This question may already be covered but I'm new here so I'm hoping someone here can help me. Let me first say that I reside in southern ca. I'm planning to buy an out of state 1960 car, totally stock body but with a complete stock 2000 Gm Blazer 2 wd v-6 chassis underneath. The seller says the car will come with the original title and stock location vin number for the 1960 car. Before I make the decision to buy it , please advise. In the past, when I have purchased out of state cars, I have just gone to my local AAA office and they check the vin and if it checks out with the title then no problem. NOW, I've been reading that upcoming changes may make it difficult, if not IMPOSSIBLE to register it as a 1960 car, without showing receipts for all that has been done to the car as far as "changes " are concerned. I really like the car , but don't want to buy it if I need to present it the the DMV for regular smog check or worst ....fines and possible felony arrest ! Is big brother finally finding a way to ruin our fun ? In the past we've been exempt from smog because of the age of our old cars. What should I do guys ? Thanks for your input
what is it registered as now? an "original title" is aint worth anything if it doesn't come with plates and stickers. it's just a piece of paper. show a picture of this gem. what kind of body is on the chassis?
no photos yet... it's in the process of being put together.See previous post about the drivetrain conversion. Ok, What is is it ? I'm a little reluctant to admit that it's not a traditional hot rod....had some of those over the years but now I'm retired and just don't have the bucks anymore( and divorce can be costly ) ! Its a 1960 Rambler American wagon...yeah the 2-door one. ( I can hear the groans already hey , at least it's only got 2 doors. Anyway, I've got a stock one right now and I'm just hooked on their small round-body funkiness . Back in the 60's , my friends and I would just laugh at those underpowered ugly things.... now, if people laugh at my car, I just don't give a sh-t ! I've always loved old cars and now that I'm in my late 60's, I just wanted somethin different ! altho I admit I'd love to have an early Ford pick-up again. I'll post some photos as soon as a get um from the seller
The less info you divulge, the fewer issues you will have. If you are worried, have a DMV service reg it for you. You can take it to them to verify the vin and they will do the rest. I would not tell them you changed anything. If the original vins are still on the body, technically its still a 60 Rambler. As far as getting busted by the man, worry about that when the time comes...if it ever does.
It's a 1960 Rambler.Period. Ramblers can be really Cool,so don't worry about it! Go get a pair of ('56) YOM plates(the Yellow/Black letters/numbers),a 1960 sticker(for the rear plate),the signed Title and you'll be golden when you go to the DMV.
Thanks for your responses so far but I don't think you guys know what the state has in store for us and our modified old cars. It could be a real nightmare !! As for the person who commented on my getting the YOM black/yellow plates, my current Rambler wagon ride still has them ....the originals front and back since its always been a Ca car....maybe I should just keep my life simple and keep the stock driver!
You are good to go once it is registered, so I'd play dumb. Smog checks on a 2000 V6 are fairly basic, anyway. I doubt you'll have problems if it is a body mounted VIN title. I bought a stock Nash with an engine VIN title, a real PITA, but I did get my not runner fully registered, so I am free to do as I please.
I know what the state has in store, or what they are doing. It applies more to cars that are completely manuactured new (like a Boyd car) and less to a modified car like yours. If you got stopped by CHP and have a big ass blower, or other items they could screw with you, just like they do the ricers. But typically they don't mess with you if you have a different engine or drivetrain, although according to the CA Vehicle code, they could. This pertains to cars that do not require emissions tests per the current standards. Will they mess with us one day? I'm sure it's coming. But enjoy your car now and worry about that when the time comes. If you are using all the stock stuff out of the S10, including the emissions equipment and computer, etc, you have nothing to worry about, except maybe a cat and different gas tank.
