Technical Oregon DMV - a 1932 vs a 2018?

Here's my situation. I've assembled a '32 Ford from numerous purchased or traded parts - a body purchased here, a frame there, etc.. I have receipts for all the parts but never had a title. The car is now assembled and ready to title in Oregon.

I filled out all my paperwork and took it to a local DMV for a "pre-check". They said the paperwork is complete, and they confirmed what I already knew about the VIN inspection, etc.

BUT, they said the car would be titled as a "2018 assembled vehicle" and not a '32 Ford. This is disappointing to say the least.

Has anyone else run into this? Is there are way around it? If not, does having an old car licensed as a new assembled vehicle create any future problems with resale (although my intent is to drive it and NOT sell it)? Or does it impact vehicle value?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Can't speak for Oregon, but I attempted to buy a Henry '29 Ford Coupe on real, Henry '32 frame a few years ago out of Pa. Apparently they required the owner to do much the same that you had to do and it was titled as a 2014 Ford! I tried every way that I could to explain to Md. MVA personnel that this was a real Henry '29 on a real Henry '32 frame. They wouldn't hear it and said if were titled and registered in Pa. as a 2014 that's the only way I could title and register it here. I wanted the car and I believe that myself and the owner/ builder could have made a deal, but there's no way I could go through all of the emissions and inspections that would be required of a 2014 car.......It sucked and alas, no deal. I wish you the best of luck.

 

When I registered my '33 in California all I had was a junk yard certificate. I was advised to go through a registration service and sign an affidavit to the effect that I had inherited the vehicle. I had to put a date when I acquired the vehicle and that it had been in the family for many years. Before issuing the pink slip they had to confirm the frame id at the police station to make sure it matched up with vin numbers from that year. My car is titled as a 1933.

 

I'm really surprised the government allows us to build these cars from parts from all over and register them at all.

 

Whatever trouble exists for us here just think how much trouble our brothers in Australia go through to put a car on the road. Not to mention those Fuuugly fenders (sorry mates).

 

If you have a '32 body, you can to have it titled as a "RECONSTRUCTED" 1932 vehicle in Oregon, not an assembled 2018 vehicle. The same form (6511.pdf) is used for all three types of registration. Check off "RECONSTRUCTED" and if you look at the instructions for the form, it is clear you can do that.

I've done two '27 T's over the last few years like that. It took some persistence, arguments, and a few months dealing with the office in Salem, but it can be done.

Main thing is to have a receipt clearly listing a 1932 Ford body as the main component. And don't go in asking what they would like to do. Have all your paperwork filled out requesting a "RECONSTRUCTED" vehicle title.

Also be prepared to get through the local office OK, and then be rejected at the main DMV office. Just means more time on the phone with a DMV agent to get what you want.

 

Sounds like Casual 6 has the experience in your state. Do it his way, because here in Iowa (as well as any other state) we will be doing it differently. Way to go Casual!

 

And they may not allow it forever. One thing our hobby lacks is a strong lobby group. It is easy to regulate us out of our favorite pastime if we have no voice and take no stand.
I work in the mortgage industry for 27 years now, our lobby is weak thus Dodd Frank, CFPB and any other legislation they want to enact that they cram down our throats.
The National Association of Realtors, adversely, is strong and they survive the tide with little to no change to the way they make their living.
I know the HAMB is not a politicalized entity, but banded together with other sites from our hobby I bet our membership would make up a great number of registered voters both in the US and abroad. Would it prevent legislation from destroying our hobby? Perhaps not. Doing nothing will though.

Ok, off my soap box and back to work. Report this if it is offensive, no worries. I can always learn to build bird houses...beautiful polished aluminum bird houses.

 

The roadster in my avatar was registered as a 1999 homebuilt using a bonded title and the only legal inspected requirements were horn, lights and brakes. From my personal point of view, the description on the title is meaningless. Too, it is insured as a 1927 roadster through Hagerty.

 

We do have a lobby, SEMA, that works on our behalf. Their website has vehicle registration and titling info for all 50 states. Check under Government Affairs.

 

I went through it last year with my fiberglass replica Willys coupe. I was just trying to title it to start. Took it to the DMV on a trailer. It has a S10 frame and a title from the car that donated the frame. They sent me to the State police to verify that VIN. State cop looked under the hood for a number with his trusty flashlight and couldn't locate it. I would need a new VIN. Cop Finished the paperwork and I went back to the DMV. They told me I would need to trailer the car back for them to assign a new VIN tag. I lost it and contacted the head of the DMV is Salem and told him this process was a exercise in frustration. Eugene DMV got marching orders and I was given express treatment on getting the VIN tag installed. Part of the problem is most of the clerks do robot like same tasks over and over. They don't have the knowledge to deal with something like this. I ended up with a title for a 1941 Willys with a assembled notification on the title. I suggest you challenge this decision. I am a old fart and don't have much in the way of acceptance of decisions I don't like anymore.

 

Where did I put those bird house plans?

