To title and register a used car in USA

[BrunnyS1]

My cousin is thinking of buying a 7 replica ( a finished used car, either Caterham, Birkin,Westfield or S1), he has homes in AZ and WA, he asks if a car has already been registered and titled ( he is looking at cars with a true build date of 98 todate) and if said car was accepted in the initial state of ownership as a 1967 car should it be then plain sailing in the next state and should that car then automatically be exempt from emissions and modern car specs,safety, obd etc as it will be a 1967...

 

He said that in both states an out of state title for any car just needs the car taken to the local DMV where they check the VIN to original title, then pay and get the new reg and title a few weeks later.

 

For example, if the car was a 2004 Birkin and registered and titled and used in Florida as a 1967 (and that was what was on that title and reg), should he assume that it will still be a 1967 for the rest of it's life where ever it may be in the States?

 

Thanks

Jason

 

PS :

As a counter point, if a car was built and first registered in a state as a 2004 will it carry that year brand with it in other states, or is there a way to get it back to a 1967?

 

PPS: might be an idea to have a section about members experiences with this problem from State to State and country to country, I am sure this must apply to many cars from Cobra reps, to custom HotRods to restoring a classic from scratch.

Thankyou for your consideration.

Edited July 11, 2010 by BrunnyS1

[Al N.]

@Jason & All: FWIW, I would address specific state-by-state registration advice directly (off forum).

 

We all know that A) every state is different and B) there are loopholes in many states. I think those loopholes would start to close if there was an easily searchable centralized database.

 

Just my 2¢.

[BrunnyS1]

Any input on the initial general questions ?

[MHKflyer52]

@Jason & All: FWIW, I would address specific state-by-state registration advice directly (off forum).

 

We all know that A) every state is different and B) there are loopholes in many states. I think those loopholes would start to close if there was an easily searchable centralized database.

 

Just my 2¢.

 

+1 on that especially as most states are looking at collecting as much money as they can and making it as hard as they can even for the serious collector of vehicles. Just my belief and in no way reflects on any state or county.

[Al N.]

@Jason: Again, I would have to say that "it depends". If there was an unsympathetic state inspector in the mix, then registration might not be so straightforward for the owner. It truly all depends.

 

Additionally, some insurance companies are not fond of the "title says one thing, but claims adjuster says another" situation. When I had my 2004 Caterham, I was able to get it titled and registered as such here in NJ. However, they changed the laws after I brought that car in, and I don't think it would be as simple today. But a car with a 1967 title from another state MIGHT (I really have no idea) be simple.

 

That said, I think AZ is a fairly easy state to get an LSiS-type car registered.

[BrunnyS1]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other-Makes-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem27b30eb147QQitemZ170507809095QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks

 

 

PS..Thanks for the info Al,I guess his one big question was that if the car is a 67 on the title in one state then it should be that in any other.

[slomove]

Yes, well, maybe....at least in California the DMV was chasing a bunch of cars registered by some shady outfits in Alabama, mostly expensive Cobra replicas that were titled as 60's Mustangs for minimal price to skirt smog testing and use taxes here. I guess some folks had to pay high fines, cars impounded and other run-in with the long arms.

 

Probably not worth the risk.

[slomove]

Maybe not impossible for that Lola. It reminds me of John Coomb's Lola Replica that he wanted to get through the SB100 registration process in 2008. But I never heard if that was successful. Anyway a beautiful car, true to the original except the modern engine.http://lh5.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TDvE5QPs2NI/AAAAAAAABvw/GnvbqtZ_lTg/s800/P1000853.JPG

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GScx6N2cGIeYzGLUJj3g8_2lmykhLv3Mjb6iuQna_dc?feat=directlink

[BrunnyS1]

:hurray:

Maybe not impossible for that Lola. It reminds me of John Coomb's Lola Replica that he wanted to get through the SB100 registration process in 2008. But I never heard if that was successful. Anyway a beautiful car, true to the original except the modern engine.http://lh5.ggpht.com/_242PlvPtVpE/TDvE5QPs2NI/AAAAAAAABvw/GnvbqtZ_lTg/s800/P1000853.JPG

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GScx6N2cGIeYzGLUJj3g8_2lmykhLv3Mjb6iuQna_dc?feat=directlink

[Croc]

I guess his one big question was that if the car is a 67 on the title in one state then it should be that in any other.

 

This was not true for me in NJ. I had a 67 Lotus 7 title out of florida and it became a 2004 salvage/reconstruct title for a 2004 Caterham in NJ. I agree with the NJ DMV (plus confirmed it with an attorney) that this was the correct treatment under NJ regs that were in place when I went through my titling/registration process.

 

We have a state-based regulation system for car titling/registration. There is no way that you can assert that sweeping generalization across all states. Some states are always going to be different.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Croc

[Jim F.]

Here in Oregon when I registered/titled my newly built '02 Caterham DeDion Roadsport, the DMV would only accept the VIN as stated on Caterham's MSO. Since I live in a smog- exempted county, I didn't research further to see if there was alternate registration available or possible.