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I've been kind of freaking out lately thinking about registering my truck with a Ford explorer frame. I bought my 47 Studebaker out state and the California DMV said to wait until it's drivable to get it inspected to finish the title transfer (I have a pink for the truck). Now wondering what's going to happen when they see a modern ford frame under there. The frame was from an explorer I salvaged.
If you're in California I suggest you contact the California Highway Patrol and the DMV. Those folks got quite anal after Boyd Coddington screwed the state over titles on most of his creations.
This used to be a huge topic on this site (and many others) but the main takeaway is that most of us don't live in your state and our rules and knowledge just won't apply. Most every state has a DMV website that'll get you started, and I would assume you kept paperwork showing where you got those parts from, so armed with that - you should be able to begin the process. I know when I did mine it sounded easy enough but it turned into a hassle as the state revised their program and how they wanted to apply titles for "assembled vehicles" the program was so new that the folks in the local offices had no idea what was supposed to happen and when! It was ... interesting... to say the least! LOL Good Luck and let us know how it goes.
Like Mike says, you need CA specifics and the hoops anyone has to jump through somewhere else mean nothing. Here's the registration & titling toolbox that SEMA assembled, which might give you some idea what's ahead, but there's no guarantee that when you start the process you'll see exactly what's printed, and you might find that your local DMV interprets things a bit differently from one in the big population centers. Good luck!! Let us know how it goes!
Link, Click on California - https://www.semasan.com/resources/ev...-all-50-states
Roger, thanks for that link, there's a lot of info there! I think it's going to me a nightmare because I salvaged the body of the explorer and they take the paper work . My frame numbers got sand blasted off too, so it's really a bad situation created by me. Seems like it could doom the project.
And there's a classic example of what may or may not apply. While I had a Total Performance frame with their certificate and numbers... Mass didn't care! What Mass was after, was where were things purchased and did I pay the taxes on them! They wanted to see real invoices and not from Ebay either! They claimed it was theft prevention.. yeah. RIGHT!Quote:
Originally Posted by v8nutz
This web site gives all the information for your quest:
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicl...20verification.
Just my 2 cents.
Like has been mentioned every state has its own unique rules governing titling and registration. Add to that not every DMV is easy to work with, hell, not every employee within the same DMV is necessarily competent or helpful.
That was driven home to me over the last couple weeks when I went into DMV to do a title change and registration on a trailer. First trip I got the new girl with the not so competent supervisor who told me I needed additional paperwork. When I brought the paperwork in, I got the experienced employee who did all the title and registration in 15 minutes with the paperwork I originally brought in. Told me I didn’t need the extra paperwork it had taken a week to get.
On a title that may be complicated, it might be worth it to go thru a title service. They generally work with DMV on a daily basis, know the particular states system and usually have experience with the out of the ordinary title requests. Additionally they actually work for you, not the state. They can be easier to explain the situation to and usually provide good information on what paperwork they will need.
It’s been a long time ago, but when I turned a Vega station wagon into a V8 powered Vega pickup truck I had several trips and phone calls to the Illinois DMV to try and do a corrected title on the truck. I usually got contradictory information and often dealt with uninterested DMV employees and state police officers.
I finally thru up my hands up and hired a title service……..a month (and $150) later I had a correct title and license plate in my hand.
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Move......................it might be easier (I say, only somewhat in jest).
I will have the same questions for Iowa in the somewhat near future. I will need a bonded title for my 53 Dodge pickup with as Dakota frame. I should be ok. It doesn't seem like Iowa cares too much about this stuff and I have the nicest DMV people in the country to work we with.
https://youtu.be/hcHKNoMHDSs
Vermont loophole
A great way to get your car impounded if you live in Kansas, or a bunch of other states that have strict inspections on out of state vehicles presented for title transfer & registration. That "Vermont Loophole" is basically what Boyd Coddington was doing, then he bragged about how he was saving tens of thousands of dollars by titling his creations out of state with false valuation.Quote:
Originally Posted by firebird77clone
I'm waiting on a call back from a registration service. The secretary gave me hope that it can be done. Fingers crossed.
Good luck mate!Quote:
Originally Posted by v8nutz
I hope it works out for you.
