I'm sure this will net you a zillion different answers or comments, a few of which might actuallly be usefull. Technically, something like this has to be registered as a Special Construction. That doesn't mean there aren't ways around that , but they might not be 100% legal or kosher. AS far as cutting the VIN out of the shock tower brace from the Falcon/Ranchero and putting it somewhere else - that is a felony if you get caught and the officer knows what's going on.
registration is for sissies. just make it fast and outrun the cops. should be fairly easy out where you live.
I concur with hotroddon. It's similar to the days of the Meyers Manx, firts we needed a junk reciept on the VW and when we were finished the state required a brake and light cert and it was registered as a special construction vehicle. I am sure that in this day and age the state has added a number of hoops you will need to go througn.
The easy way to deal with this woud be to start with a complete doner car get it registered as a 64 falcon or what ever it be. Do this prior to all the custom work. Allways wonder why so many guys wait till the very end to deal with title issues. good luck
not about the registration, but PM JEEM and ask if he has and image of the falcon bubbletop with the front mount blower. it sounds along the lines of what you are thinking if I remember right.
I have looked into this, I am building a 23 roadster. The car will need to see the referee first to show that he engine is pre 76 and They will want to know if you are registering it as an engine year or year the vehicle repersents. Then a brake and light inspection. After that you will go back to DMV and show recipts and other things to register the vehicle. Go to their web page under specialty vehicles and all the paper work and steps are there. If you go this way do remember that they will only issue 500 specialty registrations a year. They say at times they are all gone by the end of January and there has been yaers that there are some left in July. Good Luck if you take on this project. I am shooting to try and get mine registered in Jan of 2012.
Its been on here a few times already. Took John over 2 years to get it registered only because when he sent in the final paperwork, the idiot sent pictures of it to show off and somebody caught it. Its an 1893 Studebaker
i'd suggest registering the ranchero using a registration service and then modifying it, a registration service can verify the vin, get a title and registration or a non-op. i tend to non-op unless the car will be hitting the road soon, eliminates the $14 suspension fee if you don't insure it in 30 days. the $14 doesn't bother me but it takes 2 weeks for them to lift suspension typically. like you already stated, CA sucks, no emissions and no saftey inspections, once it's titled it's titled, swap frames, motors, cut, section, graft, go crazy, at least for now....
On the 64 Falcons the vin # is only located on the drivers inner fender on the top lip where the fender bolts on, there is a window cut out on the edge of the fender so you can see it witout removing the fender. The last one I had to have verified the DMV inspector insisted that it had to be in two locations in the end I had to bring in documents to show them that it was only in the one location. Point being they don't always konw what they are doing or looking at. If I were doing this I'd get the original car registerd then weld the vin # into the firewall, lower corner visable through the windshield, doorjam or other obvious location. A little body filler and some paint no one would probably know the diffrence. If it were ever questioned tell them it was that way when ya bought it.
IF you are going to use the Rancherito as the basis for your project then register it first. I'm sure somewhere along the way during the project you will have modified the original VIN mounting point and need to stamp the frame with the VIN#'s "for your own safety for identification if somebody steals it". That way the Po'lice can help you recover it if they ever have to look at the frame for ID. It also helps to have friends who drive those shiny black and white cars on Freedway roads, sometimes they'll even come to your house to ID the VIN fer ya. Tim
I would say before you tear everything apart have the vin verified then register it. then you can do whatever after that
There are also laws about reconstruction and heavily modified cars. Most LEO don't know much about this and tend to look the other way if the VIN matches the paperwork - you should know that they can make you jump through hoops when you have it on a different frame etc. Especially a car that was unibody to start with. Contrary to popular belief, just because you have it registered, that does not give you Carte Blanche to modify any way you see fit. Just trying to make sure you know what you are getting into.
this is the best advice. If you have the title and vin for either vehicle you can use that. IF you have AAA they do registrations and titles (FOR FREE) and you dont have to wait in line to talk to a bitchy lady. If you dont have AAA you will have to deal with the DMV
I did get mine registered. We had a pink for the 1927 Nash body that makes up the cockpit part of the car.
Do you want us to try and make you feel all warm and fuzzy, or do you want reality. When the car's finished, expect to be jacked around for months trying to get your title. Because once you try to register it bogus, DMV will call you up wanting you to go through a Bonded title process. And, of course, a couple more checks. That's where I am now.
my suggestion would be to call rich (i partout chevys) here on the HAMB (find him in the HAMB O DEX) and see what he has to say. then let hi take care of the rest for you. thats what i did and it worked like a charm.
Of course, you could also go to the DMV website and read the rules for a Specially Constructed Vehicle: http://dmv.ca.gov/vr/spcnsreg.htm Note that unless you get one of the 500 annual exemptions, you are subject to emissions testing, so getting a registration based on an older car and VIN first, as suggested above, is definitely your best bet.
You better still have a vin unless the local constabulary has changed since the last time I lived there. I used to get checked everytime I was pulled over even when it was the same cop as the last time and I had to show him or her again where the vin was located.
I agree. And document your build as you go, maybe keep a small photo album handy as proof that it still is a 64 Falcon and not a giant Weber BBQ on wheels!
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