Best boarder crossing for REALLY old cars & trucks?

[Graham_A_M]

Hey guys, just helping a friend bring over a 1930's vehicle. Problem is; it doesn't have a title, nor can it as the last owner with a title died many long years ago.
Just looking for the best place to bring it over that isn't particularly anal about things like title issues, nor all the proper documentation.
For documentation; all it'll have is the bill of sale. Will that be a problem at all?

If you guys can walk me through this, that would constitute a 24 pack of your fav beer.... so long as it isn't Inus & Gunn.... :rofl: or something utterly impossible to find.
Once we get it over here onto Canadian soil, free of any major issues then its a done deal. :D

Kind of nervous about this as my last importation through the Sweetgrass & Coutts border really didn't go over well. I found them to be quite anal towards having all the documentation & ducks in a perfect row. The vehicle in question is coming from Kalispell Montana, so would the Carway crossing be a good bet on the 93/501 highway?

I've never brought an old car/truck over from the states so Im pretty damn new at this to say the least. I know we have to give the folks at the border crossing 72 hours notice in advance.

[Tik-Tok]

Your friend should be able to get a new title at the DMV. When it comes to vehicles, I'm pretty sure you won't find any border crossing accommodating to what you want. It's a car, not a couple of bottles of booze.

[bignerd]

Yeah pretty sure as soon as you mention you are bringing a car across they are going to tell you to pull over and come inside.

Every time we have every brought a car across (although they have been new) we have always been told multiple times the title MUST accompany the car.

[Graham_A_M]

^ Fuck sakes.....

Tik Tok, how does that DMV thing work? Does a person have to go down a few days earlier to with the bill of sale, then apply for a new title? Then go back to pick up the car when the title comes through?

[sputnik]

Just out of curiousity... what kind of car is it?

Always like seeing the potential of new hot rods being built.

[bignerd]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ Fuck sakes.....

Tik Tok, how does that DMV thing work? Does a person have to go down a few days earlier to with the bill of sale, then apply for a new title? Then go back to pick up the car when the title comes through?

I would just look up a DMV in Montana and call them and ask personally so you know for sure.

[Anomaly]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
Hey guys, just helping a friend bring over a 1930's vehicle. Problem is; it doesn't have a title, nor can it as the last owner with a title died many long years ago.
Just looking for the best place to bring it over that isn't particularly anal about things like title issues, nor all the proper documentation.
For documentation; all it'll have is the bill of sale. Will that be a problem at all?

If you guys can walk me through this, that would constitute a 24 pack of your fav beer.... so long as it isn't Inus & Gunn.... :rofl: or something utterly impossible to find.
Once we get it over here onto Canadian soil, free of any major issues then its a done deal. :D

Kind of nervous about this as my last importation through the Sweetgrass & Coutts border really didn't go over well. I found them to be quite anal towards having all the documentation & ducks in a perfect row. The vehicle in question is coming from Kalispell Montana, so would the Carway crossing be a good bet on the 93/501 highway?

I've never brought an old car/truck over from the states so Im pretty damn new at this to say the least. I know we have to give the folks at the border crossing 72 hours notice in advance.

I'm pretty sure you're not going to be able to get that car across the border without a title. How else do you prove it's not stolen? Your best bet will probably be to bring it across as a "parts car". That said, don't go through sweetgrass. It's busy. I imported an ATV and ran in to title issues, and I was stuck for an hour waiting to talk to someone.
I brought a large amount of car parts through both Rooseville and Carway the last 2 months... both are pretty quiet but it's going to be hit or miss. Last time I went through Rooseville, all the customs agents were women... enough said.

[Graham_A_M]

^ Okay, and going to later register it would constitute what being imported as a "parts vehicle"?

SPUTNIK, its a '32 Ford, if you're interested in a car to hot rod or whatever, I snapped these near my dads farm in southern sask. They're all (Canadian) "local", so you wont have to go through this mess yourself.
http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii312/Graham_A_M/CarsandTrucks/
Theres 11 pages there, so check them all out. Let me know by pic number if something interests you.

