I'm moving to Huntington Beach this week. Will need to title and register my 31 Model A in California at some point... OH! YES! I've done a search... didn't quite see what I needed... What I've got is a 31 Model A with a home built frame and ZERO paperwork except for a previous registration I bought from another HAMBer that I believe is from New York, 196X something. It obviously has a different name on the registration, but I'm assuming as long as the numbers come up clean and not in the system I'm good to use them. Was thinking the numbers would magically appear in the frame and on a body tag that will be mounted to the firewall. Here's my questions... 1) Does the tag have to be mounted to the firewall to be inspected? (firewall not built yet) 2) Should I just use a title service to obtain the paperwork needed to apply for a title in California? 3) Is there a service/person that will come to ME to check out the VIN numbers and won't give me a hassle about the custom frame or should I just plan on taking this to AAA or the CHiPs or something? 4) Should I try and go through the DMV process before I move the car from Vegas to California with the hopes of making it easier or will I just have to go through all this again when I get the car to California? I DO NOT want to register this as a special construction! I would appreciate your input on this subject. Thanks! Scooter
Scooter, PM me your number, I've got the answer for you. It's easier to explain over the phone, than type it all out. Eric, in CA.
I am going to have to do this really soon too, I have no paperwork whatsoever. What I have heard from a few people that I have asked is: 1. Avoid the DMV like the plague, and do have a title compnay that comes to your house to verify the numbers. They will give you a really hard time if you go to the DMV. 2. They go by the numbers on the driver side frame rail as far as I understand it, not a tag on the firewall.
i like these people, they have helped me a couple of times. they will answer your questions. http://carstitle.com/
do you have a LV title for the car already? If you do its just as simple as transferring the title to a CA one. If there is no title no vin number you just fill out a lost title paper work. Have a police officer come out look at the car and sing off on the car. You can take it to AAA if the car is running and have them look over it. All you need to do is lie. They wont check. As long as its a steel body your all good. Boyd got busted for making glass cars and getting them registered as classics. I can give you some info as well shoot me a PM if you want with your number. I live in Costa Mesa literally 5 min from Huntington Beach.
DMV isn't accepting paperwork (registrations) like what outfits such as skidmarks mentioned as well as Broadway Title and possibly a few others. Talk to the local titling companies first before making any mistakes (ie, going to DMV). If the numbers you have are clear and legit, you'll be able to get it registered, but it won't happen overnight. Also, I'd forgo the firewall tag idea.
I just dealt with a similar situation when I sold my 54 Buick. There is a lost title paper you can get from the DMV they will tell you exactly what you need to have filled out. Its really simple. If there no vin after the car is signed off by a officer or AAA the DMV issues you a new VIN. I had to do this as well for my 51 Buick. Most people have no fucking clue what the original frame looks like or where the stamp on the frame is supposed to be. Its not that hard out here to get your car registered how you want it to be.
Here's some info related to that bit... http://www.geocities.com/smogrfg/semaeditorial/titlingbackground.html Are these people open to discussing custom frame situations and keeping things titled as earlier cars and what to do or are they a "straight by the book" type of place?
Good to know! I was thinking there was probably a better way than using a title company. The number will be stamped into the frame on the drivers side rail just in front ot the firewall. So, even though a stock Model A had a body tag on the firewall, I shouldn't bother with it? Also, the car will NOT be running! I wish it could be running though! Does it have to be running for VIN inspection in CA??? In response to asher, I do NOT have a title at all. Not in NV or anywhere. Like the idea of lost title application. I assume this will require a VIN inspection to get it a current registration though, right?
The car doesn't have to be running to get a title. If the frame is stamped then your all good. There is a simple paper you fill out. You have to have a police officer to come and look over your car. All they will do is head over look it over sign your paper and your good to go. Mail it or go to the DMV and you get your title. You can then Non-op your car. Its like $5 a year unless it went up. You won't have to pay any back registration fee's when you register it when its running.
Okay! Good info! Is the cop going to look at my car and say "that's not a stock frame, there's no firewall, the engine isn't stock, the body is manipulated, etc. etc." and tell me to go fly a kite? Or does he just want to make sure it's not stolen and has a number? What else will the cop want to see?
It doesn't have to be running to be inspected by a police officer, but I'm not 100% sure about DMV. They're looking at these types of inspections and subsequent registrations in a different light now based on the recent title fraud case by you know who. The DMV will not issue current tags for a vehicle that's not complete, so... Having an officer of the law whom you know or someone you know knows (know what I mean?) is the way to avoid certain technicalities mentioned above. There's always the chance of the DMV sending you to CHP for an official inspection that results in an AVN (Assigned VIN), which isn't really a bad thing if everything's all on the up and up, but the more big brothers you can keep out of the picture, the better.
Boyd got busted because he was registering glass bodies with new frames then selling them as a dealership. The typical Joe they don't look to much into it. If the frame is stamped the body is stamped with the same number your good to go. The cop is just checks if the car or any of the parts are not stolen. One thing you do need to have out here is a rear view mirror and a side view mirror. You can get away with out having wipers if your car didn't come with them stock. I would suggest personally to finish the car before you get the title for it. That way you can make sure you got it together before they come and inspect it. As RF mentioned it is good to know a cop or have a friend who knows one. I have a assigned VIN on my 51 and haven't had any issues.
Do a Nevada title thru Joe at www.its-titles.com before ya leave Vegas ,then transfer to Cali-he is there in town.......125 dollars
i would say to get it titled in vegas first that way you have good paperwork to give to the dmv here. your going to have to get some numbers on the frame or get a new id number put on (jumping through many hoops), then on from there.
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