M35A3 Title Problems in Georgia

[rwoods]

I also have an M35A3 recovered from Fort Gordon last month and am waiting for the SF-97, could you share the NHTSA information? More than likely I will run into the same issues when I go the DMV. Do you think the DMV will accept a photo of the emissions tag on the valve cover or should I get the tag inspected by the officer that inspects the serial number? By the way congratulation on the title accuisition and thank you for paving the way for me.

I'm not sure what year your valve cover tag says but every one I have looked at says 1993. You might just be setting yourself up for trouble if you are trying to title it as a later truck. Ron

 

[glcaines]

I'm not sure what year your valve cover tag says but every one I have looked at says 1993. You might just be setting yourself up for trouble if you are trying to title it as a later truck. Ron

All of the engines in A3s have the 1993 tag on the engine. This doesn't mean that you can't title it as a later truck. Mine was titled in Georgia as a 1998. I looked at every date tag I could on the truck, especially axle rebuild tags, winch hydraulic tag, etc. Most of my tags were very late 1997, but some of the axle tags were early 1998. My truck had such low mileage on the odometer, which was confirmed by excellent condition, that I knew it was very unlikely to have multiple rebuilt components on the truck, so I registered it as a 1998. I would go for registering the truck for the proper year of manufacture, not the year 1993 when the series was first started.

 

[michaelpilot1]

My date tags are so thick with paint that I have not attacked them yet, but Carnac gave me a date of 1996 that I will try to title it as. The SF 97 is not in yet and what is says is what I may be stuck with. Mine also is very low miles and condition to match, what is your opinion on flushing out the 15W40 from the Allison and replacing it with Dextron?

 

[glcaines]

My date tags are so thick with paint that I have not attacked them yet, but Carnac gave me a date of 1996 that I will try to title it as. The SF 97 is not in yet and what is says is what I may be stuck with. Mine also is very low miles and condition to match, what is your opinion on flushing out the 15W40 from the Allison and replacing it with Dextron?

The SF97 will come back with the date that you put on the SF97 application. If you put 1993 the SF97 will say 1993. If you put 1996, it will come back as a 1996. If you put 1993 on the applicaiton, you might be able to call GL and change it - don't know.

I replaced the motor oil in my transmissin with Dexron III. I did many repeats on the drain and fill, driving several miles between drain/fills. My transmission is MUCH happier now! It shifts much smoother, etc. It is a major improvement. I used NAPA brand Dexron III, which is mace by Valvoline (Ashland) and reasonably priced. Make sure you don't use anything higher than Dexron III, as the newer Dexrons are NOT compatible with the seals in the Allison transmission.

 

[EMD567]

Congratulations. I will have to see what the state of South Carolina thinks when I get my title and tags.

I didn't have any problem with SC except for the fact that I won(purchased) the vehicle in August, that I paid NJ sales tax, and it was January, and here I am trying to get a title and tag.
Ended up paying the SC sales tax(OUCH) and a 75.00 late fee. The lady at the counter asked me about 10 times was I going to "work for hire". Each time, NO. Okay you know that the empty weight is 24,000? Yes I do. That will limit you to 2000 lbs of cargo, or you will need a CDL. No problem maam, here is my class A CDL, and I want to license it for 34,000.
Long story short, it took one trip, 755.00 dollars, and I ran out the door in case they wanted my tag back..............

 

[rwoods]

All of the engines in A3s have the 1993 tag on the engine. This doesn't mean that you can't title it as a later truck. Mine was titled in Georgia as a 1998. I looked at every date tag I could on the truck, especially axle rebuild tags, winch hydraulic tag, etc. Most of my tags were very late 1997, but some of the axle tags were early 1998. My truck had such low mileage on the odometer, which was confirmed by excellent condition, that I knew it was very unlikely to have multiple rebuilt components on the truck, so I registered it as a 1998. I would go for registering the truck for the proper year of manufacture, not the year 1993 when the series was first started.

I should have been more clear and not so brief. I wasn't trying to discourage you from registering it as a 1998 truck. What I was trying to convey to Michaelpilot1 is I would be very careful with presenting a 1993 EPA certificate to the official who was giving you so much grief. I registered mine as a 1997 as all the parts and CARNAC's info seemed to indicate such. Fortunately, I did not have to prove any exemption, etc to get my title. I registered #500001 as a 1994 truck because all the information I had at the time was the first truck was built in 1994. AM General has since confirmed that it was the first production truck and it was built on Nov 18, 1994. Sorry if I confused you. Ron

 

[spicergear]

I dealt with a bunch of crap getting my Mog, formerly titled in GA into PA. I was told that in GA you can bring a vehicle in on a bill of sale. Sell your truck to a friend and buy it back with a bill of sale and tell them, TRUTHFULLY that it hasn't been in a state DMV system for over 10 years and go from there and you may have better luck.