That gallery is probably 1/8th in the area, I just ran out of time to snap pics of everything.... So let me know what interests you and chances are I can find it, just so long as its not something like a '32-34 Ford Roadster or coupe or something very sought after.

[boarderfatty]

Is it a running car?

My Friend crossed over at sweetgrass with an original rust free 32 ford roadster body. He called it classic car parts, showed a bill of sale for $1000 and got across fine. Already has deuce rails and a vin number here to register it to.

[gogreen]

Montana is a title state, so you won't be able to clear the US side without one.

Here's a thread from the HAMB that confirms as much:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=183609

There should be several other threads on there that may be helpful. You might want to search the Canadian Rodder forum too.

Here's some title info from the Montana Department of Justice: https://doj.mt.gov/driving/vehicle-title-and-registration/

You may need the seller's assistance to get a title in advance. Without it you won't be able to prove ownership, and in fact, neither can the seller. I wouldn't just roll up to the border and hope for the best. If it's parted it might be easier, but I would still think a title would be necessary if it's anywhere near complete.

[Anomaly]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ Okay, and going to later register it would constitute what being imported as a "parts vehicle"?

SPUTNIK, its a '32 Ford, if you're interested in a car to hot rod or whatever, I snapped these near my dads farm in southern sask. They're all (Canadian) "local", so you wont have to go through this mess yourself.
http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii312/Graham_A_M/CarsandTrucks/
Theres 11 pages there, so check them all out. Let me know by pic number if something interests you.


Not totally sure to be honest, I would assume that a vehicle that old doesn't have a VIN and you would import it for "parts" and then apply for a new VIN in Canada?

South Saskatchewan by Assiniboia, limerick, Cadillac area?

[Graham_A_M]

^ yeah man you're good. That's where our farm is, about 40min west of assiniboia. I think that's what we'll do, just import it as "parts" then re-vin it when it's here

[rage2]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
Tik Tok, how does that DMV thing work? Does a person have to go down a few days earlier to with the bill of sale, then apply for a new title? Then go back to pick up the car when the title comes through?

Originally posted by bignerd
I would just look up a DMV in Montana and call them and ask personally so you know for sure.
In Montana, to get a title, you need a driver's license. To get a driver's license, you need to be a resident. And to get the title, you apply, show your relevant ID (including Montana DL), pay, and wait 4 weeks in the mail. Not exactly easy for a Canadian.

[gogreen]

A '32 Ford does indeed have a VIN: http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7199

[know1edge]

Originally posted by rage2


In Montana, to get a title, you need a driver's license. To get a driver's license, you need to be a resident. And to get the title, you apply, show your relevant ID (including Montana DL), pay, and wait 4 weeks in the mail. Not exactly easy for a Canadian.

HINT HINT

[Anomaly]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ yeah man you're good. That's where our farm is, about 40min west of assiniboia. I think that's what we'll do, just import it as "parts" then re-vin it when it's here

I have family\friends in the area, always tons of old cars sitting round :thumbsup:

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ Okay, and going to later register it would constitute what being imported as a "parts vehicle"?

SPUTNIK, its a '32 Ford, if you're interested in a car to hot rod or whatever, I snapped these near my dads farm in southern sask. They're all (Canadian) "local", so you wont have to go through this mess yourself.
http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii312/Graham_A_M/CarsandTrucks/
Theres 11 pages there, so check them all out. Let me know by pic number if something interests you.

That gallery is probably 1/8th in the area, I just ran out of time to snap pics of everything.... So let me know what interests you and chances are I can find it, just so long as its not something like a '32-34 Ford Roadster or coupe or something very sought after.

Nice. Is the 32 a coupe or roadster?

I already have a project that should keep me busy for the next decade or so.

