M416 title help. No paper work.

Hi Everyone. I am looking for a little assistance. I looked at a really clean M416 and am leaning towards buying it. My question is getting it registered. I am in California. The owner has no paper work on it. The trailer has no id plates or tags. The only thing I would receive is a bill of sale.

From what I have seen, I have no reason not to trust this gentleman. I looked at the trailer at his residence. He has quite a few other trailers and military jeeps. He mostly uses these vehicles for film props and local parades.

Does anyone have an idea how difficult it would be to get this trailer registered under my name, and get plates for it.

Thanks in advance !!

- Kurt

Man I wish I could offer more help. In Texas all I had to do was go to the County Tax Office and register mine as a homade trailer. All I had to do was estimate the weight. I don't think the weight matters as long as it's under a ton. I don't know if this is possible in CA but thought I might try. Good Luck.

D

same idea here in WA, have to get it inspected by the state patrol for road worthieness, and get a homebuilt title. or maybe file for a lost title if it ever had one

Smksignals said:

Hi Everyone. I am looking for a little assistance. I looked at a really clean M416 and am leaning towards buying it. My question is getting it registered. I am in California. The owner has no paper work on it. The trailer has no id plates or tags. The only thing I would receive is a bill of sale.

From what I have seen, I have no reason not to trust this gentleman. I looked at the trailer at his residence. He has quite a few other trailers and military jeeps. He mostly uses these vehicles for film props and local parades.

Does anyone have an idea how difficult it would be to get this trailer registered under my name, and get plates for it.

Thanks in advance !!

- Kurt

Click to expand...

Move to Oregon and you won't even need plates for it no less a title.:coffeedrink:

Mine had a similar problem. I had a title from California, but it had not been registered in many years and there was no VIN on the trailer. Registering in Oregon required me to get an Oregon state police officer to inspect it for the missing VIN. Once the paper work was in hand that no VIN was found the DMV was able to issue it a new VIN.
Once I received the new VIN sticker it was suggested that I stamp it into the frame as well. That way I won't have those problems again.

So, I guess the best answers may come from your local California highway patrol, and department of motor vehicles.

EDIT: Just saw the Oregon post above. With out a title you have no proof of ownership. No plates make it difficult to search for a lost or stolen trailer. It it has little or no value than you have no real need to title or register it.

So no VIN anywhere on the trailer? Any evidence that there ever was one? Worst case is that you may have to pay a bond on it, which is basically insurance so that if the state registers it and then the rightful owner shows up (if it had been stolen at some point), the state isn't liable.

But if there is no VIN, or evidence that there ever was one, it would be hard (like almost impossible) for anyone else to claim ownership. I was in the same situation with a trailer I bought from a guy in CA. The AZ DOT inspector told me I would have to pay a bond, but when I got to the MVD, they laughed, registered it, and sent me on my way.

I was told that you could only legally own an M416 if it was sold as scrap by the DOD. If it was sold as scrap there is NO title from the DOD. Therefore you have to file with your state for a NEW title as if it was a home built trailer. This is not a problem in MO. It was just another form and they gave me a new VIN. Then get it inspected by a shop registered for this type inspection and go get the tag. It was really easy after I figured it out!

I had a 55 chevy with no vin plate. I went to the Highway patrol and they inspected it, looked for missing vehicle records, and finding none, issued me a new VIN that they riveted into the engine compartment. and stamped onto the frame.

Very easy and seemed like a very common thing. I'd bet it'd be the same for you since its a trailer and not a car.

Start with the DMV. I am in the process of registering the trailer that I inherited from my grandfather in Oregon. That OR doesn't plate small trailers was a major hurdle. They could not comprehend that concept. In retrospect I should have just claimed that I built the trailer.

The last trailer that a friend & I registered in CA, truly an owner-built, the gal at the DMV that inspected it told us to stamp the assigned VIN on the tongue near the foil sticker that they're going to eventually give you, and to stamp it somewhere else that only we knew the location of. We were very anal to make sure that all of the lights worked etc. and she never even asked about any of that. She just came out, looked at it, and said "yep, that's a trailer."

An odd note, we were asked then and I was again asked with this trailer if there are any existing numbers stamped in it. We told them no on the first, but granddad did stamp an ID number on the second trailer. I'm not sure, yet, that I'll be able to use the existing number as the VIN (would be cool as it is comprised of his initials and the finish date), but from the what that the first lady implied I think that I can.

I registered a M101CDN as a SPCNS trailer earlier this year in California - http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/spcnsreg.htm The bill of sale detailed the components sold to me e.g.; frame, tub, axle, two hubs plus wheels (even though it was a rolling chassis). The trailer was then "assembled" and registered as a trailer under 1500 lbs. (does not require brakes in California). In short, you need to obtain a VIN for the trailer through having it inspected and then register it as a SPCNS trailer.

I hope this helps.

when i registered my m762 in CA all i had was a bill of sale. it took some talking, but it finally got sorted out. they issued it a vin number, did a very basic inspection (didnt even check to see if the lights worked or anything)

it wasnt too horrible. unfortunatly our bill of sale said military trailer. it would have been tremendiously easier if it was marked as a utility trailer. they really wanted to see the discharge papers for it.

If you're an AAA member, then PLEASE call them before the DMV. They answer questions, they're not rude, and they're always right!

Thank you everyone for your help. I really appreciate it. If everything goes through, I hope to be posting pics soon !!


BTW, I have only posted here a couple of times. I LOVE this site. Very addicting. Great threads and tons of information !!

I took my homebuilt off road trailer to the DMV in San Jose, and left in 1 1/2 hrs with a VIN, registration and plates. The title was mailed to me a few weeks later. They will look at it outside in the drivethru area and ask how much it weighs. They did not even check the lights. They asked for reciepts but I told them I made it from scrap steel and parts I had and I did not even have a single reciept for supplies. I put an estimated value on it and that was that. I think the registration is good for 5 years.

Well thanks again to everyone. I went ahead and jumped into M416 ownership.

Thread with pix are here - Smksignals trailer