Should a 1970 Caravanner have a title?

[CoreyH]

I am looking into buying a 1970 Caravaneer. the seller does not have a title and told me that pre-1986 models do not have a title. He has a bill of sale from when he bought it that is notorized and shows the VIN on it. The person selling it has many airstreams they are selling, so he seems like would know what he is talking about, but it is hard to believe. He must at least be wrong about the date. Should a 1970 Caraveneer have a title?

[wkerfoot]

Cory,

It depends on the state you are registering the trailer in. I have a "pink slip" - California evidence of ownership for my 1954 Liner. If you are going to register the 1970 Caravanner in California, check with the local DMV or AAA to determine the documentation you will need to register and have ownership certificate.

Also, if the trailer is in California and annual licensing fees have not been paid, the amount to license could be unbelievable.

Bill

Originally Posted by CoreyH

I am looking into buying a 1970 Caravaneer. the seller does not have a title and told me that pre-1986 models do not have a title. He has a bill of sale from when he bought it that is notorized and shows the VIN on it. The person selling it has many airstreams they are selling, so he seems like would know what he is talking about, but it is hard to believe. He must at least be wrong about the date. Should a 1970 Caraveneer have a title?

[CoreyH]

Bill,

Thanks. I am in CA and would need to register it in CA, but I am buying it from NY from someone who has the notarized bill of sale from someone they bought from in the south. I am trying to contact DMV.

Best,
Corey

[wkerfoot]

Corey,

You may also need a notarized bill of sale from the person you are purchasing the trailer from. A bill of sale from someone "in the south" not make to you may make it difficult to register in California.

I don't remember all the hoops I had to jump through to register my Liner from Florida to California, but it can be a challenge. AAA may be easier, if you are a member.

Bill

Originally Posted by CoreyH

Bill,

Thanks. I am in CA and would need to register it in CA, but I am buying it from NY from someone who has the notarized bill of sale from someone they bought from in the south. I am trying to contact DMV.

Best,
Corey

[HowieE]

A trailer coming out of the south without a title most likely had a salvage title after flood damage and the seller scrapped the salvage title.

Get a clear path and cost to titling it in Calif. before you send a dime. Also what type of title Calif will issue

[Silver Hawk]

Licensed six trailers in California from out of state - they are picky.
Don't know about New York but California requires all trailers to be registered.
To be registered in California yes they must have a clear title.

Surprisingly, they don't check for safety (working lights, safety chains, brakes that work, etc.) - they just require you to bring it by so they can check the trailers serial number - to make sure your registering the right trailer.

Also if you build a trailer yourself, you don't even have to bring it in to the DMV for them to see. They just take your money ($10.00), give you a license plate and that's it!

[CoreyH]

Spent so much time on the phone with CA DMV today. They hardly knew what to do. First people I talked to there finally gave up and sent me to a specialist. She told me that if is registered in a state that does not title trailers from beyond a particular age, that I need to get a letter from that state which states that and provide it to the CA dmv along with reg 256 and a bill of sale. Then I would get a registration and title. I asked her to write a letter stating this to me and she would not do it.

[Tintini]

We have a 1970 Caravanner for sale in Northern California. It has a clear California title. Easy. And its beautiful. PM us if you're interested.

[DesertRat223]

We just registered our 1969 Overlander with no title at the CA DMV and it was surprisingly easy. Our unit was rescued from an abandoned property and had no paperwork whatsoever. ncib.org offers a free service to check if any vehicle is reported stolen. Assuming you're good there, go to DMV with your bills of sale and tell them that you've brought it in from out of state. You will have to complete an affidavit telling the story of how you acquired the unit. There will be fees and a VIN inspection and it may take a couple of trips to get all the T's crossed and I's dotted. Now for the most important part of my advice for the working with the DMV, be nice, very nice. You may not get much in the way of a smile back, but what you really want is the paperwork. If you aren't successful, go to another DMV office and try again. It's surprising how subjective the process can be.

[65will]

I live in NY. I have a 69 airstream they do not title the older trailers, my registration has a spot on the back to transfer ownership. If the trailer came from the south, I think it would depend on the state it came from rather they title or not. Have the owner get it registered in NY then he has clear ownership, and the transfer would be easy.