How to title with no vin or title

So i bought a 46 cj2a (what i was told it was)( i was then told by some pictures i shared with friends that i may have a 48 tub but a 50s frame?)and was given a bill of sale. Took the bill of sale down to get title and the say its not valid(it had the acm # not setial number? And they questioned it becouse of length). So my issue is the only numbers that are on the tub or frame is the acm #? The numbers that are on the gusset on the toe board. The are no numbers on tailgate and no numbers on frame. I bought a rolling frame and tub so i also have no engine numbers. So here in Arizona i am told i may have to register as a 2016 which means i need all the emissions equipment and pass emissions of a 2016 vehicle, or i make it off road use only. I need some major help anyone have experiance or some pointers?

This is what I did for my FJ40 and VW Micro Bus simple to do.  

Edited by Boxbirder - 05 June 2016 at 4:44pm

how about trying for a salvage title. http://www.dmv.org/az-arizona/salvaged-vehicles.php

I wasn't aware of the 15 years I had my buddy who's a resident in VT do it for me. OOPs

I do not have the engine or transmission all I have is tub frame and Axel's I got all as a rolling project but maybe looking at a cj2a tub on a CJ5 frame

Yes to all of the above. But not sure about trans mounting didnt come with that either.

My daughter is considering ASU, so we visited Tempe several weeks ago - long story short is, found a cool old guy in NM that had a CJ3A, with a title. I almost offered him a couple hundred for the jeep. No motor, tub is a rust bomb, no hood or fenders, frame may be alright and I bought his only 16" rim off the car. But, it has ID plates & title and he will sell. I could get his contact if you wanted. He's got a few dozen old cars laying around and he's right off I-30, I saw his cars as I drove by and had to turn back a couple miles down th highway.

Call the AZ MVD (I think the number is 602-255-7011) and ask about the process for a bonded salvage title. 


My guess is that you will need to get a level 2 and level 3 inspection, where they will agree it's only good for salvage title, and then they will go over it with a fine tooth comb to look for every number they can find.  I think this is $50. 

If I recall correctly, it wasn't until 1981 that VINs were standardized, so the older vehicles can have all sorts of weird, strange, and unusual numbers.  My CJ3A has a 5 digit number preceded by CJ3A on the VIN tag and just the (same) five digit number on the frame and the last four digits of that same number on the body.

Anyway, they might find the serial number on the frame...or not.  The vehicle's current value, I sure, plays into how diligent they might be in their search. :-)

As for "what is the model year of the vehicle", my guess (I say that a lot) is that the level 3 inspector will get to decide that.

For what it's worth, you'll be doing a "reconstructed" vehicle because it will look (I hope) like a Willys CJ2A. 

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onroad/spcns/spcns.htm   Is an interesting piece as it is from California, where they are strict about smog stuff.  This shows California allows the smog requirements to be based on the engine installed in the vehicle (or sometimes, the vehicle year of manufacture).   I can't imagine that Arizona would be more strict than California...but I have been surprised many times. :-)

I forgot.  From what I can tell, a reconstructed vehicle and a specially constructed vehicle are "kind of sort of the same".  The difference is what the finished product looks like.

Both are built from parts from other vehicles and/or new parts.

The specially constructed vehicle doesn't look like anything a manufacturer made...think the tubular extreme super hard core rock crawlers.

The reconstructed vehicle looks like the manufactured vehicle it is trying to look like.  In your case, a CJ2A. 

Eric