<VV> Registering an old car from New York in California

[pkw@peachgrove.com]

Well, as many of you know by now, I am the new owner of the beautiful 66
Corsa that Ron Blachut has owned for several years.  The purchase and
transportation of the car went smoothly, but getting it titled and
registered here in persnickity CA DMV-land is becoming a pain.  Here's the
scoop:

There are no titles on cars this old in New York.  There is a transferable
registration document, which I was given of course, properly signed over
to  me.  I also got a bill of sale.  Well, when you do not have a title for
a  car from out of state, the CA DMV wants a bill of sale.  Fine, you
say?  You got one!  Yeah, well the bill of sale they want is not from
the  previous owner to me, but from the owner BEFORE that to the previous
owner.  This makes no sense to me, but both the central office AND the
field office for the DMV have said it is so.  If you cannot get that
(which  I cannot, for reasons that aren't important here), then the only
other choice is a "Vehicle Surety Bond".  As I understand such a thing, it
is  essentially an insurance policy that I have to take out.  If, after
some  period of time (3 years, I think), no claim has been made about the
ownership of my Corsa, then I am refunded the bond.

So here's my question.  Do ANY of you guys have experience with a
situation  like this?  Right now I have feelers out to insurance companies
to try to  find a bond.  MY company (State Farm) said, "Sure, we can give
you a bond  if you have the title."  DOH!  If I had the title I wouldn't be
asking for  a bond!  Why does this have to be so difficult?

Phil Wilson
Santa Barbara, CA
http://www.66Corvair.com