Just bought a 1932 Ford from New York that was registered as a "1932 Ford" in New York but is a modern deuce replica with a 350/350 set up. What am I up against in getting it registered in California? Am I going to have to try and get a Special Constructed Vehicle (SPCNS) registration and get in line January 1 to try and get one of the 500 registration numbers? Then go through the BAR referee and CHP inspection? I'm thinking probably not adviseable to try and get a temporary registration right now or they may force me to register it as a 2013 calendar year for smog purposes, which I understand they might do since the 500 registrations for 2013 are probably long gone by now? Better to wait until January 1 and try and get a SPCNS Certficate of Sequence so I can then have the BAR Referee use the vehicle model year (1932) for smog purposes? I'm hoping that if I do that the CHP's won't hassle me when they inspect the car and realize I don't have individual receipts for the body, chaissis and engine/trans since I bought the car complete and it has an out of state title? Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me.
Out of state cars require a vin verification that can be done at DMV. I would do that first and title it as a 32 if they let you. If it was a truck if would have to be weighed as well. I just went through this.
Don't take it to DMV for vin verification, have a local law enforcement agency do it. (The police dont care about registration rules) And don't tell em it was a kit, if its already registered as a 32 let them just re-register as a 32. No smog laws here in CA pre-1974... Just keep it simple. If you register it now the registration will be good for 365 days, no need to wait til January 1. Just walk in with registration from NY, pay the reg fees and the sales tax, and walk out with a registration and plates. No need to even take the car if you already have the vin verification done from P.D.
Yup, get or download and print the form. Have a local cop do the VIN check and fill out the form. After that, it is just money and forms. Easy.
If you are an AAA member, they can do it for you, too. They don't work for the state, they work for you.
I went to my local AAA office and was told they do not do out of state transfers. Have you gotten them to do one?
When I lived in California a few years ago I did vin verifications on about 20 vehicles. The easiest way to do it is to go to the police department and say you need a vin verification and pay them the 15-20 dollars to have an officer come out to your house and look your car over. I found out from experience That the guys that do the vin verifications do like cars and usually the older the better. I had a chat on two occasions with two seperate officers that lasted over an hour each just about cars and hotrods. Also on more than one occasion with low production vehicles I was able to point out where all the factory stamps were on a vehicle that had the dash out and vin seperated that was with the title I was also able to back this up with other cars of the same kind showing on the others that I did not just put the stamps there. Sometimes with cars where less than 3,000 were produced it pays to have another for reference.
All the DMV need to know is, That's its a 1932 ford. Nothing else You insurance should know about the motor being a 350 not an original. If u have a Vin# and title, just start with that. NO More Info otherwise you may have to do all that other crap. My Buick I bought from a guy in Florida who gave me a title from the previous owner in Missouri. It was such a hassle to get a title I started over went to AAA and made up a story how I bought it from my uncle and the title was lost. And the vin was not in the system. Start with a simple change of state title and license pleated.
Aside from the standard forms, for every car, ALL that the CA DMV needs is the VIN Verification Form, filled out by an LEO, who looked at the number, and said "yup, matches". The person behind the counter will not care one lick that it is a '32, '52, '92, or 2002. They just want you in, and out, as quickly as possible. Be polite and cheerful. Smile. Offer no information, answer questions truthfully when asked. Fill out your forms completely, and properly, and you will be out the door with plates, in 10-minutes, with a title in the mail in two weeks. I hear CA DMV stories all of the time. I have been here for 15-years, and have processed more DMV transactions that I can remember. I have not ever, ever had any issues with the DMV here. Not even once. The only delays that I have every experienced were to dutifully and attentively listen to the tale of a fond memory in just such a car.
I went to the DMV today with a friend to register his BSA motorbike. He had a Ca title, but it was out of the system and there is a trailer out there somewhere currently registered with the same VIN. The clerk said the CHP would have to put a new VIN (blue tag) on it but I have since heard of another guy that has motorbike with the same VIN as a boat, both currently registered. My friend has an appointment with the CHP tomorrow, we'll see what they say. I've heard of this happening before with old stuff having short VINs.
If the car is titled and current registered in New York, California DMV has to accept it. It doesn't matter if it's a real '32 or a replica. If New York (or any other state) registered it as a '32, then California DMV has to honor it. Don't let them BS you into anything else. If the car has a title, but no current registration, try to get it current there (New York) first. It will save you a lot of headache. If you end up with title only, it will have to be VIN verified. Be honest about the price of the car too. The DMV is onto the "I only paid $500 for it" line.
55 Dude, I'm in the same conundrum here in Nor Cal if you have any additional information that may help me register my 55 F100. Thx, David
Go to DMV pay the registration and tax, tell them it is not running now so you cannot bring it in for VIN verification (30 days to register once it is brought into the state otherwise they start adding fines). Then find a vin verifier who is not well versed on what the original numbers actually look like (some guys pride themselves on this and can point out that this is an old style nine or a new style or the one looks like an I). I'm about to go through this process in a few weeks on a '41. Can anyone recommend a vin verifier in the S.F. bay area?
Can it be registered to you in NY? If you have a title in your name, that helps. With an out of state title in my name, AAA will register it to me in Calif.
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