A question about trailering a pick up truck

Um, by my "first bought truck", I meant that it was the model of the first truck I ever bought, when I was 23. I've now had 10, and this will be #11, and I intend to have it until they put me in that hole with my name on it. :)

Since you first bought the truck drive it home. If you get pulled over for no plates show receipt of sale and you are good. No different then buying a car used and driving it home or to get it registered.

Not having trust in the vehicle only leaves the option to trailer it home.

Thanks, bnk190! That's sort of what I'm leaning towards. I guess it's just the idea of getting pulled over at all, especially in Illinois, that gives me the creeps. I've heard horror stories of Missourians in Illinois on the highway. I actually drove my bike ('03 Indian Chief) up there to look at it/ buy it. I've got an '83 GMC 3500, but it only has a bumper type ball hitch, and I don't like the idea of pulling a truck on a trailer on those 4 bolts that the bumper is clinging to. Thanks for the advice! You upped my "nerve quotient" there.

Rent a flat bed from uahul, load it on and drive home.

Don't know about Illinois, but Missouri does not allow you to drive an unlicensed vehicle on the road unless it is being driven to an inspection station. It must have a tag, whether it is temporary or permanent. Edit: I did some checking and now I'm not sure whether it is legal to even drive it to the inspection station, without a tag

You may not be stopped, or you may be stopped by a lenient LEO, or you may be stopped by an overzealous LEO who will ticket you and not allow you to proceed with an unlicensed vehicle, just no way to tell. Personally I would put it on a trailer and not worry about it.

IF you have a bill of sale or IF you have the last title, you should be able to get a trip permit. Since you are going from one state to another, you need to check with both states to see what is required. I would not recommend putting it on a trailer, even if you had a good hitch. I have stopped people towing a trailer with a vehicle on the trailer that was not properly plated because the bad guys do do that. It shouldn't be real hard, once you find out what is required, to get a trip permit.
Good luck.
P.S.: 51 chev was one of my very good pu's for a number of years. Loved it!

showme wrote:
Howdy, folks! It's been quite a while since we've been without an rv, so I haven't checked in for a while, but it suddenly occurred to me that this might be the place for this question. I've just bought a 1951 Chevy pick up (my first bought truck, which I've always said would be my retirement model-which I am now), and I need to get it 180 miles from mid Illinois back home to southeast Missouri. It's not licensed, so I've been trying to figure out how to get it down here without getting pulled over by the IL or MO highway patrol. Does anyone have any suggestions, whether it be on trailering the truck, special permits to drive the truck, or other ideas as to how I could get this done? It has 5,000 miles on a rebuilt engine, runs great, but has been in a guys garage for 5 years (no long runs, in other words, just around country roads), so I'm not exactly sure what to do. My AAA only covers up to 100 miles, so I'm either going to have to contract it out (low bid of $350), or drive it home. Any body here had any experience with special permits in Illinois or Missouri? Thanks in advance for any and all replies! BTW, I won't be towing the next trailer we buy with this truck. :)

Here in AZ, you can get a temporary 3-day tag for $1. It is =supposed= to be used only for going to/from an emissions test or repair facility to get fixed to pass emissions or inspection. We also have a 30-day general use temporary registration. This runs $15. Cheaper'n tickets, even if you have to buy one in both states...=ass=uming they have something like this.

Lyle

Thanks, everyone! I have some good news, which shocked me when I heard it. I called the local license office and asked them if I could get a temp tag to get it back to Missouri to license it. I was really hesitant to do this, thinking that Illinois would pull me over because of it not being an IL temp tag. (I was also going to call IL DOV to see about getting one there, or for advice). The girl at the Farmington license office asked me if I have another truck with plates. I said yes, I do. She said, "take the plates off of that truck and put them on the '51, this way I would have 30 days to get it to the inspection (we don't have emissions here), and that would work. ??? I said, "Is that legal?!" She said yes it is, as long as I have the bill of sale. She told me that being that I have just bought it, I would be legal to drive it back and to the inspection station here legally. I asked her if that would still be legal in Illinois, and she told me that it would, and if I were to get pulled over, I would only have to show them my bill of sale as proof that it was just bought, and tell them that I was transporting it back home. I was really surprised that this was allowed, but she assured me that it was. Could have fooled me! So, anyway, I'll have a friend take me up there and follow me home, with my other trucks' plates on there. I guess I should have thought of that in the first place, legal or not. Thanks for the input from everybody. This is why I've always loved this forum. Good, quick information from friendly, experienced people. Makes me want to go out and get another RV right now!

showme wrote:
Thanks, everyone! I have some good news, which shocked me when I heard it. I called the local license office and asked them if I could get a temp tag to get it back to Missouri to license it. I was really hesitant to do this, thinking that Illinois would pull me over because of it not being an IL temp tag. (I was also going to call IL DOV to see about getting one there, or for advice). The girl at the Farmington license office asked me if I have another truck with plates. I said yes, I do. She said, "take the plates off of that truck and put them on the '51, this way I would have 30 days to get it to the inspection (we don't have emissions here), and that would work. ??? I said, "Is that legal?!" She said yes it is, as long as I have the bill of sale. She told me that being that I have just bought it, I would be legal to drive it back and to the inspection station here legally. I asked her if that would still be legal in Illinois, and she told me that it would, and if I were to get pulled over, I would only have to show them my bill of sale as proof that it was just bought, and tell them that I was transporting it back home. I was really surprised that this was allowed, but she assured me that it was. Could have fooled me! So, anyway, I'll have a friend take me up there and follow me home, with my other trucks' plates on there. I guess I should have thought of that in the first place, legal or not. Thanks for the input from everybody. This is why I've always loved this forum. Good, quick information from friendly, experienced people. Makes me want to go out and get another RV right now!

I'd call back, and ask them to either fax you this IN WRITING, or to point you to your state's online Revised Statues and look it up for yourself. Print it out and carry it with you.

Lyle

showme wrote:
She said, "take the plates off of that truck and put them on the '51, this way I would have 30 days to get it to the inspection. I said, "Is that legal?!" She said yes it is, as long as I have the bill of sale. She told me that being that I have just bought it, I would be legal to drive it back and to the inspection station here legally. I asked her if that would still be legal in Illinois, and she told me that it would, and if I were to get pulled over, I would only have to show them my bill of sale as proof that it was just bought, and tell them that I was transporting it back home.

That is worse than just driving a vehicle without any plate at all! Terrible advice!!!