What kind of hoops am i facing with a 27 roadster on 32 rails being registered as a 32(or even a 27)? I have factory numbers on the frame, and it's a roller but it's certainly a hot rod and doesnt resemble a '32. Am i gunna be better off borrowing a gl*** '32 body on it to get it inspected? Are they gunna expect everything to be in working condition? Are they gunna demand reciepts for stuff i swap meeted or fabbed myself? How can i check if these numbers arent in use or if they are what happens then? What about going an abandoned vehical route or even have it "impounded" or something of that nature I know it's a ton of questions, and you guys will say check with your local DMV but they change their mind on a whim and most of their laws dont apply to the type of stuff we do Otherwise, since this forum pussed out on historical do***ent sales and doesnt allow them where online should i look now?
it's been 20 years for me. so it has probably changed 20 times I went to DMV and was sent to State Police to verify numbers then DMV issued a ***le. took a couple trips but was fairly easy.
I bought a car (1930 Ford coupe) from a guy who ***ured me the ***le was in his name, but lost the paper. You would think he could apply for the lost ***le. Well, that didn't happen. So I only got a hand written bill of sale. That required a trip to the WSP inspection station in south Tacoma. I made sure the ch***is numbers were accessable and clear for Trooper Fry. To do this I loosened and lifted the side of the body to ease the inspection process. The Trooper was very friendly and went about his inspection with minimal drama. Anyway the inspection was no big deal. However, it will be a three year wait for the proper paper/***le but I was ***ured I can put tabs/plates on the car and drive it all I want. I can also transfer this paper/temperary ***le if I desire . Good luck I hope this helps.
The car was not a running car. At the time the body was loose, front fender off and the head was off. The car was hauled there on a trailer. I do not know how they will react to a modified project but think it would be worth a shot to have the WSP issue some paper or advise on what to do. A funny part to my story is after the trooper finished his inspection and computer search he asked me how my 40 was running. This kind of caught me off guard. I asked him if he looked up all my stuff. He said "no, he just live down the road from me and drive by daily" Kind of spooky but he was friendly.
I'd swing by the closest WSP inspection station and ask what they want to see and if they have to have it running or if you can trailer it in after it is all together. A simple "the vin will be hidden or partially hidden with the body bolted down in place, do I need to have it raised enough off the frame so the vin is visible?" might go a long ways. I don't think you will have a h***le with an original Henry frame with the T body as long as you have some do***entation as to where the frame, body and engine came from. With so much being stolen lately it doesn't hurt to have things well do***ented when you go in. Plus if it looks right and looks like it was intended to be that way from the get go it's a plus. Odd ball and off the wall **** is probably going to bring on a lot tighter scrutiny over the whole car.
The three year wait allmost sounds like a bonded ***le. They require a three year wait allso. Find a old 27 engine block and use the numbers off it. 26&27 t's had the number on the block and on the p***enger side frame rail. You can lift up the wooden floor board and see it.
would not try to p*** it off as a 32, register it as a 27 that is what it looks like regardless of the frame (incase they look up a picture of a 27. I bought a 26 block that came with a ***le from the midwest. still need to pick up that block one day..
most of the street rod clubs have more experience than most at this sort of thing. Check with one of them in your area....
It all depends on who you get to do the inspection. Basically you need to go to state patrol with your car as complete as possible ....make sure it has fenders whether you plan on running them or not so you won't be issued a fair weather registration only. If you have notarized bills of sale or receipts for ALL major components and none of them turn up stolen you will get the paper work to get you a ***le issued by the state. It's kinda up to the state patrol guy what the car is. But most likely they will register it as a 32 homebuilt. If you don't have that paper work you will need to apply for a 3 year bonded ***le. DO NOT APPLY FOR ABANDONED VEHICLE. That will only allow you to s****e it.
Just ask them to help you, then keep your mouth shut, they deal w/ stuff like this everyday. bonded ***le , no problem !!! go with the flow...
Call the state patrol and talk to the inspector. The one in Spokane was very friendly and helpful. There are some fairly new rules regarding fabricated and modified frames. Don't go by what you hear, the inspector is the one that you need to make happy.
If you have it inspected, it will have to be COMPLETE, and have everything on it making it look complete...engine, trans, bumpers, fenders, lights, windshield...the inspectors (in Spokane anyways) are very picky. My Dad bought a totaled 65 Mustang that was rear ended...he got it fixed and had to drive it out there due to it being bought from a savage yard. They would not inspect it because the rear bumper was not installed yet. his was on a totally running/driving car that was fixed and painted. The new bumper had not shown up yet. Couple months back I bought a 1930 Ford tudor from a guy who bought it in 1960. It was licensed in WA and parked in 1970. It was in his name, however he lost the ***le. I had the registration, plates that matched, license renewals and even insurance papers. Just no ***le. I figured no problem...however the state apparently tossed all old records on any car that has not been registered for 7 years. I wrote a letter to Olympia, they could not help me either. The only way to legally do it was the 3 year wait thing. Super frustrating! And this was on a complete, totally legit WA state car! I dunno what to tell you ****gy...it seems to me the state does not care too much for your old cars and does not really help you in trying to get them licensed for the road.
