[SteveR]

First thing is this, there are two types of 'damaged vehicle' titles. First is Salvage, second is Junkyard. With a Salvage title you have to repair the car back to 100% working order and it has to get a full inspection. Its almost woth buying a car with a clear title than having to go through all that mess. A Junkyard title means that it can never be titled again and never allowed back on the road, no matter what you do. The only way to get that physical car back on the road is a loop hole in the law. You buy an identicle car and call the DMV and tell them you have a restoration car in progress with a parts car and you want to swap the VIN of the parts car to the restoration car. A police officer has to be present and watch you do it, but you can take the VIN tag off the 'parts car' and put it on the car with the Junkyard title, thus allowing it to be registered again.

If the car is abbandoned, the best bet is to go through a titling agency like Broadway or something. They'll do all the leg work and get the title for you, for a price. But for the large headache and runarounds you'll get thruough the DMV, its worth it.