 

[michaelpilot1]

The SF-97 came in last week with 1994 as the production year, Carnac listed it as a 96 but the title will say 94 I don't think that will cause any one any problems later. I took it into the local DMV office in Acworth, GA. and 20 minutes later I walked out with a license plate and title on order. It turned out great, the next day I changed the transmission oil out for dextron, changed the oil, mounted the plate, and started driving it. Have you thought about tires? Mine are old and cracking but it seems replacement 14.5X20s are difficult to find?

 

[timb1956]

got a tag for my a2 in Alabama at county office . It was a original 1968 Car tag for my county And girl in the office registered it as an antique vehicle. She knew what the truck was since she had seen me driving it around town before I bought tag I had less trouble with that tag than I sometimes do just getting my wife's car tag.

 

[michaelpilot1]

They Tagged my a3 as a pickup truck, the gal at the counter ask if it was one of those things with the cover and seats in the back for men to sit in. I guess that constitutes a pickup truck.

 

[3dAngus]

Well, I got two titles today from the Georgia Motor Vehicle Dept.

I spent 1 hour 45 minutes in the Warner Robins office, informing them of everything I know.

I ended up working with the manager, who was a really nice person and loves her work. She was a very good listener.

The Atlanta help desk is no help. They are all programmed to say "No" to anything without a 17 digit VIN.

The secret to sucess is, you have to have the manager contact the actual Title Office Manager in Atlanta.

It went right through after that. Got the two titles, one on a 1994 M35A3 and another on a 1972 M109 in about ten days.

After receipt of the titles, I scanned, and emailed them to the manager at the WR office. They never get feedback from their work. Now she has something she can hang on the wall that is a demonstration "it can be done".

Prior, we went through 4 different offices in two counties who all said "No", "We don't do those". They got the info from the help desk in Atlanta and sent us packing.

 

[glcaines]

Congratulations on finally getting your title. I know what you went through geting my A3 titled. The group in Atlanta at the main state title office is worthless. The one woman kept telling me that I had a HMMWV, just a big one. I had zero problems titling the A3 at the Towns County office.

 

[michaelpilot1]

Congratulations on the titles, my local office in Acworth didn't even question or call the help desk, it took all of 15 minutes. My title came in the mail and is filed.

 

[3dAngus]

That's fantastic Michaelpilot. You have the good fortune of having someone in the local office that knows what they are doing. The internet, including this site, is ablaze with problems sets with the Georgia Dept of Motor Vehicles misinformation from out of Atlanta. The GMV Dept. has become a national mockery for service. Way to many county offices go to the help desk, get bad info, and send us packing to do our own research, and their job for them. I personally know the WR office here has issued them before to some locals, but every single assistant in the office does NOT know how to do business. One lady I referred to acknowledged it can be done, but she wouldn't touch it, and it went to the manager, who was the best ever. I'm buying pizza for the office today to show my appreciation.

Anyway, the reason why I posted is in case anyone else in Ga. has trouble, which will happen, I'm sure. I wanted to give feedback. The answer is, have the local office manager call the Title Office in lieu of the help desk. And if you know of anyone who has gotten a title previously, get a copy of it and carry it up there with you. It is irrefutable at that point that it can be done without a 17 digit VIN. Good luck!

 

[RIDDLE1]

That's fantastic Michaelpilot. You have the good fortune of having someone in the local office that knows what they are doing. The internet, including this site, is ablaze with problems sets with the Georgia Dept of Motor Vehicles misinformation from out of Atlanta. The GMV Dept. has become a national mockery for service. Way to many county offices go to the help desk, get bad info, and send us packing to do our own research, and their job for them. I personally know the WR office here has issued them before to some locals, but every single assistant in the office does NOT know how to do business. One lady I referred to acknowledged it can be done, but she wouldn't touch it, and it went to the manager, who was the best ever. I'm buying pizza for the office today to show my appreciation.

Anyway, the reason why I posted is in case anyone else in Ga. has trouble, which will happen, I'm sure. I wanted to give feedback. The answer is, have the local office manager call the Title Office in lieu of the help desk. And if you know of anyone who has gotten a title previously, get a copy of it and carry it up there with you. It is irrefutable at that point that it can be done without a 17 digit VIN. Good luck!

Thank you very much for helping me with this!

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Glad to hear you got the problem solved, wondering why you have to register it as a CMV?
Here in MN they tagged mine with one ton plates.

States different in application of CMV? Here's a 4 question for MN:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/horse/components/pdfs/commercialvehicleregbrochure.pdf

 

[michaelpilot1]

Anyway, the reason why I posted is in case anyone else in Ga. has trouble, which will happen, I'm sure. I wanted to give feedback. The answer is, have the local office manager call the Title Office in lieu of the help desk. And if you know of anyone who has gotten a title previously, get a copy of it and carry it up there with you. It is irrefutable at that point that it can be done without a 17 digit VIN. Good luck!


Thank you for the research and help to all the Georgians who will be working with their local offices.

Mike