I'm posting you this information I got from a friend of mine on this subject. I think the best case would be if the car was currently registered (current tags) in the State your buying it from. That should cover the "valid" part. quote... The States Assistant Attorney General Mr. Morgester confirmed in the March 2010 issue of Sports Car Market that the State of California MUST accept valid out of State titles. That means that if a car is legally registered as a 1965 in say Oregon (which would be correct in that State), the State of CA must accept that registration and the car would essentially be smog exempt. http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102776 "This is old territory. In the March 2010 issue of Sports Car Market, Robert Morgester the Assistant AG in CA states that CA must accept a valid out of state 1965 Ford title, because CA law requires that "full faith and credit" be given to other states' titles". "But," Morgester cautions, "the key word here is 'valid.' The owner would have to establish that a full disclosure of all pertinent facts was made to the other state before title was issued. Otherwise, the title is not 'validly issued' and California would not have to honor it." There was an attempt by the State of CA (SB-811) last year to change this. It got all the way to the Governor's desk, where it was vetoed. Federal law overrides State law in this matter, so they backed off. Also, go to the CARB website, and look under "aftermarket equipment" There at the bottom are the regs for swapping engines into pre '65 cars. You can put any engine in to a pre '65 vehicle, as long as it doesn't put out more emissions than the original vehicle. For anyone here that hasn't already done so, do a thread search for "California bill" by KIRK!, and please join in on our legislative battle. We're doin' pretty good so far, but we need all the help we can get.
you can only drive one at a time...just switch plates to the car you are driving and you never have to worry about it...saves you paying the state the extra fees. Until you get caught of course!!
Just to boil it down to the basic facts, no, you will not have a problem registering it in CA. Contrary to what many people think, most of them having never even been here, CA is one of the easiest states in the Union to register a car. One thing to remember is to never volunteer any information to the DMV. If they ask a question, answer it, nothing else. If the VIN matches the title and there is no obvious funny business, you're in like Flynn. Or you can do as one poster recommended and move to Wisconsin and freeze yer balls off
As I am pretty sure that the Nash was uni-body to begin with there would be no lost vin numbers due to putting that frame under the car. I would want it to have a current and valid registration from the state it is coming from when you buy it though. It's a lot easier to say "here's the out of state title and current registration slip from that state and the bill of sale from the seller" than "Well uh, I have this title but the car hasn't been registered in ten years." Make the car showing up with current plates and registration part of the deal to simplify things when you go to the dmv. I think the real problems one runs into engine wise is when they put an older engine in a later rig that has to be smog certified. something like putting a 75 500 Cad in an 82 Deville Coupe. Goes like a raped ape but the smog inspectors don't like it worth a damn.
Back in the 50's, many States registered vehicles by the engine number. If that is the case, a newer V6 would be a red flag to the DMV. If the registration is by the body VIN, it is much easier to register in CA, and there should be no problem. The guy in Wisconsin eats too much CHEESE...
Thanks Carl...but when you refer to "no obvious funny business", do you think the DMV would NOT notice a complete 2000 S-10 Blazer underneath the stock body Rambler American wagon ?
They won't notice because they don't care...The chassis is not a concern to them. If all the paper work matches the VIN, you are good to go. And I personally would go through AAA. They verify cars like this all the time.
What he said. These aren't car guys at the DMV. They probably wouldn't notice if it had a solid gold chassis and a Saturn V rocket engine. They may or may not verify that the VIN on the title matches the VIN on the car. That's all. You're overthinking this whole deal. What exactly makes this car unique from the thousands of other cars registered in CA with swapped engines, frames etc?
out of State car still with Calif Plates? Original CA title? never registered where it is located? Does it have a non-op in State where it is located? No reason DMV needs to see car if all paper work is compliant with current State. Have you seen this car in person?
Thanks Ed , Carl and Jalopy .. I'm probably overthinking this stuff Note to Jalopy Joker: I already have one of these currently registered here in Ca with the original blk plates...its totally stock. Now , I've got a buddy from out of state who's putting another one together with the previously mentioned s-10 Blazer 2 wheel drive chassis... he's done a few of these already . That's the car I'd be registering here.
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