By that I mean an economy that is mainly driven by the chemical and O&G industries.

Ownership there is a status symbol, not a cash-flowing investment vehicle.

Private money from a business partner - this deal was so uncomfortable for him he asked if he could use our vehicle as collateral - just in case!

I highly recommend you read some books to wrap your head around this because it is the primary reason why real estate investing is the best investment vehicle available.Start with BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginners Guide (free).

Once you hold the deed to the property you have now established a vehicle to cloud the title.

They can be a separate item and tagged/licensed like a vehicle, or... they can be "attached" to the land (not with tie downs but in a legal sense) and they then become real property or an "improvement" to the property.

if the vehicle is used for the business then it can be taxed together 

Del, Flipping takes a lot of money, no way around it, Hard Money should be a last resort, banks lend on commercial notes, that's what I do when I need to borrow for a flip, generally 80% of purchase and I find the fix up, the 20% can be floated on an equity line on other properties, or against vehicles if need be, best is cash,  if you use hard money, figure all the costs in your flip, and re-uping the note if need be, Good Luck.

Getting a vehicle, parking, where is the 6-pack holder as I drive, oh great now that dang kid I hit put a scratch on the door with his wheelchair and I didn't get the rental insurance...... lol. 

If you're considering investing into an syndication I recently connected with somebody who matches potential investors with deal sponsors (they have both accredited and non accredited vehicles to invest in).