Experience with California build & registration?

[wattsworth]

Anybody been through the California registration process for kit/built cars?

 

How much can you change/alter/build a car before it isn't legally the same vehicle? As long as you retain the firewall and dash VIN placards, is it the same vehicle? I suspect you can do whatever you want to the suspension, gearing, driveline, and tires, but CA only really cares about engine alterations and emissions controls. So, perhaps starting with a 1975 or earlier doner, things get much easier? Or am I completely wrong?

 

If you have to go through the whole process anyway, what is it? What are the pitfalls to avoid?

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[MHKflyer52]

Anybody been through the California registration process for kit/built cars?

 

How much can you change/alter/build a car before it isn't legally the same vehicle? As long as you retain the firewall and dash VIN placards, is it the same vehicle? I suspect you can do whatever you want to the suspension, gearing, driveline, and tires, but CA only really cares about engine alterations and emissions controls. So, perhaps starting with a 1975 or earlier doner, things get much easier? Or am I completely wrong?

 

If you have to go through the whole process anyway, what is it? What are the pitfalls to avoid?

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

I am fairly sure that even if you use a pre 1975 auto (actually the vehicle needs to be a 1973 or older to be smog exempt) and modify it to the point that only the firewall and data plate is retained from the original car you will still have to have the CHP inspect it as the DMV people seem to require you to due that if the car dose not look like the vin number says it should look like when it came from the factory. To my knowledge which is limited only the CHP can issue a new vin number or assign a new vin number. You had best have all the recipts for everything as when they (the CHP) inspect it, you will be asked to prove were everything came from. I played by their rules and did not have any problems getting my car registered in Calif and did it without an SB100 number.

 

Pit falls to avoid.

1. No reciptes

2. Trying to short cut the rules.

3. Using an engine that was not avaiable before 1973. New engines will need a SB100 exemption.

4. Poor quality of build as the inspector can be very strict as to what is legal for street use.

 

Best bet is to buy a 7 that is already licensed and registered if you don't want to go through the hassel.

 

I do know were their is a Series II Lotus 7 (right hand drive) that needs a total resteration which might be for sale so if you are interested contact me off list and we can talk.

 

Martin Keller

Ventura, Ca.

 

[wattsworth]

Did some searching and found some enlightening answers:

 

http://www.semasan.com/main/main.aspx?id=61557

 

Turns out the engine is the most important item and their are two ways to approach it:

 

1 -- Go through the SB100 process claiming that your Lotus 7 look-alike resembles a 50 year old car and pray you're get one of the 500 such VIN numbers they give out each year (Gone by Jan 3nd, incidentially).

 

2 -- Avoid the SB100 process completely and title the vehicle in the current year and depend on the Bureau of Automotive Repair inspector to decide the year for smog inspection purposes. If a range of model years applies to any particular engine configuration, vehicle owners will have the option to select the model year of emissions controls to be used.

 

My doner has an engine of a range of model years that started in 1970 and ran through 1984. There's a good chance the inspector would decide it would be pre-1975 if I configure the engine as it was in that time period. I might not ever need to get it inspected again.

[rv-4mike]

Go SB100. The other option of trying to actually comply can be a nightmare. It's not just the engine, its all the emissions eguipment. Sealed fuel tank with charcoal canister, cat, etc.... If you use a modern engine you'll have to pass OBD2 with the computer not spitting out any fault codes.

 

By contrast, with SB100 you take your car to a BAR referee 1 time, regardless of how its equipped. It can fail the smog check, gets labeled as a gross polluter, but does not effect issuance of the registration. Once done, its good for life. The CHP inspection is pretty trivial also, they are mostly worried about use of stolen parts. If you have receipts your good to go.

 

The down side to SB100? Make certain that you have everything in order before you go. Be at the DMV as early as possible on the morning of 2 Jan. There are 500 numbers and they are gone for the year by mid day. My buddy was at DMV at 0400 the morning of 2 Jan 2006, was about the 10th guy in line, and got number 187 for his FFR Cobra.

 

I have property in AZ and hope to register my Ultralite there to avoid all this BS when the time comes.

[roll a 7]

SB 100 gives you the most flexibility. I have photocopies of some very old Lotus 7 road tests which you can provide to the DMV referee to give him a reference point.