Titling a Unique Cobra in Georgia

[csw]

Longtime lurker around Club Cobra, but might be ready to take the plunge. Need some help from the "experts" around here about titling a cobra in Georgia. I am looking at a Unique that has the VIN plate from Unique with the date of manufacture (1994) and the 4 digit VIN number attached to the frame, but it has never been titled before (car dealer drove it using a dealer tag). What all do we need to title in Georgia? After reading and talking to some on the nightmares of getting a title, I want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row before purchasing. I am calling Unique in the morning to see if they can "re-issue" a title and will be checking on getting a lost title, but I'm sure someone on here has run into this issue before.
Thanks

[madmaxx]

Georgia has to be the easiest state in the country to get a car titled. In fact you register it, i am sure someone from Georgia will chime in.

[Commissioner]

This used to be the WORST state in the US for titling replicas. It's the emissions that get people, if it's an emissions county, then you have to meet emissions standards. Contact your county tax commissioner and they will have all the rules/regs for your county. Cobb/Fulton around ATL forget it, but most other counties, should not be a problem. Good luck!

[Ralphy]

4 digit vin#? Never titled? Uh Oh!
Hope your not in an emission county.
Unique may be familiar on how to get it through. Since they're in Alabama.

Info I have is a few years old. How many digits is a new vin 17? I have a 13 I think, so the search took a month without 17 digits. You should have to meet emmisions of a 94.

Georgia registration in emissions county

Ralphy

[Mr Jody]

If the dealer you are buying from never got it titled, then he should have the MSO (Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin) that was issued by Unique. I would think he would have this since without a title, this would be his only document to show his legal ownership, other than perhaps a bill of sale. Until sold to someone in the general public, it will not have a title. Unique may have a copy of the MSO, but not a title. A vehicle will only have one MSO in its lifetime, while it may have several titles, corresponding to the number of owners. As with all vehicles, the MSO is like the birth certificate. The title is like the adoption papers.

Concerning emissions, even though built in ’94, it may be that the MSO (or bill of sale) identifies this as a 1965 model, which I would think would make it emissions exempt. In some states, vehicles over a certain age don’t require that you have a title from the previous owner, only a bill of sale. Someone from Georgia, or their DMV, could tell you if that applies there. Even if the VIN is of a different format (or number of characters) from the standard, I would think that obtaining a VIN from the Georgia DMV would be only a technicality if it is indeed identified as a ’65 model since I don’t believe many if any cars had the 17 digit VIN back then. Check with the DMV to see what documentation they would require for a ’65.

See what documentation the current owner/dealer has, and how it is identified. He should have something on paper to show that he has legal control of it.

[csw]

Thanks everybody for your help. After a second test drive and looking it over again, I think we are going to pass. This one had been sitting and was going to take more than I was willing to spend. Feel like we can get a turnkey for less than we would eventually have it this one. If anyone has any leads or wants to sell, shoot me a message. Can't wait to join the madness, but not going to rush to buy!

[Tony Radford]

CSW, I responded to the other thread on this subject. My Unique car is for sale and is registered in Gwinnett County. I registered it back in 2002. It's a beautiful car as you can see from my gallery.

Tony