1962 Series IIA 109 Station Wagon Titled as a 1964

[lighiche]

The VIN of my two-owner (including me) LHD Montana barn-find IIA 109 - 26401087A - places its build somewhere in the October, 1961 - March, 1963 timeframe. Yet it's titled as a 1964. Any thoughts as to how or why?

Thanks.

[darbsclt]

I'm no expert on Montana titling, but fear you might need a "way-back machine" to figure that one out.

Was it always a US vehicle?
Perhaps it was exported to Canada, originally & brought over the border into the US (and first titled) in '64.

Was there ever a lapse in title?
Once re-titled, perhaps it was just a simple mistake.

Providing you have a matching chassis number and registration plate, you might be able to get this corrected (depending, of course, on the flexibility of the Montana DMV).

[jopa]

Series trucks were not hot sellers in those days. There was often some time between when they were built and when they were sold. When sold they would get registered as the year they were sold...not the year they were built. Not uncommon to find a truck built toward the middle to end of one year registered/ titled the next year. Yours also could have been a dealer demo. Kept for a year or so before being sold to its first registered owner.

[parrie]

I think Jopa is correct about some vehicles being titled in the year that they sold. I'm actually surprised you have a title! Does Montana require a titile for a vehicle this age?

FYI...I couldn't find your exact serial number but based on the info I found at www.lffaq.com your truck was a LHD for export and built some time in early 1962.

[lighiche]

I think Jopa is correct about some vehicles being titled in the year that they sold. I'm actually surprised you have a title! Does Montana require a titile for a vehicle this age?

FYI...I couldn't find your exact serial number but based on the info I found at www.lffaq.com your truck was a LHD for export and built some time in early 1962.

Thanks. This is great to know.

That it was titled the year it was sold makes some sense, confusing as it can be some years later. I do know that the original owner imported the 109 directly from Solihull, so no bypassing through Canada and no lost title.

I've checked CalVIN, the Netherlands website - www.clifton.nl/calvin.html and learned that it was built between October, 1961 and March 1963 due to the "A" suffix. Its serial number, 01087 places it pretty early in the line up.

So it most likely is the case that it was titled when it was purchased. That was my suspicion but I didn't know. I appreciate the validation.

Cheers

[lighiche]

Series trucks were not hot sellers in those days. There was often some time between when they were built and when they were sold. When sold they would get registered as the year they were sold...not the year they were built. Not uncommon to find a truck built toward the middle to end of one year registered/ titled the next year. Yours also could have been a dealer demo. Kept for a year or so before being sold to its first registered owner.

No history of a dealer demo. It was imported by the original owner from Solihull to Montana and used only a month or two each Summer on the dirt roads of the ranch. Only about 46,000 verified miles on the clock.

[lighiche]

I'm no expert on Montana titling, but fear you might need a "way-back machine" to figure that one out.

Was it always a US vehicle?
Perhaps it was exported to Canada, originally & brought over the border into the US (and first titled) in '64.

Was there ever a lapse in title?


Once re-titled, perhaps it was just a simple mistake.

Providing you have a matching chassis number and registration plate, you might be able to get this corrected (depending, of course, on the flexibility of the Montana DMV).

No, no history of wending its way through Canada nor any history of a lapse in title. All the numbers match up as well.

It's not of vital importance, just a curiosity of mine. It's titled in my name now, registered, etc. so that's all fine. I was looking for a 1961-1962 109 and almost passed this off when I learned it was titled as a 1964. I'm delighted that all the evidence points toward it having been built in 1962. That the DMV sees it as a '64 matters not the least to me.

Thanks for all the input!

[Jim-ME]

Jopa is exactly correct. Many imported vehicles in those days were titled when they were old not when thy were built. My first titled 66 was actually built in early 65. Yours just sat a while longer on the lot.
Jim

[lighiche]

Jopa is exactly correct. Many imported vehicles in those days were titled when they were old not when thy were built. My first titled 66 was actually built in early 65. Yours just sat a while longer on the lot.
Jim

Thanks Jim!