm Only" Vehical.

It only takes one bored Cop To pull you over, run the vehicals identifacation numbers, or check of lack there of, then take action. Ohio is going to stricker inforcement on Title issues. Laws passed and revised since 1997 are aimed at reducing the number of stolen vehicals resold, and recovering the property.

Charles (Who lives in Ohio, Not Florida)

- I know the local DMV office isn?t a good place for info. I found that out early on. He wouldn?t listen to me. I will look more into the laws because I didn?t really see anything about COD transfers for personal buys.

- Why wouldn?t I own the whole car? What would be excluded? I?m just curious because I started thinking that myself just recently. I haven?t done anything with it yet, but I want to get a working engine in it and if nothing else can be transferred over to my other car because it needs a new engine (or a rebuild, but I want to build a 350 for it).

- What do you mean rebuilds cars with CODs? I?ve called a few places awhile back and most don?t know how to get around the system.

- I am talking about putting it on a trailer and bringing it to the dragstrip. It?s an official dragstrip so it?s not like I have to worry about cops. I live on an air force base and basically what they said was I only need to show insurance to be able to drive my car on base so I could test it out t low speeds and get some use from it

- I wouldn?t risk taking it off base and getting pulled over. As long as I get the COD signed over I can probably title it again. I really want to get the title here in Florida back seeing how I am going to be here for awhile, but if that doesn?t work I can always go through California or New York to get a title. Thanks for the feedback by the way.

In November we got pulled over. On our way to a Event. My Tough Truck was securely bound down to the trail, behind or trailer truck. The Cops Reason for pulling us over? No License Plate Lamp on the trailer!

Long Story Short: I have never titled the tough truck in my Name. Yet we have a title for it somewhere. The owner was Military out of New York, sold it to us over 10 years ago. Untill recently the truck even had it's New York license plate still.

After 2 hours on the side of the road, and $400 in tickets, the cop graciuosly let us go. Good thing they had other calls stacking up or they could have found enough reasons to arrest all 4 of us.

As for people who deal with C.O.D. cars in Florida Im sure there are a few Body Shops & Salvage yards that know exactly how the system works.

Charles Sitting in the back of a suburban, with a cold pop between your legs, with your wrists on the back of the front seat, with your lap belt cutting in to you aint fun. Neither is hiding your half drank beer with your clutch foot

I see what you mean. Someone on base told me about it. Maybe the rules here are alittle different. Seeing how I am military I don't have to get the car registered in this state after a month of being here or whatever (california is my state of residency for right now just for this reason). I saw someone bringing a camaro on a trailer just like I want to and he didn't get pulled over and I am pretty sure he didn't have plates either.

As far as him selling me the car as parts only, what would still be considered his? The frame? I don't have any of my own witnesses because I was alone when I bought the car. He had workers that were there and heard him, but I don't think they are going to be very willing to help me in court. At the time he said he would sell me the WHOLE car and on the bill of sale he has it as "bill of sale for parts only - no title" and now he is saying he only sold it to me for parts (which sounds more like he just doesn't want to be involved than anything else). From past experiences, he doesn't seem like a bad guy, just lazy.

Well, at least here is CA that is pretty normal from a wrecking yard or even a tow yard for that matter. If they do it that way, they don't have to make it pass smog or anything else. As I understand it, if they don't say that, then they are required to make it pass smog and maybe even safety inspections. I understand there are some states where it's pretty easy to get a title for anything, and then you just need to get it to CA at some point to title it in CA. As I recall from my time in the military, the rule is 2 of 3. 2 of three (registration, title and drivers license) must be from one state and 1 can be from another as long as one is your home state of record and the other is where you are. Of course I remember some states giving me a hassle about my expired dl (it wasn't really, but since I had not been back in state for more than a few days at a time for almost 7 years it hadn't been runewed in some time) because they really wanted to try and force me into turning myself into a resident of their state so they could collect state income tax of course that didn't happen.