I have opportunity to buy an 85 4Runner for not much at all, but the truck does not have a title. Does anybody have any experience with how to get this thing a title or get it registered? Not buying it until 1) I confirm it’s not hot, even though it’s a friend he never had any intention of making it street legal 2) I know exactly what it takes to register.

Lost title application to be filled out by the owner. At the DMV.

Will a bill of sale suffice as proof that I’m the owner?

In two years you won't even need a title for it.

No. Since the lost title is in somebody else's name that's what's gonna show when it's pulled up by VIN. Until a title has transferred ownership it will always be in the other guy's name. Bill of sale alone won't transfer ownership.

Current owner has to apply for lost title.

But the current owner bought it without a title as well.

You can't get a tag without a title.

I hate dealing with titles that are messed up. Like previously said in less then 2 years it won't matter. It'll be old enough to not have to have one.

I know I’m trying to figure how to get the title.

Then he's a dumbass and he's stuck with the vehicle. In fact, whomever has the last clear title could report it stolen and go get it.

You've been told twice. The current owner has to apply for a copy. Three times now.

Parting it out is the only option without it being titled.

Yea I get that. But that doesn’t help me if you read back through my posts. Wiley’s last post answered my question fully.

Then he doesn’t legally own it lol.

Make it a farm/hunting club truck. When ya need fuel drive it around the back roads , this is still Alabama. I have one I use this way.

That’s what I came to figure out. I’m just gonna stay away.

Just FYI if it needs a title and you buy/sell with out one it’s a crime. It happens everyday true enough but it’s a crime. If it has a lien and the lien holder finds it, you don’t have a leg to stand on they take it and you lose.

Nowadays we run an abandoned title, it almost always comes back to one of the title pawns, they sometimes pay the bill and come get it, sometimes just send us a title

Tell whoever owns it you’ll pay the $25 for the replacement and have them fill it out returned to you, get a POA to assign it to you when it arrives. If they don’t wanna do that move on.

Yea I’m not messing with it. The “current owner” has no idea who the last title holder was and likely several “owners” back. Not worth it to me.

Its not that hard to get a title.. You can go about it like its an abandoned vehicle and fill out the paperwork or buy a title and vin from a wrecked truck and swap them