Hi, I have a 29 Buick that is a speedster style. It has no blinkers, side/rear view mirrors, horn, or windshield wipers. The only gauge is tach (but I do have headlights and a single brake light). There is no muffler, it is a straight pipe out of the manifold. In Texas this works fine as an "antique" car, however I am trying to understand what this would mean in California. The lights and brakes work just fine. Would I be required to add horn, blinkers, etc? Or would I still be able to drive it as is? Thank you guys for any insight.
you should be alright. if it wasn't equipped as original, it aint necessary. also, i would spend the couple of extra bux to have a title service handle all the paperwork for you OR do it thru AAA and pay for VIN verification. Don't give the great state of CA a chance to flag you for anything.
Registering a car and legal to operate in roads are two different things... Doesn't have to be legal to register it based on orig vin .... It's stamped on the frame right??? A special const. Would be a whole different deal... Especially California
California does not have safety inspections. That's the job of CHP, and other LEO's to catch you on the road. Bring it to the DMV when you get here, on a trailer, and have counter monkey do a VIN verification, or find a local cop to do that for you. Alternately, there are private services that will do that, for money. Once someone has verified the the VIN matches your existing title, just pay your money, and get your tags. No drama. Your mileage may vary with the Highway Patrol, but, so long as you aren't being a total hoon, you should be fine.
I have a clear title. ThirtyTwo, There was originally a motor number. When I titled it the state gave me a new title, taking the digits and calling those the vin (it must be their policy to do this on newer titled cars, I didn't ask them to do this).
California law is very clear that stamping a VIN is a no-no. I don't know Texas law. The old ranchers have a saying: "Shoot, shovel, and shut-up."
There are not too many people left working for the local PD, or for title services that have this specialized knowledge. In any case, some kind of number is going to need to be on the car, somehow. I suggest against going through the SCV program in CA. You will not like it.
I think you best keep scrapeing til you find some numbers on that frame somehow ... Do a little research ... Should be close to steering box maybe?... It's illegal if you stamp #s but someone might have done it years ago... You know before you bought it? Coming to California , if you have a title and a origional looking vin they can inspect.. Your done!
http://www.buickheritagealliance.org/index.php/restoration/identify/locate_numbers And now you know exactly where to look. Ain't this place grand?
and again i repeat… NEVER USE THE DMV or CHP WHEN TITLING AN OUT OF STATE VINTAGE VEHICLE CA DMV employees know the CVC about as well as i know how to read Sanskrit. and the CHP just LOVE to give guys a hard time right from the get go. Pay a title service to navigate the system for you, you'll be happy you did. i have the number for an excellent service here in so. cal who I have used on numerous occasions and all i ever did was write a check. there are plenty of horror stories, but i don't have one.
I might need to do this, having a TN titled car here in CA that I might be selling or trading. I used to have the info of a nice person out in Pomona who did this. Is that the same person you are referencing? Can you post or PM me that info? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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