Missouri is easy. Anytime I start a project I get the title put in my name before I start on it. When the car is ready to drive, if you go with historic plates then its super easy. Just send the DMV a copy of the title, insurance card, personal property tax receipt, and $31. No inspection needed and plates never need to be renewed as long as you own the car.
"...... Anytime I start a project I get the title put in my name before I start on it......"
X2.
V8nutz, did you get it titled/registered ?
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No, they tell me it has to be drivable before it can be inspected. It's crazy it's done this way but I'm stuck. Talking to the reg service guy I felt some hope, he didn't seem like he would be a stickler about the details. Scary though.
Massachusetts was this way, the car had to be finished! Not just drivable. Then I had to pay all the taxes, fees, service charges etc.etc. Then they decide if it's stolen or not.. or worthy of our crappy streets! On another forum, a fella was building a Factory Five 33, he was ready to title and register and they had him bring the car down to be inspected. He learned that his junkyard motor/trans was stolen and they impounded the car! After much discussion with the state and his lawyer he managed to get his car back minus the motor /trans. He had bought the drivetrain from a reputable local yard just to avoid this headache.. He wasn't allowed to "buy" the motor from the owners, even tho' their insurance had paid it off and his custom built intake couldn't be removed either! Luckily I had all my receipts to prove where everything came from. And I lived in 3 different states while building the car!Quote:
Originally Posted by v8nutz
That sounds horrifying!
They want the vehicle done so they can get the most out of it when it goes off to auction. :LOL: That has been the local lore around here with the bonded title process.
To be blunt... it sucks! And they even hand you sheet of rules and what they expect you to provide and when. And the reality is something else again!Quote:
Originally Posted by v8nutz
For me they take all the paper work you have.. copied twice, you get a copy of it all, they get the originals and a copy for the tax man. Then when they are done pouring over it, they call you back and ask you to either correct some info or ask for more detailed info on some topic(s)... then you go wait again... then they call you up and give you a date to bring your car for their visual inspections. Luckily my boss was supportive and I had a friend with a roll back who was willing to potentially tie it up for the day... when you arrive for the big day they have you bring the car into their shop and send you to a waiting area while they pour over it... hours later I got my numbers applied a Title. I was so glad to get out of there!! LOL.. Once you have your vin and title application in order you get to register it.. so you first gotta go sit with the tax man! That was a whole new level of stupidity I don't care to relive! And then - FINALLY - you get to go to the registry and get your papers with plates!
That sounds terrible. I wonder what all the green energy/climate change initiatives are going to do to our hobby? The next generation might be stuck with figuring out how to retrofit electric motors in their classic cars.��
My grandson is part of this new generation and he swears he will never buy another newer vehicle. His 06 Mustang is fairly reliable but is a major PITA to work on. He could care less about gas mileage, really warms my heart. He is presently rebuilding a Muncie 4 speed to replace the slush box n my 76 Vette which will be his when I pass. So there is some hope.Quote:
Originally Posted by falconvan
Sounds like you trained that boy right!Quote:
Originally Posted by NTFDAY
Or retrofitting IC engines into the electrics that have expired!!Quote:
Originally Posted by falconvan
“……My grandson is part of this new generation and he swears he will never buy another newer vehicle. His 06 Mustang is fairly reliable but is a major PITA to work on. He could care less about gas mileage, really warms my heart..……”
Sounds vaguely familiar Ken LOL. Cade’s slowly working on a 98 Mustang to add to his growing collection. He’ still working at a local tire shop and adding to his skill set and gets to be service manager 1 day a week. He does show some interest in EVs for their performance potential but is also well aware of their impracticability for most people and the shortcomings of the grid to support a mass number of them (wonder where he got that from :rolleyes: ).
Much as I wonder sometimes, I do think there is a bit of hope.
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Man, with all this digital currency talk going on. That is how I'd think they'd kill the classic car hobby. Who knows how far all of that will get. I don't want to derail this thread so I'll leave it at that.Quote:
Originally Posted by falconvan
I work on new and old stuff every day at work. Then work on newer diesel outside of work. I'm about over that. Keeping the old stuff going is much more satisfying even when there are problems. :LOL: