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Has anyone gone through the legal process of claiming an abandoned vehicle?

Bacchus said:
Once you get a title in your name, take it to the local Ford house and they can cut you some new keys for it. It's not gonna be cheap.
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I will make some calls when I get it in my name, we have a few good locksmiths around here, the dealer will be my last resort for new keys.
 
Bacchus said:
Once you get a title in your name, take it to the local Ford house and they can cut you some new keys for it. It's not gonna be cheap.
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I thought you could get a generic key and program it with forscan?
 
Provience said:
DMG Is the dude to ask about this.

its easy in most states, not worth a lawyer
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I dont know a ton about it. It is really hard in my home state. It was easier with a truck from Texas.
 
arse_sidewards said:
I've looked into it a few times for various shitboxes I was flipping. It varies by state. The easiest route will always be to "find" a bill of sale. If the last guy won't go looking for it you have nothing to worry about.
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after actually reading the whole op. this is what i'd do.

first DMV to check for any current leins or reports tied to vin, then get a key for it, small investment to make sure its worth your time. then you 'find' a bill of sale. done!

story;
I had a rental box truck on my property when I bought it.... was told employee deleted it from the rental fleets accounting roster. they would want it back if they knew... checked vin and the story seemed to check out. so I found a bill of sale and a friendly DMV.... that was almost 10yrs ago. was a nice diesel truck 20some ft box and lift gate. sold it and haven't heard anything since
 
Why not just do a lost title replacement?
I did one a few years back, super easy. Bought a plow truck with no title. Did the paperwork and had a title in a month or so.
 
arse_sidewards said:
Because most states DMVs will only send replacement paperwork (title or reg) to the address on file.
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Mn requires original owner. If deceased, then immediate family member with copy of death cert.

Just had that conversation on Tuesday
 
You mean a guy sold you a truck 5 years ago complete with a hand written bill of sale that you paid cash for and you haven’t gotten around to registering it because you wanted to leave it “like new” for your grandkids? Is that the truck you’re talking about?
 
Vinman said:
You mean a guy sold you a truck 5 years ago complete with a hand written bill of sale that you paid cash for and you haven’t gotten around to registering it because you wanted to leave it “like new” for your grandkids? Is that the truck you’re talking about?
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Nah, within the past 14 days

No need to deal with "late transfer or registration" penalty if they have one
 
Got nearly the same truck except mine is a 2018. Sell it if it runs. Transmission is junk because of design flaw, just had mine rebuilt. Ford wanted 8k. Several of the 5.0’s like oil. They run fine just add a quart or two between changes. Other than tgat its a nice truck. Lol
 
Projectjunkie said:
You need a notary who is also a medium and can talk to the previous owner, "from the other side"

That's a specialized skillset, probably an extra 100.


If I had to speculate.
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Or a notary ythat accidentally left a spot blank in their book at some point. Which we arent supposed to do so it may be tough to find.
 
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Sons GF had a harley that has been sitting in her garage for close to 3 years. Belongs to her exhusband and he wont come get it. She is looking into the same thing now.
 
CNCJerry said:
It is on my property I bought property with the truck sitting on it, the original property owner was going to take it but no longer wants it or wants to deal with it, the truck is not in the original property owners name.

No idea on the keys, the original property owner has no idea, she is in a care home with dementia, they were not in the house that came with the property.

If I can get it titled in my name I will mostly likely call a lock Smith to open it and cut new keys.
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I don’t know about having a Mobil lock smith being able to anything with the keys for that. When you get to that part, please report if it’s easy and or cheap.
Bacchus said:
Once you get a title in your name, take it to the local Ford house and they can cut you some new keys for it. It's not gonna be cheap.
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I would think this is the way to go once paperwork shows it legally belongs to the OP. I’d have a tow truck service come open the doors on it for me. They unlock these for soccer moms in Walmart parking lots all the time because the keys got locked in it. I’d do that now before messing with any paperwork. Get a look inside. Might be a second set of keys in the console. Look under the hood to see if a pack rat has made a nest out of insulation and bits of wire.

I say that because there is supposed to be a number on a card inside of the owners manual book set. If you give that number to a Ford dealership and they agree that you own the truck they can order you the key already cut for your tumbler. I have a 19 that’s a nicer model than that one and it still takes a key in the ignition, not just a chipped FOB.
 
JR4X said:
I don’t know about having a Mobil lock smith being able to anything with the keys for that. When you get to that part, please report if it’s easy and or cheap.
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It's neither. I've never seen an aftermarket newer style Ford key/keyfob so you are pretty much stuck with getting them from Ford if you want a new one. Cutting them isn't all that easy either and you are not going to the local Ace Hardware to get it done. Locksmith may have one to cut that style key but I bet it won't be cheap if he does have the machine.

