I am looking at buying a 91 Formula parts car, as there is a bunch of things on the car I can use for my car.

Here's the issue- guy who owns it does not have the keys (lost them, and cannot find them). No title either, as he purchased it, never had it switched over, yada yada.

My question is twofold.

1-I need to at least unlock the column, and put it in neutral to load it if I buy it. Any way around breaking things on the column to do so?

2- How could I go about starting the car? It has VATS naturally. Could I, in theory, get an ignition switch/key from another car and replace the one in the car as long as the key was the right ohm frequency?

Any help/ideas appreciated, thanks!

 

If he has no title , and no keys , sorry , no way would I touch that car !

At the minimum , even if it isn't stolen , if you are in a state that requires cars to have titles (some do , some don't) he has no legal authority to sell the car to you or anyone else without that title .

Run Forrest , run !

 

Definitely understand the legal issues, but I am 100% sure its legit.

 

If the car is tbi. You can remove the prom out of the ecm and it will run in limp home mode.
You would still need to bypass the starter enable relay or use the enable relay point as a spot to connect a hot wire to crank the engine over. You also need hot to the ignition coil. Sounds like you need to break the lock cylinder to get the ignition switch to work.

 

Its TPI 😔.

Can I somehow get the ohm reading without the original key?
I was thinking if I knew that, I could just order the correct ignition switch, with the correct VATS key and switch them out there?

 

There are 15 possiable resistances.
https://m.ebay.com/itm/The-Install-B...e5zpBG57hEQmUw

 

Sorry if this is a dumb question. So I would just need a new ignition switch with a key. Buy this kit, and just go through them one at a time until i get the right resistence, correct?

 

Rather than break the column, just take it apart and take the lock cylinder out. Or, if you don't need to steer it, you could open the console up and un-hook the interlock from the column so you can put it in neutral

 

Ok , so , if your 100% sure it's legit , and that your sure want the car for parts regardless of the condition of the engine , here's my second piece of advice ;

Go there with a flatbed wrecker , disconnect the transmission linkage at the transmission itself so you can move the transmission's shift lever out of the park position , and then have the ramp truck driver winch it up onto the flatbed and bring it home .

DO NOT get the car running on the guy's property !

I have seen several sellers over the years who thought their now running car is automatically worth a whole boatload more money because now it's running , which is why if I wanted it I would pay for it and whisk it away before any attempts at making it run . Since you have no papers on the car you can't legally drive it home anyway , so whether it runs or not really don't matter at this point (tow truck drivers are very adept at towing non running cars , trust me) .

 

Good points, thanks!

 

I got a 89 firebird from a tow yard and they lost the key. I got a lock smith to come and he used a vats interrogator to find the correct no. Key. He cut the correct key and the car fired up. It cost just over 100 dollars and it took about a hour. Witch for me was cheaper than a new lock assembly.

 

May be an option as well, thanks man!

 

As mentioned, every state is different but buying a car without a title shouldn't be a deal breaker. My current car was an abandoned car in the desert left on some guys land. Have your police department run a VIN check and last license plate (if available) for any possible theft or what not. They will drag their feet or say they don't normally do that. They will. As far as a bill of sale goes, some states have a form online you can print out for vehicles without titles. If a form is not available just write up a short form stating that by signing the form the "seller" relinquishes all interests and legal claims to the vehicle. Last thing you want is to have nothing in writing and the "seller" to claim something erroneous.

When you get the car home you have to either find a metal recycler that will accept a car with no title (I was told that's federal offense by multiple recyclers) OR start the title reclamation process. Having a new title issued to you is not hard, just a bunch of steps. The first and most important step is to get a bond for the vehicle through an insurance company. Depending on the state the bond amount you pay will be somewhere between 10% of market value to 1.5x market value. What the bond does is protect you legally and financially. This way if someone wants to claim that "O yeah, that's my car I have the title I just never reported it missing!" The insurance company will pay that person the market value of the vehicle, demand he sign over the title and case closed. After the bond most states will ask that you direct the seller to file for his title that he can sign over to you. If that isn't possible then the DMV prints out a list of prior owners and their last known address. You then send signature confirmation letters to the prior owners asking that they file for a new title and sign it over to you. If now one responds or replies in a period of time the DMV issues you a new title and after a period of time (state dependant but usually 18 mos to 5 years) the bond money is refunded to you and the title is considered free and clear.

Again, you need a title before a recycler will accept the carcass when you are ultimately finished.

As far getting it moved, forget about fooling with VATS. You will have to have it towed home so I wouldn't even call a locksmith. Disconnect the linkage as OrangeBird mentioned and have a flat bed tow it home. Buy a pair of wheel stands with wheels on from Harbor freight ($40 is still less than a locksmith) and put those under the front wheels when you get home.

 

That's easily gotten around, same car through the same recycler

 

You'll have to further explain this since the poster did not buy the car from a wrecking yard. Many yards will verify the vin on the vehicle with the vin on the title. If the yard does that there is no way around it without either you or the yard committing a felony. Some yards if the car is literally cut up they won't accept them even if you can point out and verify the VIN numbers with the title.

 

All you have to do is cut it up. I have done it at a place that wouldn't take the whole car without the title. If it is cut up you're bringing scrap to the yard, not a car

 

Perhaps it's different where you live. The last car I parted out I had to cut up into many pieces. Arizona requires all vehicles to be titled. I had the title and the VIN was still viewable. I called six wrecking yards and 2 recyclers and all said I had to have the title. In addition to having the title all the yards told me they wouldn't accept a car that had been cut into more than two pieces. One of the metal recyclers agreed to take the car but I had to have the title. All of the businesses explained to me that if they were caught with a vehicle and no title at the very least they would be shut down that day, they could be investigated for running or aiding and abedding a chop shop or arrested for another crime. Matter of fact one of the yard's employees told me they would take the car the night before but when I went there the next morning with the cut up car (and title) the manager was there and saw the car. After seeing the car the manager told me they want nothing to do with cut up cars and that I needed to leave.

 

:shrug: A piece here and a piece there does not a car make

 

I will say that Tibo's experience is typical of many larger communities , Here in Boston Massachusetts I know of no scrapyard that will take an obviously cut up car . Cut up small enough , and mixed in with enough other scrap metal you may be able to slip one through , but show up with one car cut into pieces still recognizable as a car ? No way , not here in this big city ....

 

I live right next to a big city, :shrug: Guy I know took a car that was obviously cut up to the local scrap yard and they took it. I am not sure whether he took the VIN and title though