 

First thing is there is more than one DMV to go too besides your local one . My buddy has built many rods from the ground up including home built new frames and has found different DMVs give completely different outcomes . I had a 1931 Model A that was taken to the local State Police and got a vin sticker because the original title was long gone. The previous owner and I went to DMV and and they told me no problem titling it as a 1931 . In less than five minutes the title was in my name. Just food for thought .

 

You might be better off using a reputable registration service in Oregon. They know the in's and out's of the DMV and could probably get it titled as a 32 Ford pretty easily.

 

@Casual 6, I was looking at doing this same thing on my '27 T in Oregon. Did you already have a clear '27 T vin number before you tried registering your T's? Does it actually list your cars as being 1927 cars? Are you able to run 1927 Oregon license plates?

 

How are you going to feel when the guy at the DMV gets out his 4 pound hammer and puts your new VIN number in your door jamb.

 

I'd go with what Casual 6 suggested and follow his advice to the letter.
The Bill of sale for the 1932 Ford Body shell is a must have. That should have the correct date for the day you bought the body or what was the main part of the body too. I'd add in a photo of the body as it was when you bought it. That is the "this is is why it is a 1932 Ford" argument.
Reading the form The definition of Reconstructed fits exactly what you have.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Forms/DMV/6511fill.pdf some guys in other states wish it was that easy.
I always start a build for each of my projects that is just a three ring binder with page saver pages in it. In in are the receipts for major parts and some photos of said parts taken when I bought them such as the body and frame and engine. A simple index at the front tells where the info for certain parts are = page___ . Obviously in your case the body bill of sale and photo would be page 1.
If you bought a donor for the engine a copy of the title or the bill of sale for the donor or even the slip from the scrap yard where you sold the hulk with the title proves you owned it. They just want proof you legally own the part.
As he said earlier have the forms filled out with all the info you need to put in when you go in. Correct boxes checked and all organized. That shows the clerk you have your ducks all in a nice neat row.
The only thing I can think of is researching which office or even clerk in that office to go to. Or maybe not to go to. There are those clerks that have their stuff together and get it done as long as you have all your end done right and there are those who just flat will not work with someone who is doing doing something different than just the ordinary paperwork stuff.
Last and most important. You are only concerned with how to do it in Oregon. All the bull shit stories about other states don't mean squat.

 

..check Vermont DMV ... you do not have to live in that state... read their rules you may get what you need it may take a few steps...

 

You're going to have to bring the car to Vermont to have DMV or a PD check vin on vehicle. Won't work with him living in Oregon

 

Move to bama

 

message sent.

 

Take the car to Washington, can't get much easier.

 

Go talk to your fellow rod buddies that live and titled their projects in Oregon. Hot rod shows and swapmeets in Oregon are good starting points to get others ideas what they did .

 

I guess I'm kind of dense here so I hope someone can explain. I don't understand what the big deal is about having it titled as a '32. Bottom line, it is an old car and you would get a ton of enjoyment out of it by both building it and driving it.

Now, if having it titled as a 2018 would mean that it needs to meet modern emissions or safety regulations I can certainly see the problems with that. The other issue that I can immediately see would be a probable lower resale value. However, the people that would be interested in this type of car would "get it" and would most likely understand when the details of the build and subsequent issues in titling were disclosed.

Is it important to have it titled as a '32 "just because"?

I am not trying to be difficult here, just trying to learn.

 

SSSSHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh!

 

Didn't have anything besides the parts assembled into a car and receipts. (See Mr48chev's comments above too.) After paperwork it is titled as a 1927 Ford. The Oregon DMV issues a VIN (which is actually a sticker, so no hammer stamping #'s on the door frame) and I have 1927 Oregon plates on both.

A couple of other things in Oregon people may not of be aware of. The Oregon State Police will no longer do a VIN inspection for the DMV. And the DMV will no longer send someone out to your place (used to be possible). So, you'll have to haul the car to the DMV office.

Also, if you're planning to use YOM license plates, check to see if the number is actually available. You can call the DMV to check without going to a field office. Oregon used the same plate numbers for several different years. I learned that the hard way. I had a perfect set of 1927 plates, but couldn't use them because someone had already used the same plate numbers even though it was a 1934 plate.

Same amount of work to title it either way, so why not.

 

A buddy of mine had his 65 Superperformance Cobra registered and titled as a 1965 Cobra in Washington under the following RCW.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.12.695

 

MY dad built a 37 ford pickup in northern Oregon and went to the DMV for plates/registration. He built his own frame for the truck because the original was rotted in the rear section where they all rot. DMV gave him an assembled 37 ford pickup title with their own sticker for a VIN. He could care less. It was modified with a 289, pinto suspension etc etc. He was just happy to get ANY title for this thing.
Clincher is: The original 37 frame was tossed out back and forgotten. It had perfect serial numbers stamped in the frame rails. That's all he'd needed to get an original Oregon title.

 

Wow, that's a trunk full of great tips!!
I like the idea of the registration service, but I'll use this as Plan B.
I have everything suggested in these posts, and took that all to the DMV. So I guess the bottom line is you can get DMV-by-DMV and clerk-by-clerk variation.
I'll send an update once I get through this.
Thanks again!

 

The best I could do after sweet talking the ladies at the DMV office here was an assembled 1923 Dodge roadster.