How do you title a custom build?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,712
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
How do you title a custom build?
This question is going to be for someone who has done it before or knows for sure (no guessing), since I really need to know without any speculation.
I had started a thread some time ago expressing an interest in building a C3 from scratch without using a donor car. I understand that in doing this it would be titled as a 2009 (the year I expect to actually do it) - however if I were to use a donor car, how much of that donor car do I actually have to use in order to have it titled to the year of the donor car?
I'll be using the SR-III frame, aluminum birdcage, an LSx motor ... basically all of the identifiable stuff wasn't stuff I wanted to use. Is it legal to just take the vin plate off of a rusted-out donor car's birdcage and stick it on the new custom aluminum one and then never speak of the donor car again, sell off the parts, etc..? Or would it still be considered a new 2009 custom vehicle and would have to be titled as such?
I had started a thread some time ago expressing an interest in building a C3 from scratch without using a donor car. I understand that in doing this it would be titled as a 2009 (the year I expect to actually do it) - however if I were to use a donor car, how much of that donor car do I actually have to use in order to have it titled to the year of the donor car?
I'll be using the SR-III frame, aluminum birdcage, an LSx motor ... basically all of the identifiable stuff wasn't stuff I wanted to use. Is it legal to just take the vin plate off of a rusted-out donor car's birdcage and stick it on the new custom aluminum one and then never speak of the donor car again, sell off the parts, etc..? Or would it still be considered a new 2009 custom vehicle and would have to be titled as such?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,720
Likes: 12
From: Chattanooga TN
Since nobody has replied, I will "guess". I have a friend that build street rods and we talked about this the other night.
1) if you build it from scratch today you have to meet current Emissions, crash, side impact, braking, etc. standards. You are basically building a kit car without the kit. It has to be inspected and all sorts of red tape at the state level (at least in Tennessee).
2) if you take a VIN from a donor, you have none of those requirements. Cut up the rusty birdcage and sell it for scrap metal (but not as a car). That is the way he has been told.
He buys an old title for a car like the one he is building on Hemmings and has a new VIN plate made.
1) if you build it from scratch today you have to meet current Emissions, crash, side impact, braking, etc. standards. You are basically building a kit car without the kit. It has to be inspected and all sorts of red tape at the state level (at least in Tennessee).
2) if you take a VIN from a donor, you have none of those requirements. Cut up the rusty birdcage and sell it for scrap metal (but not as a car). That is the way he has been told.
He buys an old title for a car like the one he is building on Hemmings and has a new VIN plate made.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 2
From: Melrose Florida
This question is going to be for someone who has done it before or knows for sure (no guessing), since I really need to know without any speculation.
I had started a thread some time ago expressing an interest in building a C3 from scratch without using a donor car. I understand that in doing this it would be titled as a 2009 (the year I expect to actually do it) - however if I were to use a donor car, how much of that donor car do I actually have to use in order to have it titled to the year of the donor car?
I'll be using the SR-III frame, aluminum birdcage, an LSx motor ... basically all of the identifiable stuff wasn't stuff I wanted to use. Is it legal to just take the vin plate off of a rusted-out donor car's birdcage and stick it on the new custom aluminum one and then never speak of the donor car again, sell off the parts, etc..? Or would it still be considered a new 2009 custom vehicle and would have to be titled as such?
I had started a thread some time ago expressing an interest in building a C3 from scratch without using a donor car. I understand that in doing this it would be titled as a 2009 (the year I expect to actually do it) - however if I were to use a donor car, how much of that donor car do I actually have to use in order to have it titled to the year of the donor car?
I'll be using the SR-III frame, aluminum birdcage, an LSx motor ... basically all of the identifiable stuff wasn't stuff I wanted to use. Is it legal to just take the vin plate off of a rusted-out donor car's birdcage and stick it on the new custom aluminum one and then never speak of the donor car again, sell off the parts, etc..? Or would it still be considered a new 2009 custom vehicle and would have to be titled as such?
To my understanding you won't have to meet manufacturer's requirements for anything...not emissions, crash safety, none of it.
Since you are interested in doing this, please post back when you learn the details.
Steve
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,023
Likes: 1,181
From: La Mesa CA
In California it is a nightmare. 