Not my area of expertise, so I hesitate to post. It's my understanding, from what I read is if you fabricate a frame it has to be certified by an engineer and welded by a certified welder. Major mods required a certified welder. I read this 2 or 3 years ago. and it was vague as to what specific type of certification. But do your own research! I haven't tried to register the one I built my own ch***is for. I'm concerned about it, but I may just race it anyway, so I never followed up.
In walla walla I didn't even have to show them the car... They ran a ***le search on VIN numbers and gave me a historic vehicle plate. I did have a bill of sale from original owner tho.... No other papers atall.
It would be time consuming but if there is a way to get a ***le hearing I would think it would be pretty easy to explain to a judge why it should be ***led as a 27.
The three year thing in this state requires no bond and the vehicle can actually be sold but it won't have a clear ***le until the three years is up. If someone actually showed up with a real ***le to the vehicle (with correct vin number) they could lay claim to it but I've never heard of that happening. Most of the rods that have one of these ***les are ***embled from pieces anyhow pretty much the way ****gy's T is. I've got the trailer that I built for my sailboat registered/***led that way and while I'm past the three years (it goes faster when you are over 60) I haven't gone down and applied for a ***le for it yet.
I haven't read the above WA. law, but in MA., you must ***le a car within 10 days of purchace, so when it comes to registering it many moons later, you may have to get a corrected ***le with the new body and modificiations.
I can't believe that Wa. would require a car to be complete and running to get a ***le. If this is true, then you could buy all the parts and spend years ***embling a car, only to find out the numbers might come up as stolen, and lose everything you've invested. Seems to me there's probably a way to get things checked through state police, or DMV before starting the build. I would call a state police inspector and ask before going through another step in the process.
No, he's correct. The WSP won't inspect a car (or isn't supposed to, Mr. Walla Walla) that isn't road ready. Lights, signals, etc. ****gy- PM me, I have an idea for you.
When I did the lost ***le process on my 52 Ford, I asked about trailering it to them and they where ok with that, but said that it needed to be a "complete" vehicle. No idea what their exact definition of complete is, but the truck did not have a bed at the time they inspected it, and nothing was said. I will tell you that the guy at the bremerton place was really cool about it, didn't give me any grief at all.
I just went through this, ***le with frame number matching no problem! If no ***le 3 year bonded ***le
Would you be satisfied with collectors plates and registration? If pulled over you just tell them your on your way to a car show or meeting. Granted, you cannot drive it daily. But the one time registration fees are for life. Don't even mention your car has been modified at the registration office. Just say its an antique. I needed a bill of sale from last registered owner. Once you own that ***le then you can later go through a regular registration process I suppose.
I really don't believe a vehicle needs to be complete, running and driving, to get a ***le in this state. The ***le stays with the BODY. Just go to the Everett WSP Inspection Station with ALL your paperwork (bill of sale, ect). If you don't have what you need, they'll tell you what you need to do. I'm sure they're not seriously going to be looking at a 27 Ford, probably incomplete body, as having any great potential for being stolen. Have you used the Saginaw 3-speed overdrive, and 4-speed I sold you? Butch/56sedandelivery.
I really don't believe a vehicle needs to be complete, running and driving, to get a ***le in this state. The ***le stays with the BODY. Just go to the Everett WSP Inspection Station with ALL your paperwork (bill of sale, ect). If you don't have what you need, they'll tell you what you need to do. I'm sure they're not seriously going to be looking at a 27 Ford, probably incomplete body, as having any great potential for being stolen. Have you used the Saginaw 3-speed overdrive, and 4-speed I sold you? Butch/56sedandelivery. Go online to the state DOL site, under custom vehicle registration, and read up on what they say you need to do. From the sound of it, since you're going to use a 32 frame, it will be ***led using that frames VIN, so it will be ***led as a 32 Ford, not a 27.
Hamber J scow got rejected VERY RECENTLY with a incomplete car. as far as what year it will be ***led as.... "(c) The model year for ***embled vehicles will be determined at the time of inspection based on the date of manufacture of the vehicle that the newly ***embled vehicle most closely resembles."
I've hauled a few incomplete cars through the WSP inspection building and not had a problem. one had no drive train, and the other had no engine or grille, headlights, or turn signals. They were late 60s era AMCs with ***les that had fallen out of the system. Didn't have a single problem.
I'm thinking that if you trailer it in for inspection having it "look complete and running" may suffice except where they may want to put it on a lift in the "no public access" room to check it over closely for things that may be suspect but that is usually for rebuilt wrecks after there was a real issue with guys buying two like vehicles cutting them in two and welding them together to make one. They had some bust in two at the welds when they got hit. The main thing is still having your ducks in a neat military row paperwork wise and having the car, bike or what ever look like what it should look like and not a scabbed together pos. If their first impression is "that's nicely put together" you probably won't have the problems a guy with a "WTF" car or one that is fairly incomplete may have. Having them verify the vin on one that has a ***le but has been out of the system and hasn't been registered for ** years is bit of a different thing too.
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