I just went through the licensing process here in Missouri, a lot of times rod builders buy a open title, sign there name and fill in a purchase price and take it to the inspection station and tell them this is the title & VIN # of the car, they (local mechanic doing the inspection) fills out the inspection slip and you turn it all into the local license bureau and get a title in your name, very easy but....
I Had a friend who did this and sold the car at auction (very high $$) it went out of state (the main problem with doing this) as the state it went to required that states Highway Patrol to inspect the car and verify the VIN tag, they find an original title with original VIN on the title and no factory VIN tag on the car, these guys are pro's so the look alike VIN pop riveted to the cowl doesn't work as they see car VIN plates all day long (the manufacturer or assigned state used & uses special rivets) and they can tell the car isn't original (lets be real here, it's glass and has a new frame) so anyway the state seized the car from the new buyer who was registering it, called my friend told him the money must be refunded and his car is seized by their state as its not an original car which its titled as. To make a long story after hiring a lawyer and refunding the money he had to start over.
Many problems are only seen when the car goes out of state as thats when it actually gets its VIN verified, remember the Department of Revenue never see's a car when its transferred in your own state (States I know of)
Anyway thats why I went through our states licensing procedure for a replica (SEMA Law) takes longer but you can sell it. If you buy a car out of state and must have it inspected and VIN verified your rolling dice if its licensed as an original car and its not especially if your state requires the HP to do the verifing...Best of Luck Matthyj