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MG MGA - HELP! Titling info for CA to TX.

Hi,

I've got an unusual question that hopefully someone here has an answer to. My dad is giving me his MGA that he's had for 42 years. He's got the registration, but not the title, though he owns the car. How big a hassle is it to get a new title for a car in CA that hasn't run in over 20 years?

Does anyone know if it would be possible to ship it to TX without the title and register it here as "built from parts" or something along those lines? Or is it impossible to ship a car without a title.

Thanks
D Henderson

I would think that with the information from the registration you could apply for a lost title. It would be easier to get a duplicate title from California than to try to obtain a new one from scratch in Texas. It can be done in Oregon, but I don't know how the California DMV operates.
Ed Bell

Thanks. I'll look into that.
DL Henderson

See if you can find a person who owns a auto shop, body shop or anyone that can do a lein sale on the car. They tell DMV that the car is abandoned or work was done on the car and the owner did not pay. They can then apply for a new title. My friend did that to get his MGC retitled to a 1965 so he would not have to deal with smog checks.
JEFF BECKER

Getting a title is no problem. Just get a bill of sale and the last good registration certificate. Take them to the DMV and they will set you up. It might take a while to process but you will have no problems.
Steve Simmons

I got a call today from a shipping company and appearantly you don't need papers to ship. You just need someone to hand them the keys. Does this sound right? If so I can just go ahead and bring it here and do the paper shuffle. It doesn't work right now anyways so there's no rush...
DL Henderson

PS My dad has no papers at all, though he does have the plates. But I'm sure this isn't the first time this has happened so Steve is probably right about it being easy to get a new title.
DL Henderson

You can ship it anywhere you like. It's just cargo. Auto shippers only require your contact info and a check. If it doesn't run, you will pay extra.

Have your dad write up a bill of sale. It will help greatly. And any old registration or other form of legal paper with his name associated with the car will make a big difference in getting through the DMV in one piece.

I'd get a hold of both DMVs and get it registered in your name at whichever sounds the easiest.
Steve Simmons

Getting the car registered in Texas in not too bad but Steve is correct in trying to get a duplicate (lost title)from California first. I would most definitely recommend that you inquire with a private registration company and leave the state offices out of the loop. They will be able to tell you the most efficient way to go about things. I have seen these title companies work miracles! I could be wrong but I believe that Texas has a gifting exemption for immediate family so you may well be able to get out of paying any title tax. There again take it up with the private title company. Look in the yellow pages. And if that fails email me and I can put you with a guy who has a few spare Texas titles laying around if you don't mind changing your cars number! Some MGAs never completely die.
Ken

Thanks for the advice. I called one of those titling companies and they said I still need to get the title sorted out in CA first. The DMV in CA said they had to have a police officer look at the VIN number, which doesn't seem to make sense, but that's what they told him.
DL Henderson

Forget the private title companies see here-
http://www.geocities.com/smogrfg/semaeditorial/titlingbackground.html
I think it would be best to apply for a lost title
gary starr

DL,

As others have stated, bill of sale and VIN number on an old reg certificate are all you need. I had such for my MGA that I bought in Nevada and then titled in CA. The state trooper looks at the VIN on your old reg certificate and compares to the numbers on the car, then has you work the brakes, wipers, lights, and out you go.

The VIN I had from Nevada had a typo, and I brought along Clausager's book to prove it, but no one cared.

I've since moved to TX, and there you have to go to a service station for the inspection, but other than that it was the same. Of course you always have to point them to the heater plate, which raises some suspicion, but with everything else that is a bit odd on these cars, they usually let us out unscathed.

Chuck Mosher
Houston, TX
MGA MkII Judson Supercharged !

Chuck Mosher

Thanks Chuck, but the problem is that I don't have any paperwork at all including an old reg certificate. Unfortunately the car has been sitting in a garage for 25 years but has been moved to several different houses.

My dad said he'd look into the title on his side in CA today. We'll see what happens...
DL Henderson

This thread was discussed between 24/11/2006 and 28/11/2006

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