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/2271/36ford5w.jpg

[googe]

I might be able to help if you needed a Washington title, but I can't do anything about Montana. Odd that you need a Montana DL to get one. That isn't the case for CA or WA.

[Graham_A_M]

^ yeah that's the deal killer right there. If only I can say it was from Washington or Idaho. Each and every state has their own wildly different laws, in this case towards titling. If it was one state over in Idaho it would be as easy as registering a car up here. In Montana it's a different ball game all together.

Sputnik; it's a barn find '32 roadster.

[gogreen]

In that case I'd be even more wary since we're talking about something that has significant value, even in poor condition. Personally I wouldn't load it up unless I was 100% sure that I could legally get it across the border and prove ownership once I arrived home.

I see your on a local hot rod forum too. ;) Have you asked over there?

[Graham_A_M]

^ Are you talking about VintageRods.ca ? Im on there, and Jalopyjournal.com. Username is Graham on Vintage and Graham M. on Jalopyjournal. No, but I figured I'd have the best luck asking here. Vintagerods is a pretty damn small forum so.... Im really not expecting any help/advise from there.


I think the best thing to do would be to go down there and take it apart, then bring it up in two big pieces listed as "parts". THAT is a lot of work, and way more then I'd want to do but that seems to be the only option. :(

Right now its complete and rolling... Not drivable but I dont want them to raise a stink about it being brought over as "parts" yet its basically a complete unit.

THanks guys for the advise so far, greatly appreciated. You've probably saved us a ton of trouble.

[g-m]

So why can't you just get the seller to retitle it with his montana driver's license?

[Graham_A_M]

^ Thats a good question, I should ask. He tried quite hard to get that whole "ball" rolling, but after inspections & a few other hoops to jump through he grew tired of that whole process.
I think what we're going to do is go there with a Saw-zall and cut the frame in half, right at the firewall. From there its pretty safe to say that each half constitutes as "parts" if they were to ask at the border. We'll space out the pick ups by a few weeks. From there we can either re-weld the frame back together or Buy a new rolling frame for it.


Its SO annoying to be afforded these terms, having to cut up a classic car just to get it across the border when if it was one state line over; it would be as easy as could be.
...but thats kind of what happens when each state basically has their own government, independent of other states as well. I wish they'd establish universal laws that work as a whole to blanket all the states in. That would save so much government lobbying costs and all this bureaucratic bullshit.

[gogreen]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ Are you talking about VintageRods.ca ? Im on there, and Jalopyjournal.com. Username is Graham on Vintage and Graham M. on Jalopyjournal. No, but I figured I'd have the best luck asking here. Vintagerods is a pretty damn small forum so.... Im really not expecting any help/advise from there.

I thought I recognized the photos you posted. ;) Anyway, yes, Vintage Rods is quite small and doesn't seem to get as much traffic so if you're already registered on the HAMB I would suggest doing some searching there. I suspect you'll find lots of threads on this very topic. Just don't mention that you're planning on doing this:


Originally posted by Graham_A_M
I think what we're going to do is go there with a Saw-zall and cut the frame in half, right at the firewall. From there its pretty safe to say that each half constitutes as "parts" if they were to ask at the border. We'll space out the pick ups by a few weeks. From there we can either re-weld the frame back together or Buy a new rolling frame for it.

I don't think it'd be well-received! Original '32 rails are valuable. Original '32 anything is valuable. If you just want to replace the frame anyway why not just negotiate a price for the body, grille shell, and anything else your friend is interested in using? That way the VIN can stay with the frame.

Suppose they see the fresh saw cuts at the border crossing and get suspicious?

[Cos]

.

[gogreen]

Here's a thread from Canadian Rodder with some good info on original '32 rails vs. reproduction units:

http://canadianrodder.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13138

Does your friend have a specific style in mind for the project? If so he may not even want or need the original frame. Even if he's going more traditional with it he may be better served by using new steel. It kind of all depends on the condition of the chassis as it sits now. Just some additional food for thought, hope it helps! :)