You can go to any Ford dealership parts dept in the country with a title in your name and have them cut a key for you based on the VIN #. Most dealerships have their own key cutters and don't order keys in.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
It's neither. I've never seen an aftermarket newer style Ford key/keyfob so you are pretty much stuck with getting them from Ford if you want a new one. Cutting them isn't all that easy either and you are not going to the local Ace Hardware to get it done. Locksmith may have one to cut that style key but I bet it won't be cheap if he does have the machine.

You can go to any Ford dealership parts dept in the country with a title in your name and have them cut a key for you based on the VIN #. Most dealerships have their own key cutters and don't order keys in.
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According to the ACE Hardware website, they can do key fobs for the OP's abandoned model year truck :confused:
 
Provience said:
Can't remember a locksmith asking for that stuff, ever
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We have to if we're flashing a new immobilizer key, and a lot of shops don't mess with that stuff.

We're also not supposed to do lock outs without proof of ownership, but around here most people keep that in the glove box, which is challenging:laughing:
 
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tracyb said:
in WA you just take it to the state patrol they confirm its not stolen and give you paperwork for registration. after its registered for 3yrs in your name... you own it. no matter if its declared stolen after that. (had someone do that with a trailer)

call your state patrol or DMV. its state by state how the rules work.
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I have a dump truck I need to file for lost title. I know its clean and the owner is my neighbor. His brother had the title and has since died and it got lost. The local license joint is across from the State Patrol office. Need to ask the SP if the actual need me to get the truck there or if I can give the the vin and have them run it. The licensing joint is rad and gives very little fucks.
 
Thefishguy77 said:
I have a dump truck I need to file for lost title. I know its clean and the owner is my neighbor. His brother had the title and has since died and it got lost. The local license joint is across from the State Patrol office. Need to ask the SP if the actual need me to get the truck there or if I can give the the vin and have them run it. The licensing joint is rad and gives very little fucks.
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you have to bring the vehicle to the SP. they check to make sure your lights works and look it over
 
Here, they’ll come to me to do the NCIS check. No need to move it till that’s handled. You call the sheriffs office and they’ll send someone with the paperwork to come do that step for free. It has to be signed off by a LEO
 
JR4X said:
Here, they’ll come to me to do the NCIS check. No need to move it till that’s handled. You call the sheriffs office and they’ll send someone with the paperwork to come do that step for free. It has to be signed off by a LEO
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that's fucking awesome.

the way our state does it is fucked. a buddy of mine actually bought an old ride (cant remember what right now, classic car stuff I want to say a 32 coupe) here they have to be road worthy for inspection... anyway long story short, he put a ton of time and money, like magazine feature show quality into this car only to find out it was stolen as a shitty car. so dude basically had his car stolen and a complete resto done then got to get it back in show room condition. buddy got fucked, iirc he had so much time and such into it he ended up paying the guy big money to buy the car he resurrected from scrap. there is a published story about it I'll see if I can find it.

havent found the article yet but here's the car. its a '34. his gasser is a bad ride too.
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and his comment at the time about the situation;
Ok an update on my 34. Been talking to so many people it’s hard to explain it all. The WSP has told me I basically know more then them at this point earlier today. They were at a stand still waiting on info and the guy hadn’t shown any proof of ownership.
Well tonight I called the couple that sold it to the guy I got it from. They answered and we talked a while. Their family has been best of friends with the Genasci family for generations. They lived on the same farm side by side since 30’s or 40’s until their house burned on the farm in 1997. The grandfather had made a deal for the car way back when and it was put in storage during Vietnam era and packed behind all sorts of other belongings. Flash forward to 2013 when the grandfather passed away they started selling off stuff instead of paying storage fees so they dug through the container and found the 34. And sold it. They never knew about the stolen report because the car was NEVER STOLEN. They have been in contact with Ron Genasci and tried to figure out what deal was made and how. They said they didn’t know if he was paid off for the car in 97. But right now I just need him to sign the car over to me with them as second sets of signatures and I would pay the insurance off if they did pay out. Problem is California has told them not to talk to me because of their case which is BS. So I’m hoping for good karma and to get through to Ron and work a deal.
 
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tracyb said:
that's fucking awesome.

the way our state does it is fucked. a buddy of mine actually bought an old ride (cant remember what right now, classic car stuff I want to say a 32 coupe) here they have to be road worthy for inspection... anyway long story short, he put a ton of time and money, like magazine feature show quality into this car only to find out it was stolen as a shitty car. so dude basically had his car stolen and a complete resto done then got to get it back in show room condition. buddy got fucked, iirc he had so much time and such into it he ended up paying the guy big money to buy the car he resurrected from scrap. there is a published story about it I'll see if I can find it.
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That's the nice thing about a bonded title.

Whatever it's worth is the bond value, pay like a tenth or whatever of that for the insurance. If it comes back stolen in 3 years or somebody else produces valid claim, then get paid by the bond.

So if it got a full resto, they'd get paid for the cheap amount he started with
 
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