I picked up my 88gt from a salvage yard(with only 19,710 miles on it). Its a shame that the insurance company totalled it out. But altest its in my hands now. Im taking it into the body shop July 8th. They said it would take them 4-5 days to finish and it would be around $1200. Once its fixed is there something I can do to get rid of the salvage title? The guy I bought the car from said I had to have the DMV inspect the car, and since its more then 6 years old they would give me a clear title if it passed? I know each state has there own rules, and I have heard ways around them. But does anyone know if this is true?

thanks

Heres a pic of the damage for those who havent seen it.

Got the original title? Contact the original owner and ask him to get a duplicate and have his sign it over, that is unless he already signed it over to the insurance co and they already teansfered it. Check carfax to see if he is the last person to title the car, you may get lucky.

You may be stuck with the salvage title. Also The previous owner of record should have been an insurance company. No way they will give you any help.

The salvage title is only relevant if you are reselling the car. For daily driving it doesn't matter as long as the state passed it. Trying to bypass the salvage tittle may create legal problems. Be very carefull if you elect to follow that path. contacting the actual owner/driver may be illegal. That person signed over all title to the insurance maggots.

try your state web site. most states have them now. most are a site like www.state.DE.us just replace DE with your postal code.

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11-Sept-01, The day the world as we knew it ended.

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 06-29-2002).]

This is what I found at the Minnesota DMV site...

Clearing Salvage Status
Once the requirements to clear the salvage status of a vehicle are met, if the vehicle is subject to branding, a title will be issued with the brand Prior Salvage. Vehicles not subject to the branding requirements will be issued a clear title. This includes motorcycles, vehicles with a gross vehicle rating of 16,000 pounds or more, or vehicles that obtained their salvage status due to high market value.

The following items must be submitted to clear the salvage status of a vehicle:

Minnesota Salvage Title (if one was issued).
Completed Affidavit of Reconstruction.
Original letter head receipts for all major parts replaced.
Passed Salvage Inspection Report.
Payment of $20.00 inspection fee.

So.. what exactly will this do to my title?

Who currently owns the car, not physical posession but on paper? If it still in the previous owners name CALL him up, whats the harm? Most people are willing to help you out if you treat them right.

The 88 coupe I just purchaced was owned by a man that "donated it" to the American Lung Association. The ALA took it directly to the junkyard and never processed the title into their name so the previous owner technicaly still owns the car. I tried to get ALA to get me a title but they just played dumb. I had a forum member run a carfax for me and verified the last owner (via title number) of the car and it was not ALA. I called 411 and gave them the address and full name of the owner and they gave me the guys number. I called him up and asked him to get a duplicate title (at my expense) and sign it over to me. The title is in the mail as I type this and I should have it by Tuesday.
Had I not done this I would have to get a salvage title in the same manner you described above.

In Ohio, if you buy a car from a dif. state the title is cleared. My fiero was issued salvage in Florida taken to Illinos and cleared in Ohio. I bought the car never knowing all these facts but, nothing is wrong with my car so I don't care about title statis.

Just some FYI

Most companies and non profit types will not process a title into their name because it is literaly a waste of money to do so if the car is going to be junked. This can leave a door open to the owner of the car if the title was never processed into the companies name.

There is a way to do it if you have a friend who has a body shophave them flie what is called a mechanics lein on the car and they will be issued a clean title from the DMV.The only problem you have to be careful with whom you deal with because when the title comes back technically the car belongs to the body (shop for non payment) and if they want to f*^K you they can hold on to the car but if you arrange before hand as to how much they would charge you to do it.The lein cost$350-375 and that is good but you are getting a clean title this and many other ways are available any how wish you luck.

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85 Fiero (Savage)
345-HP/5SP 4.9 Cadillac.
88 Cradle
11.2" Zettner Brakes
Custom Coilovers
Flowmaster 80's
Keith Dorton 500cfm Carb#0-8583
Edelbrock-70001 3stage NOS kit.
Mallory HY-FireIgnition

I physically own the car through the salvge title. Or at least I think I do because I had to sign a couple pieces of paper including the salvage title itself.

I understand what you are saying but you yourself cannot file a mechanics lein unless you own a shop,what a mechanics lein is if you bring your to me for repairs and I complete the work and you fail to pay for it I would file a lein on the car it goes through the court s and they issue an order to give me the car with a new title therefore I am now the owner with a clean title no more salvage but if you ask a dishonest person to do this for you they can legally take the car because the title is in their name so you got to be sure if you ask someone to do this arrange every thing before you start the process and how much they will charge you to do this.

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85 Fiero (Savage)
345-HP/5SP 4.9 Cadillac.
88 Cradle
11.2" Zettner Brakes
Custom Coilovers
Flowmaster 80's
Keith Dorton 500cfm Carb#0-8583
Edelbrock-70001 3stage NOS kit.
Mallory HY-FireIgnition

yeah I understand what your saying.. it was a answere to a question a couple posts above. Unfortunatly I dont have a friend in an autobody shop. So im left with calling the original owner(which im gonna do anyways to see if he has anything else from the car). Or take it to the DMV and have them do the inspection and then hopefully issue me a clean title.