Bought used M1102 trailer, (was) missing serial or VIN.

[Motoring Adventures]

Hello everyone. I'm hoping someone on here can help me out. I'm trying to register and title a used M1102 trailer that I bought a couple weeks ago from a guy on Facebook marketplace. The trailer was located in the neighboring state of Louisiana (I'm currently located in San Antonio, Texas). I did some research and called my local DMV, before buying, to make sure I'd be able to register this trailer, given that the trailer has no title, according to the previous owner, and they said the state the guy selling it is from originally, Wisconsin, does not require titling or registering for trailers of this size, and said a Bill of Sale should be sufficient to get it registered. Well, today I went to have it inspected at the DMV and they asked if the trailer had a VIN and I told them I was not provided one by the seller, just a Bill of Sale. Also, the plate that normally would have the serial number and registration number from the US Government is missing from the trailer (torn or ripped off). They're saying without any sort of identifier, they cannot pass my inspection as they cannot prove that this trailer is not stolen and I will not be able to register this trailer. So far, my attempts at contacting the previous owner to see if he has the VIN or serial number, have failed. Does anyone on here have experience with registering trailers like this in the State of Texas? Is there any way to locate the VIN or serial number of a particular M1102 without having that plate? There is a sticker or tag that has a few different numbers on it and a dollar amount. The inspectors at the DMV said this is probably from the place it was originally auctioned from but I called govplanet and they said none of those numbers are what they can use to identify it.

I hope I did not just throw away my money on a trailer I cannot use. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[patracy]

Without having that plate, you'll never know what the serial of the trailer is.

Is there a process to register a home built trailer in your state? I have done this in Georgia where the DMV provided a VIN plate that I riveted onto the trailer. Then a LEO comes out to inspect that the plate has been securely mounted to the trailer and signs off on the paperwork for that. (Actually will be doing this again soon for another trailer I'm working on)

 

[loosegravel]

I may be mistaken, but I thought that the SN was also stamped somewhere on the tongue? As in maybe under the Jerry-can saddle?

 

[MarkM]

You are in a tough spot my friend. As they stated you can't prove it's your trailer. Did the previous owner have it on the street with a tag? Only thing I can think of is maybe you can register it as a homebuilt? Good luck.

Mark

 

[MarkM]

Without having that plate, you'll never know what the serial of the trailer is.

Is there a process to register a home built trailer in your state? I have done this in Georgia where the DMV provided a VIN plate that I riveted onto the trailer. Then a LEO comes out to inspect that the plate has been securely mounted to the trailer and signs off on the paperwork for that. (Actually will be doing this again soon for another trailer I'm working on)

Lol Hit the button the same time.

Mark

 

[patracy]

I may be mistaken, but I thought that the SN was also stamped somewhere on the tongue? As in maybe under the Jerry-can saddle?

Nope, it's riveted onto the tongue where that green spot is on his.

 

[Motoring Adventures]

You are in a tough spot my friend. As they stated you can't prove it's your trailer. Did the previous owner have it on the street with a tag? Only thing I can think of is maybe you can register it as a homebuilt? Good luck.

Mark

I did bring that up with the DMV and they said it is obviously a manufactured trailer and it's their job (they have law enforcement detectives inspect the trailers) to identify what's homebuilt and what isn't. The trailer was sitting on the seller's private property located several miles from the nearest town.

Thanks!

 

[Motoring Adventures]

Without having that plate, you'll never know what the serial of the trailer is.

Is there a process to register a home built trailer in your state? I have done this in Georgia where the DMV provided a VIN plate that I riveted onto the trailer. Then a LEO comes out to inspect that the plate has been securely mounted to the trailer and signs off on the paperwork for that. (Actually will be doing this again soon for another trailer I'm working on)

Sounds like I need to move to Georgia! Lol!

 

[patracy]

I should have added that the trailers I'm working on and have done this in the past were home built, just not by me. So that might be an issue on trying to use this path for a manufactured trailer.

 

[Motoring Adventures]

I should have added that the trailers I'm working on and have done this in the past were home built, just not by me. So that might be an issue on trying to use this path for a manufactured trailer.

Yeah, they already said that they cannot register it as "homebuilt" as it is "obviously manufactured". Damn this sucks! Texas DMV website says it just needs a "Bill of Sale" and "Registration receipt". For some reason I was thinking that is the buyer's receipt. Because they're thinking if it's registered by a previous owner, then it will have to have a VIN.

 

[98G]

Nope, it's riveted onto the tongue where that green spot is on his.

My experience has been that it is also stamped into the tongue directly underneath the riveted plate on the 1102 series of trailers.

Time to get the wire brush after the green spot and see if numbers can be recovered there.

 

[Motoring Adventures]

So basically, I have this perfectly good, unregisterable military trailer that I cannot legally use on the street. Only on private property.

That's just great. What do people do in this scenario?

So, I was basically robbed. And because of the system's attempt at trying to prevent thefts, I'm basically screwed because they won't let me register this thing any other way without that number. Not having that plate or VIN, doesn't mean it is stolen. It could be stolen even with that plate. Some states don't require trailers like this to be registered or titled. And that's the problem. Or perhaps the seller was lying about that as well. I don't know. All I know is that I called my DMV before purchasing, to make sure I wasn't missing anything and they never mentioned that it needed to have a VIN or a serial number. I think it could be assumed if it does not need to be registered in another state that it might not have a VIN or proof of that VIN?

Sorry, just extremely frustrated here.

Thanks for all the replies and hearing me out.

 

[Motoring Adventures]

My experience has been that it is also stamped into the tongue directly underneath the riveted plate on the 1102 series of trailers.

Time to get the wire brush after the green spot and see if numbers can be recovered there.

I'll have to look at it again and check under there. There's a large scratch where that plate used to be as well.

 

[Motoring Adventures]

OMG, the previous owner finally responded and said the plate was laying on the ground where the trailer was originally parked on his property!

 

[MarkM]

Lucky Lucky Lucky

Mark

 

[Motoring Adventures]

The previous owner has just put this plate in the mail. Let's hope it does not get lost! I called the DMV and sent them the pic. They said they still need to see it in person though.

Crazy the amount of hoops you have to jump through to title and register one of these. At least in the state of Texas.

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

 

[MarkM]

Use blind aluminum rivets with rivet washers to cover the beat up corners.

Mark

 

[juanprado]

You can always purchase a nos data plate and stamp it or have one made

 

[swbradley1]

And you should play the lottery today.

 

[Mainsail]

I think Eastern Surplus has blank dataplates for the 1101s and 1102s