I built a street legal dune buggy, which is titled here as a Special Construction Vehicle. There were all kinds of inspections and red tape to go through, especially smog. The good thing is here they make available 500 cars like that and kit cars like Cobra replicas, get exempt from the smog inspections. You can imagine the rush to be one of the 500, as they literally go the first day.
As far as VIN number transfers from other cars, I know people who do that but here it is a felony.
I built a street legal dune buggy, which is titled here as a Special Construction Vehicle. There were all kinds of inspections and red tape to go through, especially smog. The good thing is here they make available 500 cars like that and kit cars like Cobra replicas, get exempt from the smog inspections. You can imagine the rush to be one of the 500, as they literally go the first day.
As far as VIN number transfers from other cars, I know people who do that but here it is a felony.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,712
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
Since nobody has replied, I will "guess". I have a friend that build street rods and we talked about this the other night.
1) if you build it from scratch today you have to meet current Emissions, crash, side impact, braking, etc. standards. You are basically building a kit car without the kit. It has to be inspected and all sorts of red tape at the state level (at least in Tennessee).
2) if you take a VIN from a donor, you have none of those requirements. Cut up the rusty birdcage and sell it for scrap metal (but not as a car). That is the way he has been told.
He buys an old title for a car like the one he is building on Hemmings and has a new VIN plate made.
1) if you build it from scratch today you have to meet current Emissions, crash, side impact, braking, etc. standards. You are basically building a kit car without the kit. It has to be inspected and all sorts of red tape at the state level (at least in Tennessee).
2) if you take a VIN from a donor, you have none of those requirements. Cut up the rusty birdcage and sell it for scrap metal (but not as a car). That is the way he has been told.
He buys an old title for a car like the one he is building on Hemmings and has a new VIN plate made.
If I did it slowly like that, I'd still be renewing it as a 68 every year, even though there isn't anything left on the car that's from 1968 and all of the original 1968 parts were thrown away or sold off.
So what's the difference between doing it that way, and doing it all at once - taking a 68, throwing it away, and then building a new car from scratch and putting the 68 VIN on it? The end result is exactly the same as above.
Last edited by Ron R; Feb 8, 2008 at 03:38 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,971
Likes: 9
From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
Ron, check with the DMV, "I have a friend who is building a kit car" approach. Florida has some brand new rules to accommodate this specific thing, as regards titles for custom cars.
To my understanding you won't have to meet manufacturer's requirements for anything...not emissions, crash safety, none of it.
Since you are interested in doing this, please post back when you learn the details.
Steve
To my understanding you won't have to meet manufacturer's requirements for anything...not emissions, crash safety, none of it.
Since you are interested in doing this, please post back when you learn the details.
Steve
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,712
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
Ron, check with the DMV, "I have a friend who is building a kit car" approach. Florida has some brand new rules to accommodate this specific thing, as regards titles for custom cars.
To my understanding you won't have to meet manufacturer's requirements for anything...not emissions, crash safety, none of it.
Since you are interested in doing this, please post back when you learn the details.
Steve
To my understanding you won't have to meet manufacturer's requirements for anything...not emissions, crash safety, none of it.
Since you are interested in doing this, please post back when you learn the details.
Steve
My thing is I just don't want to have to deal with the "new car" crash standards, because it certainly won't meet them. It would be a LOT easier just to buy a wrecked 68 or 69, junk it all, and use the VIN on my build.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 692
Likes: 1
From: Peabody Ma.
In Mass it would get a Blue tag and it would get a year based on when it was inspected not when you started. The State police do the inspections here, If you had a donor car title lets say 1970, and bought a custom frame, the frame would come with a certificate of origin. They would then take your donor title and certificate of origin and link those numbers together. Retitled as 200? reconstruced. I have also done this and got to keep the donor title year with the other numbers just linked to the title. Good luck and be ready to jump through hoops
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,424
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
I'd be interested in knowing what you find out. I've got a real '63 SWC body without a title or VIN and was planning on building the car off of an SRIII frame as well. From what I could tell by reading the laws and stuff I could find online, mine will end up being titled as "built from parts".
However, I do know that some legislation was being put in front of Charlie Crist for final approval that would have made it much easier for us to get these things titled as real cars. I don't know if that ever went through or not but I hope it did.
However, I do know that some legislation was being put in front of Charlie Crist for final approval that would have made it much easier for us to get these things titled as real cars. I don't know if that ever went through or not but I hope it did.
